Communications ยท Gear Review
Handheld ham radios. Your first radio after the license.
A handheld ham radio reaches across town through a local repeater when phones are down, and it is how many neighborhoods and emergency groups stay in touch. It also needs a licensed operator in control of every transmission. For a first radio, the Yaesu FT-65R is our pick. The BTECH UV-PRO suits people who would rather program from a phone. The Baofeng UV-5R is the inexpensive way to start.
Top pick
Yaesu FT-65R
Typical price
About $120 to $190
License needed
Yes, to transmit
At a glance: Yaesu FT-65R
Strengths
- It is built to an IP54 dust and water rating and military drop and shock standards.
- Yaesu rates the supplied battery for more than nine hours of operation.
- It carries a three-year warranty from a long-established radio maker.
Limitations
- Programming from the keypad is fiddly, and the computer cable is sold separately.
- It holds 200 memory channels, fewer than older Yaesu handhelds.
- It is analog only, with no digital voice modes.
By Dan Whelan, founder of New World Survival
Researched from FCC rules and enforcement notices, maker specifications, and owner reports. See our sources
The one thing to know
The license comes first, for every person who talks.
FCC rules require a licensed operator to be in control of every transmission on amateur frequencies. (47 CFR 97.7) An unlicensed person may speak only with that operator present and supervising, so for independent use, each person needs a license. (47 CFR 97.115) Listening needs no license. Most people start with the Technician license, which covers the bands every radio on this page uses. Our ham radio handbook explains the three license classes and how to study for the first one.
These radios are not family walkie-talkies. FCC rules allow only radios certified for FRS or GMRS to transmit on those channels, and none of the radios here carries that certification. (47 CFR 95.335 and 95.1761) The Baofeng UV-5R, in particular, was certified under the land mobile rules, not the family radio rules. (FCC DA 18-801) FCC rules also bar GMRS certification for any radio that can transmit on ham frequencies. (47 CFR 95.1761)
If your goal is to keep an unlicensed household in touch, buy certified FRS radios, or GMRS radios with a GMRS license, which the license holder's immediate family may also use. Our GMRS radio picks cover that route. A ham radio is for the person in the house who earns the license, and it opens up repeaters, nets, and emergency groups that reach much farther.
The field
Three radios, three ways to start.
All three are dual-band FM handhelds for the 2 meter and 70 centimeter ham bands. Specifications come from each maker or its listing; we did not bench-test them ourselves.
Yaesu FT-65R
- Best for: a first radio that will be your main one
- Power: 5, 2.5, or 0.5 watts
- Rugged: IP54, military drop and shock standards
- Battery: 1,950 mAh, over 9 hours rated
- Programming: keypad, or a computer with a programming cable
- Warranty: 3 years
- Typical price: about $120 to $190
BTECH UV-PRO
- Best for: programming from a phone
- Power: up to 7 watts peak
- Rugged: IP67, short immersion
- Battery: 2,600 mAh, USB-C charging
- Programming: BTECH app over Bluetooth
- Extras: GPS, APRS, NOAA alerts
- Typical price: about $165
Baofeng UV-5R
- Best for: learning on a budget, a backup
- Power: 4 or 1 watt
- Rugged: no water rating listed
- Battery: 1,500 mAh
- Programming: keypad, or free CHIRP software with a cable
- Warranty: varies by seller
- Typical price: about $18 to $25
Our picks
Built to last, built to learn on, or built for your phone.
New to ham radio? Our ham radio handbook explains repeaters, antennas, and the mistakes that waste money before you buy.
Top pick
Yaesu FT-65R
A simple, sturdy radio from one of the long-established ham makers, built to an IP54 rating and military drop and shock standards, with a battery Yaesu rates for over nine hours and a three-year warranty. It scans the NOAA weather channels and alerts on severe weather. It wins because it is the radio you can hand to a new ham and trust for years. Ham Radio Outlet lists it at $169.95, or $119.95 with a Yaesu coupon that runs through November 30, 2026. (HRO) It is about $190 on Amazon, with several hundred ratings averaging 4.6.
Find it on AmazonPhone-programmed pick
BTECH UV-PRO
The radio for people who dread keypad programming. You set channels from the BTECH app on your phone over Bluetooth, with no computer or cable. It adds GPS, APRS position reporting, NOAA weather alerts, USB-C charging, and an IP67 rating. BTECH lists it as certified for land mobile and amateur use, and not for GMRS. (BTECH) About $165, with several hundred Amazon ratings averaging 4.5.
