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I don't know about you guys but when I first got a Technician license 21 years ago (after passing 5WPM CW) and I was finally allowed to use a 2 meter HT I

could not purchase a 2 meter HT for anything less than $150.

That $150 was cost prohibitive for me back then.

Over time I observed a number of other hams who were in the same financial position... raising kids... who could not justify blowing $150 on an HT for the hobby.

BUT

now that BAOFENG UV5R costs around $30.......

it just seems to me that this 2 meter HT would be a great stepping stone to indroduce newbies to the hobby of ham radio.

And the WLN and BAOFENG 888s 440 radios are even cheaper.

I pretty much live on a $15 HT now.

Just mind blowing that my first HT cost ten times as much as this one I use now....

and

I had to drive 3 hours to go buy my first HT at HRO in Delaware.

SO

then what?

Newbie....?? FNG ....?? has an HT.....? and asks what else he can do in the hobby... having JUST that one $30 radio.

?PSK31 .....HELLSHREIBER and anything else you want to blast out of FLDIGI.... and SSTV and ? APRS .....

all work fine with BAOFENGs .....

teach them how to build an interface..... NOT BUY... an interface....

and the hobby will no longer be a repeater hobby.

73 Rob KB3BYT