We've mentioned repeaters a few times in this article, so if you don't already know what they are you might be feeling a little confused. A repeater is a combination of a radio receiver and a radio transmitter that receives a signal and retransmits it. This effectively gives your signal a well-deserved pit stop, and extends the range of your transmission. If you already have access to a repeater, then you can really cut back on the cost of your ham radio by purchasing one with a sort range knowing that your repeater will extend the signal. Even if you don't already have a repeater, you may be able to find one for cheap enough that it's a better deal to buy a weaker radio and a repeater than to buy the strongest handheld ham radio available. Of course, you can also take the best ham radio on the market and beef it up with a repeater to have the longest range imaginable so you can use your radio to communicate over distances that previously seemed impossible. While we won't get into it too much right now, a good repeater can really be a game-changer when it comes to how you go about buying and using your handheld ham radio.