Find it on AmazonBudget pick
Baofeng UV-5R
One of the most common first radios for new hams, at about $20, with more than 13,000 Amazon ratings averaging 4.5. It works, and it is a fine radio to learn on or keep as a spare. The trade-offs are a receiver that is easily overloaded near strong signals, tedious keypad programming, and quality that varies from unit to unit. Our full Baofeng UV-5R review covers what it can and cannot legally do.
Find it on AmazonAffiliate disclosure: New World Survival earns a small commission on qualifying Amazon purchases at no cost to you. This helps us cover operating costs and keep building new content. We only recommend gear we would put in our own kit. Commission never decides a recommendation, which is why we tell you when a ham radio store has the better price.
What owners actually say
Sturdy, cheap, or clever. Each has a catch.
These patterns come from Amazon owner reviews, ham radio forums, and published reviews, read November 4, 2026.
FT-65R: solid, a little quirky
Owners describe it as rock-solid in the hand, with good battery life and a sensitive receiver. The repeated complaints are that keypad programming is quirky, the printed manual is small, and the stock antenna is weak indoors. Some longtime hams still prefer the older FT-60R, which had more memory channels.
UV-PRO: easy to set up, heavy
Owners praise how easy the app makes programming. They also call the radio heavy for its size, say APRS takes time to configure, and report occasional Bluetooth drops in the app on some phones. Most rate the radio itself highly.
UV-5R: it works, mostly
Long-time owners report units still working years later. Nearly all of them recommend the free CHIRP software and a programming cable instead of the keypad. Many US buyers find newer units locked to transmit only on the ham bands, which is how a ham radio should behave. Not every unit is locked, so check yours.
How they fail, and what they cost over time
The radio is the cheap part. Plan for the rest.
The stock antenna
Every handheld ships with a short, compromised antenna. An aftermarket one often does more for range than a more expensive radio. Budget about $20 to $35.
The battery
Lithium-ion packs fade with age and when stored empty. Charge it every few months, and keep a spare battery for a long outage.
Programming
A radio with no local repeaters stored is a radio you cannot use in a hurry. A programming cable for the Yaesu or Baofeng runs about $15 to $25; the UV-PRO needs only your phone.
The license
A Technician license is a one-time exam and a ten-year license. Our handbook covers the current fees and how to find a test session.
What we didn't pick, and who should skip
Good radios, wrong fit for a first one.
Digital handhelds
Radios like the Yaesu FT5DR, the Kenwood TH-D75A, and the Icom ID-52A add digital voice and cost several hundred dollars more. Check which digital mode your local repeaters use before you buy one.
The 8-watt Baofeng variants
Models such as the BF-F8HP promise more power. A few extra watts from a handheld matter far less than a better antenna and a little height.
Skip a ham radio for the family
If no one in the house will get licensed, a ham radio is a listen-only scanner. Look at our GMRS radio picks instead.
Skip the out-of-band modifications
Online videos show how to make some radios transmit outside the ham bands. FCC rules do not allow that, and an FCC enforcement advisory warns that radios able to transmit outside the ham bands may not be sold or used unless FCC-certified, and that certified radios generally may not be modified.
Skip it if you only want weather alerts
A dedicated weather radio does that job with no license. See our emergency radio picks.
Skip a handheld for the car
A mobile radio with a roof antenna reaches much farther than a handheld inside a car. Our handbook compares the formats.
Where it fits in your readiness
A skill first, then a radio.
A handheld ham radio belongs in the Sustain tier, once the household has its basic plan and a weather radio. It earns its place through long outages, storms that take down cell service, and community emergencies where local ham groups help coordinate. It is worth the most to someone who practices on a local net every week.
Questions people ask
About handheld ham radios.
Do I need a license to use a handheld ham radio?
To transmit, yes. FCC rules require a licensed operator to be in control of every transmission on the ham bands. Listening needs no license. Most people start with the Technician license, which covers the bands these radios use.
Can my family use these radios without a license?
Not on their own. An unlicensed person may talk only with a licensed operator present and supervising, and these radios are not certified for FRS or GMRS, so they cannot legally be used as family walkie-talkies on those channels either. For unlicensed family members, use certified FRS radios, or GMRS radios with a GMRS license.
Is the Baofeng UV-5R good enough for emergencies?
For a licensed ham on a budget, it is a usable radio and a fine one to learn on. Its receiver is easily overloaded near strong signals, and programming is tedious without a computer. A better-built radio like the Yaesu FT-65R is the more dependable choice if it will be your main one.
How far can a handheld ham radio reach?
Radio to radio, a few miles on open ground and less in a city or hills. Through a local repeater, much farther. A better antenna and a little height help more than extra watts. Our ham radio handbook explains repeaters and antennas.