This is a great time for "HAMs" - or Amateur Radio Operators to light up the airwaves with on-the-spot reports on the Hurricane weather.
And, so they are...   Everytime there's a major "event", the airwaves are filled with people all over the globe.

Unlike the Commercial News and Weather broadcasts, with the proper license, and a little bit of gear, you can find people on-location and converse with them.   As I'm typing this, I'm listening to several stations checking into NETs and giving conditions, advice and general chit-chat (also called rag-chewing).   A "NET" can be a daily or weekly organized conversation, one person moderates, may call for and pass on messages (a very important service), or a NET can be be just a time of day when a bunch of guys or gals get together on a single frequency to talk, like an old-fashioned party-line telephone.   99% of the High Frequency (HF) communication is done via Single Side Band instead of AM - which allows several people to talk at the same time, and be understood - hence the party-line style communication.  Less than 1% of the HAMs are professional broadcasters - it's just average people, and covers the entire spectrum of the population.  Unlike CB (Citizen's Band) radio, Amateur Radio is self-policing -AND- the FCC has observers who track, record and report abuse - which makes it both FUN and ADDICTIVE.

For the retired folks, this is an excellent hobby for winter times, traveling, and because there is SO MUCH to LEARN & DO if you wish to... brain exercise!  It is quite common to be talking to a total stranger, and finding out they are 92yrs or 22yrs old - age does not matter when you share a common hobby.  The different things to do with HAM radio varies tremendously, Emergency Communications, Contesting, Rag-Chewing, NETS, passing Messages/Traffic, Special Events, Remotes, Mobile, Backpacking, etc., and you'll quickly make new friends, share ideas, stories and get help building your radio station (or HAM Shack).  And unlike a small community, if you get tired of certain folks, there's LOTS more out there to talk to, both in the USA and around the entire world.

When All Else Fails - Amateur Radio. 

This is the LAST form of communication, in the most free form, that can give unfiltered information the Public Broadcasters cannot in the event of an emergency or communication outage.  As Television, Radio, Telephone, Cell phone and all the other methods of voice and data communications have migrated to the Internet - a necessity because of the need for communication speed -  HAM radio has actually lead the pack in innovation!   "Voice" and "CW" (morse code) is just a part, there are many digital modes that require a computer to encode / decode signals.  The only thing in common is the Transceiver and an Antenna!  For instance, "Easy Pal" is a form of "Slow Scan TV" which passes voice and very high resolution pictures - over the airwaves... computer to computer. 

Another interesting aspect, Amateur Bands cover a very large spectrum of the Airwaves, when communications are poor on some "Bands" other "Bands" or frequency segments.   When we hear sun spot activity is going to wipe out cell phones & cell towers, we also know 6 & 10 meter bands are going to be very active and easy to talk very long distances.   When solar activity is low, 80 & 160 meter bands get better - there's always some place to "play on the radio".   

HAM radio is VERY portable, can be very stealthy, and can be operated almost anywhere in the world.  Some people make "expeditions" to remote islands, mountain tops, remote desert locations, and of course disaster areas - setup a station and operate.  For a couple of weeks after the hurricane passed through Haiti years ago, Internet access was provided by HAMs.  They set up a private/public MESH network using old, re-purposed, outdated Cisco routers, a car battery, and with several wireless routers spread around the area, created a portable network, tied to the Internet to restore communications to the devastated area.  Expect the same for this Hurricane, Licensed Amateur Radio operators, stepping in to assist when all else fails, they can organize and reestablish communications in hours while the infrastructure is being rebuilt.

Without a license, you can't legally "transmit" unless it is a dire emergency or you're accompanied by a licensed HAM.  But, like driving a car, there is a period of time you learned how to operate, practiced, got comfortable and tested for a driver's license.   To get your Amateur Radio License, ARRL.ORG has lots of study materials, including ALL the test questions and answers - studying is an educational experience in itself.  The tests are easily practiced on-line to help prepare, and there are LOTS of HAMS to help you.   The "goal" is to get your Technician and then General license.  You'd be rather limited in communication range with a Technician License, but the General License opens up the world, which is why you want it.   

Without a License to operate, you can still listen, and it doesn't take much of a radio either.  The radio type you want is a short wave radio with SSB (Single Side Band), and hopefully so filtering to allow wide and narrow filtering.  An AM only SWL (short wave listening) radio, is not going to work for listening to HAMs on the HF bands.  USB & LSB are essential for any SWL radio (Upper and Lower Side Band).   Like owning a car, or gun, without turning on the radio, listening and learning how to operate, it's interesting but really useless in an emergency.  Simple things about radios are easily learned from an experienced HAM (we call them Elmers), and learning CW (morse code) is no longer a requirement.

