I am getting back into the game after a several year absence.  Would appreciate advice on purchasing a 2nd phone that will be used exclusively for hobby activities.   Previously used a Virgin Mobile brand with minutes purchased on cards from a large chain grocer.  I did perform a search, but could still use some assistance.  Thank you.

I started out with a burn phone from Virgin Mobile but it had lousy reception.  So I now have a basic phone from Verizon.  Much better reception, same cost ($20 for the phone + $20 for some minutes).  Just be sure you register the phone with no personal info and use cash to top up minutes, not a credit card linked to your real name.  You'll get a message from Verizon when you need to top up, so be sure to check your phone regularly or you could lose your # due to inactivity.

You should post on your local board to find out which carrier has the best service.   Reception varies by where you live

I second Google Voice. If you have a smartphone, Google Voice can provide a separate text service and phone number - it can even be configured via web so you can access it like Gmail.

If you're realllly paranoid and have Android, try Burner: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.adhoclabs.burner&hl=en

Dude . . . bro . . .  here is what I did . . .  I went to Wallymart and paid cash for a tracphone.  I picked a model that has a full qwerty keypad for when texting is more convenient than making a phone call which seems to come up more often than you would think.  I think I paid about 25.00.  I can buy additional minutes with cash.  I am not very tech savvy so I would not trust myself to use some hi tech app to be able to use my regular cell phone as a hobby phone, I am afraid I would mess it up somehow. I am much happier having a completely separate hobby phone that I can toss anytime I want and easily replace for 25.00 if I ever need to.  

I concede the point that super hi tech solutions can be great, if you are a hi tech kind of guy.  I personally like the low tech easy solution.

Good luck in all your future endeavors !

AH

the phone with cash as well and registered it with a stage name and a different AC. Got to stay stealth.

The problem with both Google Voice and Burner is that someone else has your primary contact info (i.e. real phone number).

It does protect you against the person you are calling finding out your real phone number, but what I don't think it does is prevent LE from getting that number if they bust an agency that has your number on record.  They can follow it back to Google Voice/Burner, demand the records for that number, and then have your real information...

Between the two Burner (which you can also use on iOS) is probably a much better option.  Google stores every bit of data forever so if you had a question like "who had this number 10 years ago and what did they send" Google would probably be able to answer specifically, including what you had for breakfast right before you made the call.

With Burner things are better, you just have a number for a little while that goes back into a pool.  So someone would have to figure out that Burner specifically had a number at a certain time, and then Burner would have had to kept records about you (which they may not, just not sure if they do or not).  If you just have a number on file with an agency with no record of when you saw someone, it would be really hard for anyone to follow the number back to burner specifically since they would have no timeframe to look for owners of the number.

The most paranoid option is still a cheap prepaid phone, paid for in cash.  The downsides are of course that you have a whole other phone, and usually the voice quality is not great.

Burner is a great option for things like selling on Craigslist, where you would never have concern LE might want to track down the owner.  And it absolutely beats using your real number!

does not have my real name, address or link to my real self.  Bought with cash, topped up with cash.  I clear the call log before I leave her & shut it off.  I hide it well when not in use.  I bought one that will fit in my normal belt carrier so no one will be the wiser.    
Now, the phone is not easily traceable but...  should one leave a dead body in the room, the phone provider will triangulate the phone's movements & a stake out will reveal the murderer.  But that's not happening with a petty misdemeanor.  
There are lots of brands & phone models.  Really doesn't matter which.  The point is to START out not revealing information.  You can set up a hobby phone from a public hot spot...  

I suggest you read back through these pages...  it's FREE...  and adapt as much security as possible to your situation.  You can never be to secure.  As I have hobbied, I've found additional steps I could take...  and have adopted most.  
Use a totally separate free email account.  Do not link to your civie email.  Do not use an employers equipment or internet.  Use a different PW.  Do not access if anyone else is home or might walk in.
I've heard of guys caught (by wife) before the first tryst...  by being sloppy.

Thank you all for the good advice.

.....of Google Voice / Burner / other app over a physical hobby phone is that some hobbyists don't have a great place to conceal a hobby phone from their SO.  A second, obviously cheapie throwaway phone discovered in your car or elsewhere raises a LOT of questions.

I don't use a hobby phone any more, I make do with the apps.  My advice to anyone who does use a physical hobby phone and has an SO: use the PIN code feature.  Almost every tracphone or similar device will have a locking PIN that you can set up.  IF your SO finds the phone, without the PIN, she wouldn't be able to get in and see call history, texts, etc.

Also, have a story prepared in case she ever does find it.  I used to occasionally keep mine in the trunk of my car.  My cover story (never used) was going to be that I found it in the parking lot at work, and was going to see if anyone posted signs looking for it.  A fairly thin excuse; but if she didn't have a way to turn it on and check it, it would hold up.