Resources · Amateur radio

Vendors & shops

Retailers, manufacturers, antenna and coax suppliers, test equipment, kits, and licensing resources I have found useful for amateur radio.


Buyer note

A listing is not a recommendation. Check that a radio transmits on the bands your license class allows, and remember that clean emissions are the operator's responsibility (§97.307).

No links on this page are affiliate or sponsored links. See the disclaimer & disclosures.

Shops & Retailers

U.S. amateur radio retail chain with physical stores and online sales: transceivers, antennas, power supplies, coax, and accessories.

Brick & MortarOnline Sales

Large amateur radio retailer for transceivers, antennas, low-loss coax, connectors, towers and mast hardware, grounding, and station accessories.

Online Sales

Retailer carrying amateur transceivers, mobile mounts, coax, power supplies, and accessories.

Brick & MortarOnline Sales

Specialist in lightweight lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) battery packs, multi-stage chargers, and solar controllers engineered for portable amateur operating and emergency go-boxes.

LiFePO4 BatteriesPortable PowerField Ops

Radio Manufacturers

Japanese manufacturer of dual-band VHF/UHF handhelds, mobile transceivers, desktop linear power supplies, and entry-level HF rigs.

HFVHF/UHFMobilePower Supplies

Manufacturer of dual-band DMR and analog handheld and mobile transceivers (AT-D878UVII Plus, AT-D578UVIII) with integrated GPS and APRS roaming.

VHF/UHFDMRDigital VoiceAPRS

High-volume producer of entry-level analog VHF/UHF handhelds (UV-5R, UV-82, UV-5G) with direct USB-C charging for field and emergency use.

VHF/UHFHandheldsBudget

U.S. designer and manufacturer of top-tier HF transceivers (K3S, K4, KX2, KX3), linear amplifiers, and modular kits, favored for portable POTA and CW DX.

HFPortableQRPKitsHigh Performance

Direct-sampling Software-Defined Radios (SDR) and legal-limit solid-state amplifiers (FLEX-6000 series) with multi-client network remote operation.

HF/6mSDRRemote Operations

Open-source, hackable HF transceiver kits designed by Ashhar Farhan (VU2ESE), including the BITX40, uBITX multiband SSB/CW rig, and Raspberry Pi-powered sBitx SDR.

HFQRPOpen SourceSDRKits

Major Japanese manufacturer of HF, VHF/UHF, and D-STAR transceivers, from the benchmark IC-7300 base SDR to all-mode IC-705 portable and IC-9700 VHF/UHF/1.2GHz base stations.

HFVHF/UHFD-STARSDRSatellite

Renowned amateur radio brand producing high-dynamic-range HF base stations (TS-890S, TS-990S) and feature-rich APRS handheld and mobile transceivers (TH-D74A, TH-D75A).

HFVHF/UHFAPRSD-STAR

Manufacturer of the Discovery TX-500, a ruggedized, weather-sealed, ultra-compact 10 W HF/6 m SDR transceiver housed in a precision CNC aluminum enclosure for field expeditions.

HF/6mPortableField OpsWeatherproofSDR

Historic American manufacturer of high-performance CW and SSB HF transceivers (Omni, Orion, Eagle) known for full break-in QSK, linear amplifiers, and regenerative receivers.

HFCWQSKBase Stations

Manufacturer of high-spec analog handheld and mobile transceivers (KG-UV9D, KG-UV980P) featuring genuine dual-receive superheterodyne receiver front ends and cross-band repeating.

VHF/UHFSuperheterodyneCross-Band Repeat

Manufacturer of affordable, feature-packed HF SDR transceivers with internal automatic antenna tuners, color waterfall spectrum scopes, and portable form factors (G90, X6100, X6200).

HFQRPSDRInternal ATUPortable

Leading Japanese manufacturer of HF, VHF/UHF, and System Fusion (C4FM) transceivers, including the popular FT-710, FTdx10, FTM-500D mobile, and FT-5DR handheld.

HFVHF/UHFSystem FusionC4FMSDR

Antennas & Mounts

HT, mobile, and base station antennas, NMO and lip mounts, SWR meters, and duplexers.

VHF/UHFMounts & Brackets

HT, mobile, and base station vertical antennas, mobile mounts, coax switches, and surge protectors.

VHF/UHFHFMounts & Brackets

Handheld VHF/UHF Yagis, widely used for working FM amateur satellites.

SatelliteYagi

Cables & Connectors

Coaxial cable assemblies, feed lines, jumpers, and RF connectors and adapters.

Custom Cable AssembliesConnectors & Adapters

Manufacturer of the LMR coaxial cable families; publishes attenuation data by frequency for loss calculations.

Cable Data Sheets

Premier supplier of genuine Anderson Powerpole connectors, DC distribution blocks, crimp tools, and automotive power cables for amateur stations.

PowerpolesDC DistributionWiring

Test Equipment & Kits

Antenna and cable analyzers for SWR, impedance, and cable-length/fault measurements.

Antenna Analyzers

Compact SWR and power meters, frequency counters, and dummy loads.

RF Test Equipment

Low-cost QRP transceiver, WSPR beacon, and accessory kits for building your own gear.

KitsQRP

Directories, Licensing & Learning

North American repeater directory with search by location, band, and mode.

Repeater Directory

Official FCC portal for your FRN, license applications and renewals, and call sign lookups.

FCC Official

The U.S. national association for amateur radio: band plans, exam session search, technical references, and news.

Band PlansExam Sessions

Free study tool for the Technician, General, and Amateur Extra question pools, with exam session search.

Exam Prep

Call sign lookup, logbook, and forums.

Call Sign Lookup

Missing a trusted shop?

If you know of a quality amateur radio supplier, antenna maker, test-equipment source, kit maker, or local radio shop worth including, drop a note on the contact page.