Right now... a bunch of guys are talking about where they go fishing, hunting & golfing - and talking on the radio.   Other times, people will talk about radios, antennas and the next greatest antenna design.  It's a hobby you play and experiment with for a lifetime, and a great place to get and share ideas with everyday people.

This week has been a good example of why HAM radio is superior to Broadcast radio.

Weather reports and weather stations in Florida, up and down the coast started coming in yesterday, none of which sounded like the main stream media or politicians.  I was scratching my head, wondering if this Hurricane Matthew was some kind of Super Storm going to kill Jacksonville, FL and continue to wipe out coastal cities one after another...  maybe the forecasters had it wrong, just in case - and tried to scare the hell out of the old folks in Florida...?

Based on TV & Broadcast weather reports, HAM radio operators were expecting towers & trees uprooted, houses under water and their antennas floating away in crumpled masses.  Yet... one after another HAM operators were saying, not much rain, wind not so bad, and they were wondering if the big, bad hurricane was yet to come?

So I kept checking personal weather stations along the coast, expecting most of them to be gone this morning - nope.  Some wind gusts in the 60mph range, sustained winds in the 30-40s as the eye passed by.  Rainfall was in the single digits, Barometric pressure wasn't setting new record lows ... This looked like a slow moving thunderstorm rolling by...  Not even the accompanying Tornadoes!

... I suppose something BAD could still come of it...   from here on, I suspect the weather forecasters will be coming up with excuses for the panic they've caused, crying "wolf" .... again.

As for the HAMs I've been communicating with, real time, once again, they're more reliable.

Quote from: Hoofer on October 07, 2016, 10:01:35 AM
This week has been a good example of why HAM radio is superior to Broadcast radio.

Weather reports and weather stations in Florida, up and down the coast started coming in yesterday, none of which sounded like the main stream media or politicians.  I was scratching my head, wondering if this Hurricane Matthew was some kind of Super Storm going to kill Jacksonville, FL and continue to wipe out coastal cities one after another...  maybe the forecasters had it wrong, just in case - and tried to scare the hell out of the old folks in Florida...?

Based on TV & Broadcast weather reports, HAM radio operators were expecting towers & trees uprooted, houses under water and their antennas floating away in crumpled masses.  Yet... one after another HAM operators were saying, not much rain, wind not so bad, and they were wondering if the big, bad hurricane was yet to come?

So I kept checking personal weather stations along the coast, expecting most of them to be gone this morning - nope.  Some wind gusts in the 60mph range, sustained winds in the 30-40s as the eye passed by.  Rainfall was in the single digits, Barometric pressure wasn't setting new record lows ... This looked like a slow moving thunderstorm rolling by...  Not even the accompanying Tornadoes!

... I suppose something BAD could still come of it...   from here on, I suspect the weather forecasters will be coming up with excuses for the panic they've caused, crying "wolf" .... again.

As for the HAMs I've been communicating with, real time, once again, they're more reliable.

I don't think there was a over reaction. The track had the makings of an "Andrew" and "Katrina" outcome. So far only one fatality in FL and that from a heart attack. Getting people off of barrier islands with a potential 10' surge is imperative. I have been watching the governors of FL, GA, SC and NC and feel they have been on target. When one remembers the ineptness of the LA governor and NOLA mayor with Katrina it is a stark reminder why it is better to over react. Another issue is all the new inhabitants of these areas who have never experienced a hurricane. They needed to be scared into action.

Quote from: supsalemgr on October 07, 2016, 10:21:09 AM
I don't think there was a over reaction. The track had the makings of an "Andrew" and "Katrina" outcome. So far only one fatality in FL and that from a heart attack. Getting people off of barrier islands with a potential 10' surge is imperative. I have been watching the governors of FL, GA, SC and NC and feel they have been on target. When one remembers the ineptness of the LA governor and NOLA mayor with Katrina it is a stark reminder why it is better to over react. Another issue is all the new inhabitants of these areas who have never experienced a hurricane. They needed to be scared into action.

Storm surge is 4' from multiple reporting stations on piers, inlets, barrier islands closest to the eye.  Source is a HAM radio "NET" on 7268KHz LSB.    Yeah, I guess it's not an overreaction, I got family and friends in Lake Placid and Jacksonville - none of which have moved... I don't live down there, so it's "their call" as far as I'm concerned.


If anyone has a HAM radio, or Short Wave radio, and have wondered, "Gee, I hope this thing WORKS in an emergency....".
This is a real good time to tune in, to 7268.00 KHz  or 7.268 MHz LSB (Lower Side Band setting) on your dial and you can hear the HAM radio reports LIVE.  (This is known as the 40 meter band).   

