Wow Mechmedic some good advise. What I am to add is only to make things as
clear as mud. LOL
I have suggested this option for upgrading that so far, has resulted in 100% upgrading.
1) Buy the ARRL
General Test book. Do not buy a used one unless it is the most recent one. The date (s) it applies to
is listed on the cover.
2) If you have a smartphone, download the app for the General exam questions
3) Sign up on the ARRL or eham site for the practice exams
Then...
1a) Tackle one chapter a week in the ARRL text book. Read it and take the practice question for that chapter. If you can do
two chapters a week great BUT try not to drink from a fire hose.
2a) When you have stupid down time like, waiting in the doctors reception room, waiting in line at the DMV, listening to
your E8 tell that same story over again...You get my drift. Pull out your smartphone and start answering the exam
questions from the chapters you have read.
3a) Now that you are signed up with either .org site (training) start taking the by chapter exam questions or the whole
practice exam. Once you consistently get a 80% on the complete exam is the time to start looking for a place to take
your FFC exam.
Radio's, radio's, radio's are not unlike opinions, everybody has one.
All the radio's listed are good options. For a used radio that is simple I like the (Icom) IC-735 (Patriotman has one so we know it has to be simple enough for him to operate
) and as mentioned, the IC-7200, and of course the Yaesu FT-857. The IC-718, IC-735, and FT-857 does not come with a internal antenna tuner which makes these rigs a challenge for a
Marine to figure out or extra equipment to carry.
The CTX-10 is a damn good radio however, as already mentioned, max wattage is 10-watts. For a first time HF rig, I would go with one that goes up to 100-watts.
Last, and more important then you might think, as again already mentioned, go with a rig that has an internal modem for sending digitally. Yes you can buy an external modem (Signal link or rig blaster) BUT, it is just one more piece of equipment to carry and go wrong and, at least for me, a bitch to setup without someone to help ya'. Being able to TX and RX digitally will be a good skill to have in a grid down situation.
Have fun Brother...