A first HF rig doesn't need to be the newest. Every radio in this guide puts out around 100 watts on the HF bands, and several stayed in production for years, so there are plenty to choose from. The choice comes down to a few practical things. What your license lets you use, whether you'll need a tuner, whether you want a band scope, and the power supply you'll buy alongside it. This guide covers the solid-state rigs in our HF transceiver list that suit a first station.
What your license lets you use
In the US, you can buy any of these radios without a license. You need one to transmit. A General license is the class most people get for HF. The FCC's band table in Part 97 gives General operators parts of every HF band from 160 to 10 meters. The ARRL describes that as most HF privileges, and Wikipedia's licensing article puts it at over 83 percent of the HF bands.
A Technician license gets you much less on HF. The same table gives Technicians slices of 80, 40 and 15 meters, where the rules allow only Morse code, and 28.0 to 28.5 MHz on 10 meters, where they can also run data modes and single sideband voice. Technicians are limited to 200 watts there, which a 100-watt rig never reaches. They get full privileges above 30 MHz, which is why an all-band rig with 2 meters and 70 centimeters makes sense if you're starting as a Technician. Our license guide lays out every class.
Base, mobile or all-band
The Icom IC-7300, Kenwood TS-590SG and Yaesu FT-450D are desk radios covering HF and 6 meters. The Icom IC-718 covers HF only. If you want one box for everything, the Yaesu FT-991A, Kenwood TS-2000, Icom IC-7000 and Yaesu FT-857D add 2 meters and 70 centimeters. On the FT-991A that's 100 watts on HF and 6 meters and 50 watts on the VHF and UHF bands. The TS-2000 adds a built-in TNC for packet, and an optional UT-20 unit adds 23 centimeters.
Three of these were built for cars as much as desks. The IC-7000 has a detachable control head, the FT-857D a detachable front panel, and Kenwood sells the TS-480SAT with a separate remote control panel. They're small, and they suit a first station on a crowded desk just as well as a car.
Built-in tuner or not
An antenna tuner matches an antenna that isn't quite right for the band, so the rig sees the load it wants. Without one, the rig protects itself by cutting power, as the IC-718 manual describes above about 2 to 1 SWR. A built-in tuner saves you buying a separate box, and it's handy with a simple wire antenna.
The IC-7300, TS-590SG, FT-450D, FT-991A, TS-2000 and TS-480SAT all have one inside. On the IC-7300 and TS-590SG, the spec sheet says it matches loads from 16.7 to 150 ohms, roughly a 3 to 1 SWR, which covers a near-miss antenna. A random length of wire can fall well outside that range. The IC-718 and IC-7000 have no internal tuner and take Icom's external AH-4 or AT-180, and the FT-857D takes Yaesu's FC-30. Check the model name closely on Kenwood listings, because the 200-watt TS-480HX is the version without a tuner.
A band scope
A band scope draws the signals around your frequency as a picture, so you can see activity and click to it. The IC-7300's spec sheet lists a real-time band scope on a 4.3-inch touchscreen, and the FT-991A lists a high-speed spectrum scope on a 3.5-inch touchscreen. The IC-718, FT-450D and TS-590SG have none on their spec sheets. You don't need a scope to make contacts, and plenty of operators never miss it.
The receiver is good enough on all of them
New hams often worry about receiver numbers. W8JI, a ham since the early 1960s, puts it plainly on his site. Virtually every radio made in the last 20 to 30 years hears down into the noise at a quiet location on an ordinary dipole, and the noise outside sets the limit for weak signals. Differences show up in crowded contests and close-spaced signals, which a first station rarely meets. Spend your attention on condition, accessories and features instead.
Digital modes and a computer
If you plan to run FT8 or other digital modes, a USB port that carries audio saves you an interface box. The IC-7300 has a USB connector for audio in and out and CI-V control, the TS-590SG has USB audio in and out, and the FT-991A has a USB connector. The IC-718 and FT-450D list no USB audio, so plan on a separate sound card interface for them.
The supply you'll buy with it
None of the radios above plug into the wall. They run on 13.8 volts DC and draw about 20 to 23 amps at full transmit power, according to their spec sheets. That's 21 amps maximum for the IC-7300, 20 for the IC-718, 22 for the FT-450D and 23 for the FT-991A. Kenwood says the TS-480SAT draws a peak of about 20.5 amps. Yaesu's FT-450D manual asks for a supply that can deliver at least 22 amps. Budget for a supply rated a little above the rig's peak, and see our power supply guide for the details.
What should come with it
Count the pieces in the photos. You want the microphone, the DC power cable and ideally the manual. Icom supplied the IC-7300 with an HM-219 hand mic, and Kenwood's TS-480 manual says to use the supplied DC cables and not thinner ones. An external tuner in the box is a bonus on an IC-718 or IC-7000, since neither has one inside. Fold any missing pieces into what you're willing to pay.
Older and tube rigs
Older radios can make a fine first station too, with more care. The Kenwood TS-130S from 1980 is solid state on 13.8 volts and covers 80 through 10 meters, including the WARC bands. The TS-830S has a built-in AC supply but uses 6146B tubes in its final. Our guide to vintage tube gear covers what changes when you buy older.
A short list to start from
If you want the easiest start on HF and 6 meters, look at the IC-7300, TS-590SG and FT-450D, all with a tuner inside. If you're licensed as a Technician and want 2 meters too, the FT-991A and TS-2000 cover everything in one radio. If you want the simplest HF-only rig, the IC-718 is it, with an external tuner if your antenna needs one. Whatever you pick, ask for a wattmeter reading into a dummy load before you pay. Our guide on how to check a used ham radio walks through it.