The NET Controller (guy in charge for the event), calls for stations that might have damage reports, traffic (messages to send to HAMS or relatives or whomever), or just 'check in' with current conditions, weather observations, rainfall, storm surge, wind, gusts, barometric pressure, etc.    Find out if your radio will pick up this station (it's got a strong signal), or if an outside antenna (long wire, dipole, vertical) would be needed.   I've got several radios, this little (almost pocket size) Tecsun PL-880 is doing a decent job with the whip antenna, when I hooked it up to a 300' long wire, between the house and a tree, the signal is booming in!

There is a pause of about 30-60 seconds between calls for conditions, take your time if you tune in and it's nothing but static, hang in there.  About every 30 minutes, they give all the current weather conditions from several locations in Florida and Georgia.

If you have an old Short Wave radio, and wondered... hmmmm....  crank it up and give it a listen, see if you can find this station right next to the 41m marking in your dial.   It'll take some really "fine" tuning to get the tone of his voice clear, but it can be done with an old AM set - not as easily as a SSB (Single Side Band) radio, but what the heck, give it a try.

7.268MHz LSB and 14.325MHz USB Hurricane NET is running a really strong signal - great time to "test" your radio's reception.

Fellow HAMs are calling in rainfall (close to 30" in South Carolina), one station reported in excess of 1" per hr, wind gusts in excess of 60mph, one was 72mph gusts.   Majority of the damaging winds are after the eye passes.   

These reports are being sent to the National Weather Service, National Hurricane Center, real time.

As evening approached last night, the signal was getting "washed out" by EU stations, this morning, it's very strong again.
If you try to listen in, expect about a 1 minute between announcements, "This is the national hurricane net... and stations wishing to check in", and summary reports on the 1/2 hr.

There is also a web site:  http://www.hwn.org/

For non-HAMs, just listening in is an education how we operate in emergency situations.

Hoofer
I'm Looking for a portable unit that can reach at least 100 miles through the worst conditions life has to offer and a base for the house.
I have no interest in a license. What can you suggest?

Quote from: Solar on October 08, 2016, 09:43:57 AM
Hoofer
I'm Looking for a portable unit that can reach at least 100 miles through the worst conditions life has to offer and a base for the house.
I have no interest in a license. What can you suggest?

When you say "Reach at least 100 miles" do you mean listening or talking?

The real answer is, any GOOD Antenna can make an average radio great, and a poor antenna can make a good radio near deaf.

For a non-HAM, a CB radio, operating SSB with a 5/8 wave vertical base station antenna, or a beam, as high as possible. 
11 meters (CB bands) are limited to line-of-sight, most of the time - exceptions being high levels of solar storms.   Just adding raw POWER isn't going to improve your ability to "hear" anything.

Most CBers are using verticals, sooo... I would be inclined to build a "Sleeve Dipole" and set it up vertically as high as possible.
http://www.qsl.net/va3iul/Antenna/Wire%20Antennas%20for%20Ham%20Radio/47-Vertical_Sleeve_Antenna_for_10m.jpg
The radiation pattern looks like a donut (hole in the middle, kind of donut), for greater distance & better S/N ratio (Signal to Noise), flatten out the pattern by stacking 2 or 3 of them & phasing them together.  That would keep the omni-directional, vertical polarization, but minimize interference by directing your Transmit / Receive signal.  (this stuff is pretty easy to build).

Commercial stuff here:
http://www.cbradiosplus.com/category_s/1892.htm

Back in my CB days, I had a Starduster, it worked especially good, because I mounted it high, our farm was well above the local elevation for several counties, and we could talk to mobiles anytime +60 miles, if the bands weren't crowded using SSB modes.

http://www.cbradiosplus.com/product_p/1950.htm
I use to build these - they were called Moonraker 6 years ago.  I had one on a 60' silo, aimed parallel to I-94, and easily talked / heard 50-60 miles anytime of the day.

A GREAT antenna is easy to build, but people seem to think there is some kind of "magic" to Aluminum from a manufacturer compared to the stuff you get at Ace Hardware.  Aluminum is as good as Copper, the difference being very minimal.  Stainless is junk, like steel and other metals that make better heating than radiating elements.

IMO... CBers who like to run LOTS of power, get heard because their signal is bouncing off every object possible. 
Sort of proof to the theory - "Given sufficient thrust, yes, even pigs can fly..."  -or-  "I could hear you, but now that my antenna is a molten mass of Aluminum, and my radio is smoking, I cannot."  -or-  "Sure, I hear you - thru the radio, TV, microwave, pacemaker, Computer's speakers & the FCC is on the way - so, what's your point?"

