What gift do you give friends or relatives who have just received their Technician class license? What about a niece or nephew who has seen your shack and wants to get started in amateur radio? How about your pal who recently retired but hasn’t been behind a microphone since Jimmy Carter was president? We’ve compiled a few holiday ideas for the new or prospective hams in your life.
DX Engineering Gift Card
We begin with the king of all “I’m-just-not-sure-what-to-get” presents. For the new ham who may be building his or her first base station, thinking about getting involved in emergency ops, or planning on installing a mobile rig in the pickup, the DX Engineering Gift Card represents a world of possibilities—maybe an upgraded handheld, mounting for a mobile radio, a desktop microphone system, an antenna analyzer, an automatic antenna tuner, or a first Morse code key. For the ham-to-be, a gift card may be just the encouragement they need to finally punch their ticket and begin a lifetime of enjoyment with amateur radio. Lucky recipients will be able to choose from more than 30,000 amateur radio products at DXEngineering.com.
Visit DXEngineering.com or call 800-777-0703 to order in denominations from $25 to $500. You can also receive a “digital” version of the DX Engineering Gift Card sent right to your email inbox within two hours.
Getting Started Packages
DX Engineering carries starter kits that take the guesswork out of figuring out what components will work together. Here’s a quick look at the full lineup:
Getting Started Mobile Radio Packages feature an Alinco, Icom, or Yaesu 2M mobile transceiver; mobile antenna with one of three mounting options (luggage rack, magnet, trunk/hatch); and the right length of coaxial cable with installed connections. Choose from eight packages.
Getting Started HT Radio Packages come with a 2M or 2M/70cm handheld transceiver from Alinco, Icom, or Yaesu; upgraded Diamond HT antenna; radio-specific programming software and cable from RT Systems; and speaker microphone or headset. Choose from three packages.
Getting Started Base HF Radio Package includes the Icom IC-718 HF All Band Transceiver, Buckmaster OCF dipole wire antenna, 100 feet of DX Engineering RG-8X coaxial cable, DX Engineering footswitch, Heil Pro Set 6 headset, and Samlex power supply.
DX Engineering also offers the Yaesu DXE-FT891START1 Package with FT-891 HF/50MHz All Mode Mobile Transceiver for operators who want to work the HF bands from home using a mobile transceiver. It includes handheld speaker mic, antenna tuner, desktop switching power supply, coax assemblies, and end-fed half-wave antenna.
Also available are the IC-7300 Basic Package and IC-705 Quest for Adventure Package, which comes with rig and accessories. Visit DXEngineering.com for more details on all available transceiver packages.
License Manuals and More
These make ideal gifts for prospective hams, operators who are looking into getting reunited with the hobby they once loved, or those who have expressed interest in moving up in class. You’ll find a great selection of the latest Technician, General, and Extra Class manuals from the ARRL and W5YI Group at DXEngineering.com. We also highly recommend Ham Radio for Dummies, 4th Edition, and Grounding and Bonding for the Radio Amateur, 2nd Edition, both by OnAllBands blogger, Ward Silver, N0AX.
