Trying to understand and comprehend but due to late in life start I need help. I want to start with one of my Baofeng, UV-5R or UV-82. What hardware do I exactly need to set one of these radios up before I go further? Any and all help appreciated.
hi!
my advice is to first identify what is that you want to do with the uv-5/82.
try to be as specific as possible
so many start saying “i want to try digital modes”
there are so many variables, the vhf/uhf radio you have narrows it down but knowing what the use case is, will help provide an answer/suggestion that takes into account what those radio can/can’t do
kb0wlf
What would be the simplest to learn and get started going digital?
there is:
APRS
vhf Winlink
vhf/uhf packet bbs
sstv
those are just a few ‘digital/data’ things that take place on vhf/uhf FM
maybe a better question, i could have asked;
what/who got you interested in exploring digital/data stuff with your FM handhelds?
that might shed some light on what you want to do
(talk around the world, data qso around the world, decode weather fax or satellite telemetry, fax pictures back and forth, exchange emails over rf, send position reports/txt msg etc. etc.)
there are so many options but most (in comparison) take place using SSB modulation (on hf or vhf/uhf) which excludes your radios
kb0wlf
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I’ve been watching YouTube. So basically, email over handheld, talk worldwide, qso, not rally sure till I try and see which is better for me. Would like to start with simplest, less technical.
Then try other.
that helps, youtubers are awesome but sometimes leave out some very important gotchas about equipment requirements.
so email over handheld:
if you are a couple miles away from the nearest winlink gateway, you can use your radio + digirig lite with uv-5r cable and a smartphone will get you on the Winlink system.
voice coms, around the world, will be limited to analog VOIP systems.
basically a repeater or gateway nearby that is connected to the IRLP or Allstar network.
what it all boils down to:
with FM vhf/uhf radios, you will be connecting to someone else very nearby that has the hardware/software to interface to the internet for whichever mode you desire.
good luck
kb0wlf
Thanks. This clears it up a little better.
KN4YSS