------------

CB Radios... 

http://www.cbradiosplus.com/category_s/1828.htm
http://www.copper.com/cart/Radios/10-Meter-Radios/10-Meter-Base-Radios

As a minimum, it SSB ability is a MUST, weather bands a nice addition. 
AM/FM is fine, but SSB (USB/LSB) is more efficient, will go farther and allows several people to talk at the same time (and be understood).  A "Claifier" and adjustable "Filter width" would be especially useful.  Noise Blanker, Noise Filter & Automatic Notch Filter, -YES-, and computer interface for digital modes.  The other specs, Sensitivity, Selectivity, Noise "rejection" stuff might not be on the minds of the guys who build this cheap stuff.

In the end, it would almost be a full blown HAM radio.... LOL.

In my CBer days, Northstar/Cherokee made a fair SSB base CBS-1000 and a really nice SSB 'walkie-talkie' AH-100.   (still have several of these, they worked fine for me as a CBer, but there's gotta be better stuff out there now)
http://alfa-img.com/show/100-cherokee-cb-radios.html

If I was still using 11 meters (CB Bands), I'd be using USB/LSB exclusively, legally, and depend on good antennas instead of making myself enemies out of neighbors and a target for the FCC.  Stuff gets recorded and sent to the FCC all the time if it's illegal - if they start cracking down, the illegal guys are screwed.

For the HAMs.... this is the most portable you can get for HF bands, and still have a Top receiver.
http://www.elecraft.com/KX2/kx2.htm
A 20oz portable HAM radio with a 24oz, 16' vertical antenna, in the middle of a parking lot, in the city - we were talking to TX from NC with 10 watts on the 20 meter band.  I doubt we had more than 5lbs total weight, with the coax added, but... that's proof a high performance antenna makes the difference.

Quote from: Hoofer on October 10, 2016, 10:47:42 AM
When you say "Reach at least 100 miles" do you mean listening or talking?

The real answer is, any GOOD Antenna can make an average radio great, and a poor antenna can make a good radio near deaf.

For a non-HAM, a CB radio, operating SSB with a 5/8 wave vertical base station antenna, or a beam, as high as possible. 
11 meters (CB bands) are limited to line-of-sight, most of the time - exceptions being high levels of solar storms.   Just adding raw POWER isn't going to improve your ability to "hear" anything.

Most CBers are using verticals, sooo... I would be inclined to build a "Sleeve Dipole" and set it up vertically as high as possible.
http://www.qsl.net/va3iul/Antenna/Wire%20Antennas%20for%20Ham%20Radio/47-Vertical_Sleeve_Antenna_for_10m.jpg
The radiation pattern looks like a donut (hole in the middle, kind of donut), for greater distance & better S/N ratio (Signal to Noise), flatten out the pattern by stacking 2 or 3 of them & phasing them together.  That would keep the omni-directional, vertical polarization, but minimize interference by directing your Transmit / Receive signal.  (this stuff is pretty easy to build).

Commercial stuff here:
http://www.cbradiosplus.com/category_s/1892.htm

Back in my CB days, I had a Starduster, it worked especially good, because I mounted it high, our farm was well above the local elevation for several counties, and we could talk to mobiles anytime +60 miles, if the bands weren't crowded using SSB modes.

http://www.cbradiosplus.com/product_p/1950.htm
I use to build these - they were called Moonraker 6 years ago.  I had one on a 60' silo, aimed parallel to I-94, and easily talked / heard 50-60 miles anytime of the day.

A GREAT antenna is easy to build, but people seem to think there is some kind of "magic" to Aluminum from a manufacturer compared to the stuff you get at Ace Hardware.  Aluminum is as good as Copper, the difference being very minimal.  Stainless is junk, like steel and other metals that make better heating than radiating elements.

IMO... CBers who like to run LOTS of power, get heard because their signal is bouncing off every object possible. 
Sort of proof to the theory - "Given sufficient thrust, yes, even pigs can fly..."  -or-  "I could hear you, but now that my antenna is a molten mass of Aluminum, and my radio is smoking, I cannot."  -or-  "Sure, I hear you - thru the radio, TV, microwave, pacemaker, Computer's speakers & the FCC is on the way - so, what's your point?"

------------

CB Radios... 

http://www.cbradiosplus.com/category_s/1828.htm
http://www.copper.com/cart/Radios/10-Meter-Radios/10-Meter-Base-Radios

As a minimum, it SSB ability is a MUST, weather bands a nice addition. 
AM/FM is fine, but SSB (USB/LSB) is more efficient, will go farther and allows several people to talk at the same time (and be understood).  A "Claifier" and adjustable "Filter width" would be especially useful.  Noise Blanker, Noise Filter & Automatic Notch Filter, -YES-, and computer interface for digital modes.  The other specs, Sensitivity, Selectivity, Noise "rejection" stuff might not be on the minds of the guys who build this cheap stuff.

