I'm hoping to find a feature based DB for ham radios.

For example, I go to Cabelas' Web site looking to purchase a gun.  Once I select guns, I get a menu on the side of their Web site where I can select various check boxes, e.g. Rifle or Pistol.  If I check Pistol I get to choose Revolver or Semiauto, caliber, etc, etc, etc

Same deal if I go to Microcenter's Web site looking for anything, but let's use an SD or micro SD card as an example.  I can pick the form factor (SD/microSD/miniSD), capacity in GB, brand, or maybe even the class of memory.  I can select a range of prices, etc, etc, etc.

Now I notice that online ham radio stores don't have this feature in their shopping menus.  I'm wondering if someone has a radio DB somewhere online so I can pick band (HF/VHF/UHF/SHF), vendor, output power, bands (2m, 6m, 900MHz), features (digital modes, and which ones), and so on.

Does such a thing exist?

No.

But go to www.universal-radio.com.

On the left, click Online Catalog.

Now click what you want.  You can read the features of each.

I'm not a big fan of eHam reviews.  There are some guys on there that must have personally tested every radio against every other radio and, well, I call BS on their posts.  They have reported things in some of their reviews that I know for fact are simply wrong, and they could not have actually gotten the results they claim.  BS artists.

And I can't say, stick to the top brands and you'll be fine.  There are some less popular brands that are just terrific, such as Ten-Tec.  EVERY Ten-Tec user loves his radio, you just don't see a lot of them being used.

Also, the specs aren't everything.  Radio A might have some particular spec that is better than Radio B's spec, but that does not necessarily mean that Radio A is the better radio in the real world.  Rather than looking at the numbers, look at the features.  Does it do what you want?

Also, I am not a big fan of the all bands in one radios.  They are a compromise all around.  I really prefer a dedicated HF rig and a dedicated VHF/UHF rig.  In fact, in my particular case, I don't need UHF as there is NO 440 activity in my area.  None.  That is one place to save money, by getting a plain 2m rig, for example.

Please don't ask us what's the best/cheapest widget.  Those two terms, best and cheap, are not compatible.  Better to ask, "I have $xxxxx to spend on a 2m rig.  What do you recommend in that price range?"

Just buy whatever Jupiter7200 tells you to.  That's what I do.

This might get you part of the way there:

RigReference.com Advanced Search

Cheers,
Brick


Shamless self-plug...I don't maintain a database, but I do have a list of mostly Chinese radios here:

http://www.brickolore.com/p/the-radios.html

That is an impressive list...

I have drooled on your site extensively, and your work is appreciated.

ETA

Nice link on the Rig Reference as well.  About 2/3 of what I'm looking for.

Brick -yes thank you!

Not a DB, but the catalogs Univrersal Radio used to send out did offer a side by side comparo of radios w/ specs FWIW

This. He has never steered me wrong.

If you get the AES paper catalog it has comparison charts


http://www.aesham.com/

If you want a paper AES catalog, get one now. The latest rumor I heard (from someone at AES) is that the currant catalog is going to be the last. PDF from here on. I told the guy its hard to keep a PDF on the back of the toilet.