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====== VHF/UHF for beginners (WIP) ======
This page is intended as a guide for absolute beginners to amateur radio to help them get acquainted with using VHF/UHF radios as a cheap entry point into the hobby. It isn't an exhaustive guide, it simply explains some of the basics of how to get started yourself and what some of the terminology you might hear means. 

If you're here and worried that you can't participate because you aren't licensed yet, don't worry! You'll need to be licensed to transmit but **not** to recieve (listen), and there's also the option of being supervised under someone else's license and direct supervision. (You should really consider getting your foundation license, though. It's not that difficult, you can do it, I believe in you! If you would like help and support in getting your license, the OARC discord would be a good place to start...) 

===== What is VHF/UHF =====
Like many things in life, particularly technical fields like amateur radio, VHF/UHF are somewhat confusingly named. The 'F' stands for frequency, which measures how many times the radio wave //oscillates// (think of it as how many times the wave moves up and down) per second, which is measured in Hertz (Hz). We (([[classification_of_radio_waves|Classification of Radio Waves]])) have decided on a convention on what is classed as 'low frequency', and 'high frequency', except they're all rather high when you consider how many thousands hertz the 'low' frequencies are. It's all about perspective, I guess.

Here are the VHF and UHF amateur allocations in the UK. We call them 'bands' and often use their wavelength in metres to talk about them instead of their frequency:

Very High Frequency (VHF) Bands:

  *6m: 50.000-52.000 MHz
  *4m: 70.000-70.500 MHz
  *2m: 144.000-146.000 MHz (Most used amateur VHF band)

Ultra-High Frequency (UHF) Bands:

  *70cm: 430.000-440.000 MHz (Most used amateur UHF band)
  *23cm: 1.240-1.300 GHz

So one is 'very' high, and one is 'ultra' high. They're somewhat arbitrary adjectives that mean a similar thing, so you've just got to learn which way round they are. ((The adjectives get even wilder after UHF, with 'Super' and 'Extremely' making appearances.))

You'll generally find that most commercially available transeivers for this sort of frequency will be 'Dual band' and work on both 2m and 70cm, but if you've already got a radio you'll have to double check. 

2m and 70cm are subtly different. You'll find that radio frequency bands have their own quirks and oddities which has a certain sort of charm to it, I think. Some bands are very specialist and don't have lots of users, whilst others are your 'workhorse' bands where most of the activity happens. A lot of repeaters for having a chat with people are on either VHF or UHF, specifically the 2m and 70cm bands. I've listed some differences below:
^ 2m             ^ 70cm            ^
| 'Absorbed' by houses more readily    | Fares better in urban environments     |
| Fares better against folliage | 'Absorbed' by folliage more readily   |
| Slightly longer range   | Somewhat shorter range    |
| Narrower band, less space for simplex and repeaters   | Wider band, more space for simplex and repeaters   |
| May be better with a longer antenna than used with 70cm   | Can have shorter antennas (May affect dual-band operation) |
| Somewhat more popular for having a 'natter'   | Can be somewhat quieter   |


===== How to get started, or: 'My first Baofeng' =====
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{{ :baofeng_uv5r.png |}}
A Baofeng UV5R. Please spare a thought for the author, this image is very tall and it was difficult to arrange around the text on this page. 
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To get started on VHF/UHF, you're going to need a radio. Actually, you might not even need that, as you can have a listen on web based receivers called SDRs (I wrote a beginners guide explaining it in detail, check it out [[using_SDR|here.]])

There's a couple of options. You can get 'handheld' radios which look like what you think of if someone said 'walkie talkie', or there's 'basestation' ones which look like how car radios looked before they all went touchscreen. The cheaper option is the handheld route, as the cheapest available are far cheaper than the far cheapest basestation. 

If you are an absolute beginner, there is something to be said for the humble 'Baofeng', a cheap 2m/70cm mobile. They can be somewhat divisive in the community because, if we're honest, they are a little bit naff. But for about £20, what were you expecting? They do have their place though, they're a great option for someone wanting to break into VHF/UHF and they're cheap enough that you could justify getting one before you get your license to have a listen and get a feel for things. (Listening to the amateur bands, in the UK at least, doesn't require you to be licensed.) 

This is the first crossroads in your VHF journey, either:
- You buy a cheap baofeng, or one of the similar chinese brands for about £20
- You spend about £100 on a 'better' handheld

Here is a comparison between a Baofeng UV5R and a Yaesu FT-70D (The author owns both of these, other brands and models are available but these demonstrate the different price points quite well:
^ Baofeng UV5R             ^ Yaesu FT-50D            ^
| ~£20    | ~£100     |
| Sold 'as is', don't expect a warranty or much in the way of support from the manufacturer | A reputable brand, support is generally available   |
| Both Recieve and transmit on 2m and 70cm ||
| FM only   | FM and C4FM (A digital mode that's fairly common)   |
| Construction is reasonable, does feel a bit cheaper, but it //is cheaper,// so...  | Well built, pretty rugged |
| Can both be programmed with a data cable on your computer or via the handheld itself  ||
| Both have a stock battery of: 1800mAh||
| Doesn't have an S-meter on the screen| Has an S-meter on the screen|
| Frequently reported to not receive as well as it transmits, signals are often quiet| Receives good audio reports, no complaints|
| Can both transmit CTSS tones and work with an offset to access repeaters ||







===== How to get started, or: 'My first Baofeng' =====