okay so i passed my tech exam like three weeks ago and ive been lurking here and watching videos trying to figure out what handheld to get and honestly im more confused now than when i started. everyone seems to have a strong opinion and half of them contradict each other

my main use case for now is just local repeaters, maybe APRS eventually, and i want something that wont fall apart if i drop it. budget is probably around $200 but i could stretch a little if there's a really good reason to. ive been looking at the Yaesu FT-60, the Baofeng UV-5R (i know i know everyone has feelings about those), and someone mentioned the Kenwood TH-D74 but thats way over budget for now

honestly just want to hear what people actually use day to day, not like the spec sheet stuff. what do you guys think

the FT-60 is honestly hard to beat for what you're describing. its been around forever but theres a reason everyone still recommends it - built like a tank, audio is loud and clear, receiver is solid so you're not getting stomped by intermod when you're near a city. i dropped mine off a truck bumper once and it just kept going. the only thing is the menu system is a little old school but once you program it you dont really mess with menus anyway

the UV-5R is fine for experimenting and learning but the receiver isnt great and if youre anywhere near a bunch of other signals it can get messy. not trying to be a snob about it, i have one in my go bag actually, but as a primary radio the FT-60 is just more dependable in my experience. save the extra money and you'll be glad you did in a year when you're not looking to replace it already

i was in basically the same spot about eight months ago and ended up going with a Wouxun KG-UV9D and honestly pretty happy with it, though i know thats not one you mentioned. it hits a nice middle ground on price and the dual receive actually works properly unlike some cheaper ones. APRS wasnt built in on mine but i think some versions have it now or close to it

if i were doing it over though i might just get the FT-60 like everyone says, because programming the Wouxun with CHIRP was a little annoying at first and the docs are not great. anyway whatever you get just get on the air, you can always add a second radio later and most of us have like four of the things sitting around at this point lol