In the end, it would almost be a full blown HAM radio.... LOL.

In my CBer days, Northstar/Cherokee made a fair SSB base CBS-1000 and a really nice SSB 'walkie-talkie' AH-100.   (still have several of these, they worked fine for me as a CBer, but there's gotta be better stuff out there now)
http://alfa-img.com/show/100-cherokee-cb-radios.html

If I was still using 11 meters (CB Bands), I'd be using USB/LSB exclusively, legally, and depend on good antennas instead of making myself enemies out of neighbors and a target for the FCC.  Stuff gets recorded and sent to the FCC all the time if it's illegal - if they start cracking down, the illegal guys are screwed.

For the HAMs.... this is the most portable you can get for HF bands, and still have a Top receiver.
http://www.elecraft.com/KX2/kx2.htm
A 20oz portable HAM radio with a 24oz, 16' vertical antenna, in the middle of a parking lot, in the city - we were talking to TX from NC with 10 watts on the 20 meter band.  I doubt we had more than 5lbs total weight, with the coax added, but... that's proof a high performance antenna makes the difference.

That's more than I expected to pay, I thought I could get away with something under $500.0.
Maybe I'll look for a used system, Hell even an old tube set would suffice for my needs.

Quote from: Solar on October 10, 2016, 11:45:41 AM
That's more than I expected to pay, I thought I could get away with something under $500.0.
Maybe I'll look for a used system, Hell even an old tube set would suffice for my needs.

HAM stuff is expensive.  $800-5000 for new radios, at a HAMfest you can find good used HF radios in the $500-2500 range, VHF radios range from $50-400, new and used (American, Japanese).

HF 3-30MHz, is the stuff that can go very long distances, I've heard my echo around the earth while talking to a guy in Madagascar with just 100 watts, it was atmospheric conditions were just right.  It is common to talk to the EU with little power, I've talked to Denmark on 80 meters, with just 4 watts of power.  HF goes long distances, and the lower frequencies easily washed out with static when atmospheric conditions, solar storms, etc., get active.  During quiet solar activity, the signal is likely to bounce off the Ionosphere for long distances, similar to AM broadcast radio at night.  These radios are BIG, old ones are tubes, and still not cheap if it works.  Typically they are called "All band, (6-160 meter bands), all mode (AM, FM, USB, LSB, CW) with adjustable bandwidth filters, noise filters, etc., all the bells and whistles.  They can literally "talk to the world".  Newer Software Defined units are incredibly sensitive, are exceptionally quiet (free of noise) and can reject unwanted signals/noise better than radios made just 10 years ago.  They are expensive, but worth it.  The Extra & General Class FCC license covers these bands, if there is a SHTF scenario, when the repeaters' batteries fail, this is all that'll be left.  These are radios you pay to get fixed, they last a very long time, the hobby was basically "built around HF radio operation", the old stuff is BIG & heavy, new stuff is compact and very portable.

VHF 30-300Mhz, is near line-of-sight.  Often used are repeaters, mobiles (cars, trucks).  Aircraft, Marine, also fall in this range.  Parts of this band improve with solar storms, the radio waves usually just go off into space, but when the Ionosphere gets all charged up by a solar storm, a CB radio can talk hundreds of miles.  These radios are inexpensive, plentiful and limited in range because of the frequency they operate on.  The Technician, General & Extra Class License covers these bands.

UHF 300-3Ghz penetrates practically everything but metal - which reflects what it isn't absorbed.  "Talk thru dirt, brick & trees" radios.  Other than line-of-sight communications, repeaters extend the range of these radios considerably.  Technician, General & Extra Class License covers these bands.

The US market is currently flooded with cheap Chinese radios that cover 146Mhz/220MHz/440MHz (2m, 1.25m, 70cm bands).  This Chinese gear is SMALL, pocket size, usually 2-5 watts, and limited to FM, very cheap, and actually works good.... batteries might not last long, and many have built in FM broadcast radio & weather bands.  $50 for hand-helds, $100+ for mobiles (car mounted radios).  Add a good $50 antenna and even a cheap pocket-sized "handi-talkie" and talk to repeaters 50 miles away.  Woxun and Baofeng are two of them.  We have them, have used them, they work... "throw away radios".... not as good as an average Japanese made unit.  (Japan has the highest per-capita of HAMs in the world, they make good radios, (Yaesu, Kenwood, Icom), easily serviced in the USA.

