Handheld transceivers

What it is

A handheld transceiver, or HT, is a battery-powered, pocket-sized radio with its antenna attached. Most are FM transceivers for the 2 m (144 MHz) and 70 cm (430 MHz) bands. They are a common first radio because they are portable and, once programmed, reach local repeaters.

Where it fits

An HT is the right tool for local, pocket-sized communication. It is the wrong tool for anything that needs range, because of what you give up to make it small.

Why range is limited

• Antenna. A flexible antenna is much shorter than the quarter-wavelength it replaces, so it is a compromise (see Handheld radio antennas and Loaded and short antennas). It is also held low, near your body, which absorbs and detunes it.
• Power. A few watts, set by what a small pack can deliver. Low power also extends battery life.
• Height. At VHF and UHF, signals travel roughly line of sight, so a radio at head height reaches little farther than the nearest hill or building.

The simplest big improvement is an outside antenna: an external connector lets you use a vehicle or home antenna with the same radio.

What to look for

Feature	Why it matters
Programming	Entering repeaters by keypad is slow; computer programming and memory channels save time
Tones	CTCSS and DCS are needed to open many repeaters; see Squelch, CTCSS and DCS
Battery	Capacity sets runtime. A spare pack or battery case helps in the field
Receiver quality	Cheap receivers can overload near strong transmitters, causing noise or silence
Digital voice	Some HTs add DMR, D-STAR or Fusion; these families do not talk to each other directly
Ruggedness	Water and dust resistance, a screen you can read outdoors
Extras	GPS and APRS, broadcast and airband receive, speaker-mic connector

In practice

• Keep the antenna away from your face while transmitting, use low power when it is enough, and use a speaker-mic so the radio is held away from your head on long transmissions. Higher power near the body means higher exposure; see RF exposure.
• Use the charger made for the pack. Lithium batteries can be a fire hazard if they are shorted, damaged or charged with the wrong equipment; see Battery and fire safety.
• Programming a radio for frequencies you are not licensed for, or leaving it set to a repeater's wrong offset, can cause interference. See Memories and scanning and Repeaters and how to use them.

Related

• VHF/UHF mobile and base radiosHigher power and better antennas than an HT.
• Handheld radio antennasRubber ducks, whips and getting more from an HT.
• FM voice operationRepeaters, simplex and the "local" mode.
• Repeaters and how to use themOffsets, tones and etiquette.
• Memories and scanningStoring and searching frequencies.
• Hotspots and gatewaysPersonal digital-voice nodes.