If you’ve just bought a handheld radio for amateur radio, but can’t hear anything, here is some simple help.
Unlike broadcast radio, amateur radio can be silent until someone nearby starts talking. If you can’t hear anything, it doesn’t mean your radio is broken. Follow these simple steps to get started.
1. Check the basics
- Is the radio switched on and does it have enough charge?
- Is the aerial securely attached?
- Is the volume turned up?
- Are you in a suitable location? Try listening outside, with the aerial pointing upwards.
This guide is for handhelds that receive VHF/UHF amateur radio in FM mode. Buttons and menu names vary between models.
2. Choose a frequency
The frequency is the number on your radio’s screen. It tells the radio where to listen.
A starting point in the UK is 145.500 MHz. This is a frequency radio amateurs use to call other local amateurs. It is busier in some parts of the country than others, so don’t be put off if you can’t hear anything
Select frequency mode, sometimes called VFO, then enter 145.500 using the keypad. If your radio has no keypad, there might be a tuning knob or up/down arrows. Check the radio’s instructions for selecting a frequency.
You may hear nothing straight away. This frequency isn’t continuously in use.
3. Check two settings
Look in your radio’s menu for:
- Squelch / SQL: Set this as low as possible. If the setting is too high, it may stop you from receiving weaker signals. If you hear constant hissing, raise it just enough to stop the hiss.
- Receive CTCSS / DCS: Turn these off. They can keep the speaker silent unless a signal carries a matching tone or code. Menu names may include R-CTCSS, R-DCS or Tone Squelch.
If your radio offers a choice of receiving modes, select FM for the analogue voice signals covered here.
4. Find a local repeater
A repeater is a radio station that relays people’s conversations over a wider area. A nearby one can be a good place to listen.
- Go to UKRepeater.net and select Lists from the menu
- Go to the Maps List page and look in both the “2m” and the “70cm” lists for an operational analogue FM repeater near your town.
- Find its output frequency—that’s the frequency you enter into your radio to hear it. See example below
There are also various repeater apps for smartphones and tablets, so try your phone’s app store.
For listening, you don’t need to set a transmit offset or transmit access tone. Leave receive CTCSS and DCS off.
Stuck finding one? Ask a local amateur radio club which repeater to try and when people normally use it.
5. Listen when people are talking
Even a working repeater can be quiet.
Ask local amateurs in your area about a local net—a group conversation held at an arranged time. Listening then gives you a better chance of hearing something than trying at random. Local clubs in your area usually list net times and frequencies
If you still hear nothing, you may be out of range. Using a handheld indoors in a built-up area will reduce the range. Try outside, somewhere higher, or by getting nearer to your local repeater. If you have a friendly amateur in the area, ask then to pout out a test call that you can listen to.
Still need help?
It may be useful to get help from local amateurs, as they will know which frequencies and repeaters are in use. Try your local amateur radio club. If not, ask for help from Essex Ham members. When asking for help, include:
- Your radio’s make and exact model
- Your nearest town—no need for your full address
- The frequency you’re listening on
- Whether you’re indoors or outside
- Which steps above you’ve tried
A clear photo of the radio’s screen can help too.
For this guide, just listen: leave the transmit button alone.
Want to learn how it all works?Essex Ham offers a FREE online Foundation training course for people new to amateur radio. |
Handy Links
- For more explanation, see Listening in to Amateur Radio.