Of American made radios, Elecraft & Alinco (I think, Alinco still is).  There are LOTS of amplifier companies, as many as radio producers, and, since the FCC and ARRL encourages experimenting in the hobby, lots of plans to build your own, which is MUCH easier than trying to build a decent radio.  But, then why?

Software defined radios - the latest thing, have been the direction of HAM radio.  Plug it into your Computer's USB port, hook up an antenna, run the digital software, and start communicating.   Prices are all over the spectrum, be sure to find SOFTWARE before you buy the USB stick - the Open Source is the only way to go, every program improvement gives you a "like new" radio.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_software-defined_radios

A nice use for an older PC or Laptop with a sound card!

HAM radio is the leading edge in personal and commercial communications.  Government buys communication devices developed by HAMs, which is often years behind in technology.  As fast as computer technology has changed and improved, miniaturized, increased in processing power, so has HAM radio communications.  There are a multitude of "tinkerers" out there experimenting with every aspect of HAM radio, because it is a hobby that openly and actively encourages experimentation.  It also encourages emergency communications, and many HAMs practice for communications if there was a disaster. 

HAMs also like to take old "junk" and turn it into something useful - they are habitually CHEAP....  free internet for all.... right?
http://hsmm-mesh.org/

QuoteBroadband-Hamnet™ (formerly called HSMM-Mesh™)  is a high speed, self discovering, self configuring, fault tolerant, wireless computer network that can run for days from a fully charged car battery, or indefinitely with the addition of a modest solar array or other supplemental power source. The focus is on emergency communications.

In its current form it is built using the Linksys WRT54G/GL/GS wireless routers and operates on channels 1-6 of the 2.4GHz ISM band, which overlaps with the upper portion of the 13cm amateur radio band. Other platforms and bands include several types of Ubiquiti equipment in the 900MHz, 2.4GHz and 5.7GHz band. Adidtional features let signals come in on one band and leave on another without additional configuration. All mesh nodes on all bands exchange data so long as they are within range. We will be adding support for Ubiquiti 3.4GHz gear as well.

OLSR is used for auto linking of the mesh node radios.

OpenWRT firmware tools are used for firmware development.

Broadband-Hamnet™ is currently being designed, developed and deployed as an amateur radio broadband communications system. It originated in Austin, Texas but has spread all across the USA and many other countries around the world.

Personal recommendations for Emergency Radios... 

a.  It must be portable, either battery powered (preferred) for power from a car battery.

b.  Weather bands, AM & FM Radio aren't just nice, you want options, Tecsun PL-880 and GE SuperRadio III are the best.

Tecson PL-880 is a SWL, AM/FM/SSB radio ($150), with a replaceable, rechargeable battery that recharges via a USB cable.  Put a 2ah, LiON batter in it, expect 2 days of good sound out of a very small radio.  Reception is excellent, even with the internal antenna.  I have several of these, and am buying them for my kids.  With a computer and software, you could decode digital HAM communications.
GE SuperRadio III is a big, AM/FM ($50), uses "D" cells or powered from AC (wall outlet, power cord is built in!), has great sound, is loud, and can run on batteries a LONG TIME.  Reception is excellent, for the size relatively light, the kind of radio you'd want at the ocean, on the beach.  I have two of these, one in the shop (it's nice and loud, great sound).
Both radios will accept an external antenna - this is VERY IMPORTANT, the internal antennas SUCK at fringe reception.  String up a hundred feet of wire of any kind, and suddenly there are more stations than you can easily sort through.
Shop around for the best deal, I see these at HAMfests & computer shows.

A radio I do not recommend, and see them often, Radio Shack DX-440, a PLL radio, runs on "D" cells .. EATS "D" cells FAST.  Looks nice, reception is average.  I see LOTS of these in various states of working order, have owned a couple, and run through batteries too fast - the AC adapter is 9 volt, wall wart - they usually have a $50 price.

------------------------

For the HAMs, or those thinking of getting your License so you can legally transmit on the HAM bands...

Handheld UHF/VHF bands - Baofeng and Woxon (both Chinese) are in the $40-60 range, new models come out all the time, they usually run 1-4 watts, mainly for line-of-sight, simplex communications, or with an external antenna adapter, and antenna, they can reach repeaters 30 miles or more.
A little more expensive is the Yaesu and Kenwood brands, IMO, they all perform the same.
With any hand held, walkie talkie, handi-talkie radio, you'd want a computer, laptop & programming cable - 'cause you'll spend an hour programming it the first time, and all the time wondering, "why did I buy this complicated thing!?!?"  Computer makes it simple, just fill ing the boxes & upload, so invest in the programming cable & software.  RT Electronics makes it for practically every hand-held radio.

