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Australian Amateur Radio FAQ

Equipment

Where can I get amateur radio equipment?

New and second hand Amateur radio equipment is available from the commercial suppliers that advertise in magazines such as the WIA journal Amateur Radio. Alternatively, you may choose to buy equipment privately through either the classified advertisements in the amateur magazines, or the 'buy and sell' segments on some WIA Divisional Broadcasts and email newsletters. Many amateur radio clubs hold 'hamfests' or junk sales, where a large amount of new and second-hand equipment can be purchased.

On the web, the VK2CA website hosts VK Classifieds, an online "for sale and wanted equipment" noticeboard specialising in amateur radio and related equipment.  Allan VK2CA's website is undoubtedly the most successful and most frequently used equipment classifieds in Australia. It's free too, though if you do use it, please consider donating something towards site running costs. Around 100 or more items are added each week and often the more desirable/rare equipment is sold within minutes of being listed on VKHAM.COM. Hint: to view the most recently listed items, use the "Advanced Search" option, set "Posted in the last" to 1 or 2 days, leave all other options set to All and click the search button. You will get a quicker response if you set the "Display Ads as" to Headlines. This way you get to see the "Best Offer", "Swap" and Commercial classifications as well as the For Sale items.

Many sellers use auction sites like Ebay.com.au and Oztion.com.au. You can see all Icom, Kenwood and Yaesu advertisements at the Web Hub site.

Further information on amateur radio equipment can be found on Peter Parker VK3YE's Gateway to Amateur Radio

Equipment constructors may also obtain parts from hamfests, or from commercial outlets, most of which also handle mail-orders. In addition, both the WIA (VK5 Division) and the CW Operators QRP Club run component supply services for  members - these are particularly useful when looking for hard to obtain components.

Links to equipment suppliers

• Andrews Communications Shop 8, 41-51 Bathurst St, Greystanes, NSW 2145. Agents for a number of popular amateur radio and electronics brands.
• Dick Smith Electronics no longer appears to stock amateur radio communications equipment. They do sell components and many communications related items such as antennas, microphones, and items associated with CB equipment, both HF and UHF.
• Emtronics in Sydney
• GFS Electronics in Melbourne
• ICOM Australia in Melbourne
• Kyle Communications   in Brisbane
• Mobile One antenna specialists for Amateur bands, CB and scanners
• Outbacker Antenna Sales International the Perth based company manufacturing a range of multiband mobile whips that have become the standard for HF communications in the Australian outback, and have been successful over the world. Available in short (900mm) and long (1.8m) versions and covering all amateur bands.
• Pacific Aerials Co in New Zealand
• Radio Exchange run by Paul VK3AJJ offers a wide range of equipment brands at competitive pricing. Read his site carefully so you understand the warranty arrangements.
• Radio Specialists in Adelaide
• RCS Radio offers some ham radio related projects, PCBs and kits. Also look at their other electronics products.
• Strictly Ham Pty Ltd in Melbourne
• Tower Communications in Perth
• WinRadio (AU site) or US Site or UK site offers you a computer controlled wideband radio that is actually a plug-in PC option card containing a complete radio scanning receiver from 500 KHz to 1300 MHz, with AM, CW/SSB, FM-Narrow and FM-Wide modes. Controlled by Windows software included with the radio, with functions such as a spectrum display with mouse-selectable receive frequency and an optional World Station Database Manager. Since the original version was produced additional features have been added such as DSP functions for even better performance, digital decoding for WEFAX (Weather satellite facsimile), HF facsimile, packet radio (1200 Bd FM AFSK and 300bd FSK), ACARS (aircraft comms), DTMF, CTCSS, squelch controlled recorder and other functions including an audio oscilloscope and audio spectrum analyser.