The most common question asked by new radio amateurs is "Now that I have my license, what kind of radio should I get?" The ARRL, in an attempt to help newcomers to Amateur Radio answer that very question, has added a bonus supplement to the ARRL Ham Radio License Manual. "Choosing a Ham Radio: Your Guide to Selecting the Right Equipment" is aimed at the new Technician licensee ready to acquire a first radio, a licensee recently upgraded to General class and wanting to explore HF or someone getting back into Amateur Radio after a period of inactivity.

The guide features two main sections -- one covering gear for the VHF and UHF bands, and one for HF band equipment, including a VHF/UHF and an HF glossary of terms you will encounter. The guide also urges you to discover just what you want to do with Amateur Radio and where you want to do it from. Do you want to be a "big gun" HF contester? Do you want to ragchew on your local repeater system? Maybe you want to join your local ARES® unit and help provide communications support in times of emergency. This guide will help you select the right rig for what you want to do.

"Choosing a Ham Radio: Your Guide to Selecting the Right Equipment" isn't a traditional "buyer's guide" with feature lists and prices for many radios. Manufacturer's Web sites and catalogs from radio stores have plenty of information on the latest models and features. As such, you won't find operating instructions or technical specifications here, but many manufacturer's Web sites will let you download brochures and manuals directly.

Second only to "What kind of radio should I get?" "What kind of antenna do I need?" is the most common question asked by the new amateur. Don't worry! "Choosing a Ham Radio: Your Guide to Selecting the Right Equipment" talks about all kinds of antennas -- from "rubber duckies" to verticals to dipoles to Yagis; it even explains rotators and antenna gain.

Power, filters, digital signal processing (DSP), as well as special features commonly found on VHF/UHF and HF radios are also included in the guide. ARRL members who are logged on to the ARRL Web site can view the guide online.