Mobile (in the car) ICOM IC-7000 is king, I own 4 of these, and have won mobile contests with them.  No longer in production, the IC-7100 has replaced it, touch screen and all.  The controls are fast and quick to learn or re-learn if you're away from it for awhile, with out the manual.  It is an all-band, all-mode, 12vdc radio, for UHF/VHF/HF HAM bands... and can easily be "opened up" for illegal, out-of-band use.  100watts HF, 30-50watts UHF/VHF, power is easily adjusted.  Remote mounting the control head makes a nice, neat & clean install in any vehicle.  Best of all, operation is intuitive over the other mobiles, but it is not the lightest radio, just built with mobile use in mind.  A good price is $800, and like a base station, this can also be 100% computer controlled for digital modes.  I has a fair receiver, the advantage is single button controls on the stuff you need in a hurry, NB, ANL, Notch filters.  As a side note, a really good receiver is pointless in a moving vehicle, the road noise negates the advantages... we've tried it.

Portable (backpack) Yaesu FT-897 was king, UHF/VHF/HF, with built in battery (20 watts), or plug into 12vdc source for full 100watt usage.  They work, have a great reputation as a portable which sounds like a base station - even though the menus... just keep a manual with the radio, stuff you want in a hurry will seem hidden in sub-menus and function keys.  A good price is $600, and I've seen them as low as $450, they are/were quite popular among packers.  It has a fair receiver, like I said, "it works".

GO-BOX portable (light weight) is the Elecraft KX3 or KX2, both are ultra portable HF radios.  With accessory boards, the KX3 will also do 2 meters (repeaters).  Power is about 10watts, which easily pairs up with a slightly modified CBer Brick AMP for 300-1500 watts SSB.  1st class receivers, "software defined" so "improvements" are simply uploaded.  These are extremely light-weight, built in, rechargable batteries, tuners and 2meter board as options, but... can easily set you back $1000.  My latest GO-BOX is being built around a KX2 (under 10lbs), my original GO-BOX was built around an ICOM IC-7000, (60lbs.)

Base station... lots of GREAT radios, but some have advantages... all run off of 12vdc (actually 11-14vdc)
Kenwood x-2000 series are the BEST sounding radios, hands down.  Nearly every time I've made a radio phone contact (voice, over 5000 of them in the log), I can immediately pick out the Kenwood TS-2000 radios.  They might not have stellar receivers, but the transmit "voice" quality is simply superb.  What other radios go through, mic mixers, studio mics, Kenwood does it with a cheap looking hand mic.  Unfortunately, the receiver is average.... but, unlike practically all the rest, these are UHF/VHF/HF, all band, 100watt, all mode feature packed radios that can literally do EVERYTHING, including act as a repeater for a Kenwood handi-talkie from your yard or whatever.  Easily interfaced with a computer for digital modes, this is the best 1st radio, and possibly the ONLY radio you might ever need as a HAM.  About $1600, prices do vary, there are plenty of options, mods, and with a decent antenna, I highly recommend this radio - nobody I know has been disappointed with it's performance.  It's good for the beginner to intermediate, casual and weekend user.  I've heard good stuff about the TS-990, but.... $8000... ouch!  It looks better than the TS-2000, which some might find ugly.

a HAM radio that LOOKS like a HAM radio, the Yaesu FT-2000d.   Liberal use of buttons, instead of layers of sub-menus, under buttons.
$2400-3000 it comes in 200 watt model, HF up to 6 meters.  These don't get stolen, it's like a Drake, they are heavy, and can be intimidating to non-HAMs.  At first glance, even experienced HAMs pause to "read the faceplate and figure out where this button is or that one".  This is a "classic looking HAM radio" with good performance.  I've operated them, and curiously, none of them had external speakers hooked up, so the sound was sub-par, IMO, when a decent speaker could have made a big difference and weak signals more discernable. 

Yaesu FT-950 or FT-450(d) (HF & 6meters) are more reasonably priced, I see them in the $500-900 range.  We've used FT-450 for remotes many, many times, like the FT-897, they work.  Both the FT-950 (out of production), and the FT-450 have intuitive, easy menus, with a neat display, that replaces idiot lights, giving you a "signal path" showing you what filters or whatever are actually engaged or disengaged.  From a distance, you can tell how someone is operating... when providing technical support for my girls who were operating, that was a real plus, we could "punch in and out filtering" while they worked pileups (multitudes of people trying to contact them, yes ... it is FUN!!! like the "espresso of HAM radio".  FT-450 is HF with 6meters, for the price, with a built in tuner, this is easily the biggest bang for the buck.  They are quite popular, have a fair receiver, which is fine for everything but the extremely weak signals.  Also easy to interface with a computer. In some cases, city dwellers who fight noise continually, do just fine with a less sensitive radio's receiver... similar to running mobile communications, background ambient noise washes out weak signals, filters are pretty much useless, so you reduce the receiver's RF gain.  For a CHEAP HF radio, FT-450d is great.

