R/CKen has some good points and while I agree with him in some ways, I don't think buying a computer radio is putting a beginner in any sort of harms way. The one thing he does recommend, dual rates, is the item I have seen or heard destroy more good airplanes than any one thing put on radios. However, can you even buy a radio which doesn't have dual rates, anymore? The first radio I ever bought, I bought in 1968 and was a Kraft Gold Medal radio, which cost $350.00. My present new radio is a 2005 Airtronics VG6000. It is a six channel simple computer radio which cost me around $190.00 with an upgrade to ball bearing servos. The computer part is very intuitive to use. The instruction manual is well written and easy to understand. So, given my 1968 prices for a starter radio, compared to todays simple computer radio prices, I don't see the cost being to big a deal and I just can't see not going this route. However, to each, his own!