Icom IC-718 is an older "stand by", another popular HF radio which "works", but unlike the Kenwood TS-2000 types, the IC-718 is feature poor, receiver is mediocre - they usually price about the same as an FT-450, or less.  $400-600 at HAMfests.  I liken these to a cheap CBer with a huge tube power amplifier, dual use.. amplifier and foot warmer.

ICOM IC-756Pro2 is one of those great looking HF radios, everyone wants on their desk, easily to mod, and the build-in band scope makes you think, "That's what I want!!!".   Where the receiver lacks (and it's decent), the band scope gives a great visual picture, without dedicating a computer, of what's going on out there.  The "where are people talking?" question is clearly displayed.  A good friend of mine has one, which was fully mod'ed, with the right antenna, he was able to "listen in" where most people could not.  about $3000.

Elecraft has the top rated HF receivers - period.  Where good looks sells the rest, functionality & performance sells Elecraft radios.  I've owned a K3 for 8 years, it is the best radio for weak signal phone (voice) or CW (morse code) communications, many tests by ARRL and Sherwood Engineering place the K3 and KS3 at the top of the best receivers.  I've logged over 5000 contacts with my K3, it works great, cost me $4000 and is the ugliest thing, with the worst VFO (tuning knob) ever produced, IMO.  It looks CHEAP.  With a good antenna, the whole world is there, with a great antenna(s), verticals and vertical arrays, this is the only radio I've ever used which can open a band earlier and keep it open later than any other radio.  They come as a "soldier-less kit", screw and snap stuff together, or fully assembled.  This is a "software defined radio" with knobs.  Behind the knobs are "encoders" to basically translate what your turning into something the internal computer understands.  The basic operation is largely digital, quite an interesting departure for analog radios.  For DX (distant exchanges), this is my go-to radio.  For DXpeditions, yea, a bunch of guys find a rock in the middle of the ocean, set up and operate - this is the radio they take.  It is light weight, powerful and the receiver is supurb.  Interfacing a computer or external devices is extremely EASY, it just takes an additional card.  Elecraft has an interesting modular concept, order what you want -in- the radio, now or add it later.  I ordered mine with a sub-receiver, two completely separate radio receivers in one box.  Like ALL HAM radios, external speakers really HELP, the internal speakers are poor.   This was the first HF radio I fully "owned", I waited 8 months for it (big backlog back then), so I got really spoiled by it's excellent receiver.  It STAYS in my HAM shack, because that's where it performs the best, paired up with resonate antennas.

FLEX 6500 is another HF SDR (software defined radio).  They call it knob-less.  I have not used them, but been near them - with just one bad experience, RF noise, to the other radios - which turned out to be the operator's cheap components, not necessarily the Flex Radio.  about $4300.  The concept is use the computer's horsepower to run the radio (a black box type of thing), and let software do the work.  This is the direction of HAM radio IMO, when someone comes up with a better interface besides a computer, I think everything HAM will migrate that way.  Like the ICOM 756Pro2, practically your whole computer display can become a "band scope" - you "see" where the activity is, making operating easy and as intuitive as surfing the web.  Multiple receivers (4 on this one), it's digital, 100% computer controlled - they sound great on the air, and for a computer savy generation, this is it.

I apologize if I misstated anything, everything I wrote is my own opinion, as an active HAM.  But there's one other thing, that needs to be mentioned.   The older Analog radios, with a habit to drift around even the tiniest bit on frequency, have that sweet, rich, mellow, sound that no digital radio seems to reproduce.  My RCA 281 SWL tube radio from the 1930s, is a fantastic sounding radio which fills the house with beautiful sound that no CD or Digital radio has ever matched.  I see these old AM tube radios of all sorts at HAMfests, quality all over the spectrum, some restored, some with new Capacitors (a must), or tubes - and they're all in the $25-250 price range.  Some, like my RCA 281, are a beautiful piece of furniture, fit for the finest living room (or in my case, farm house).  Best of all, in the event of an EMP, these are the least effected... the software defined stuff is instantly toast... just like a near lightning strike, the old RCA 281 has seen it all & sounds like gold.

I've said it before, and cannot emphasize it enough, a good external antenna is the KEY for any radio.  They care easily made - with lots of options for any type of situation.  Sorry for the long post.