Looking for new Dual Band Mobile Transceiver ..

[SCPD]

I am looking for a dual band mobile transceiver .. 2m / 70 cm.

However .. I have yet to find one that I think does not have issues.

First .. no DStar. That means no Icom.

Second .. I would like more than 6 charcters for a name display. The reason for this .. is that we have several repeaters with the same callsign. And there is no way to "easily" distinguish if you are on the UHF / VHF repeater.

I am 50 .. and my memory is not what it used to be, so remembering frequencies is not an option. So I want all my memories named.

The only good thing is that I will be using it at home .. so I will not cause an accident due to poor design of these radios. I already have a Yaesu Ft-7800R I think in the car. It seems to work well.

Right now .. the Kenwood TM-V71A is looking like the best answer.

Anyone have any thoughts ?

 

[MTS2000des]

problem is none of the "big three" have analog dual band radios with anything more than the 1980's stick figure LCD displays, so the thought of more than a 6 character channel tag is nice but none of the radios have it.

I have the TM-V71A and it's about as good as the state of the technology can get for an analog dual band ham radio. Very solidly built, free programming software available from their site (easy to roll your own programming cable or buy one for $15-20 off PAYBAY).

Icom has a new analog dual band out in the same price range, still has old, tired monochromatic LCD display, but has OPTIONAL bluetooth.

Icom IC-2730A, Icom IC-2730 Amateur Mobile Transceiver

Beware though, for some reason they do NOT include a bracket for the radio, which is another $30 (absurd, as the radio is REMOTE MOUNT ONLY) and this will push the price up to $400. Add another $150 for Bluetooth.

The Yaesu FTM-400DR seems like it would be your choice radio, even if you never used the C4FM digital. Has a modern TFT display, tons of features and options. It would be my choice if I were buying a new HAM dual bander.

 

[SCPD]

Thanks .. I will look into the Yaesu to see what it has to offer.

 

[kayn1n32008]

I am 50 .. and my memory is not what it used to be, so remembering frequencies is not an option. So I want all my memories named.

Used to be, you mean you had a good memory at one time edmscan? Lol

Right now .. the Kenwood TM-V71A is looking like the best answer.

As Ray, Bill, and myself have said off forum in emails, you can't go wrong, add in the AIP(basically just a switchable attenuator) they really are decent radios, and very easy to program.

Anyone have any thoughts ?

I will echo what MTS2000des states below.

problem is none of the "big three" have analog dual band radios with anything more than the 1980's stick figure LCD displays, so the thought of more than a 6 character channel tag is nice but none of the radios have it.

I have the TM-V71A and it's about as good as the state of the technology can get for an analog dual band ham radio. Very solidly built, free programming software available from their site (easy to roll your own programming cable or buy one for $15-20 off PAYBAY).

Icom has a new analog dual band out in the same price range, still has old, tired monochromatic LCD display, but has OPTIONAL bluetooth.

Icom IC-2730A, Icom IC-2730 Amateur Mobile Transceiver

Beware though, for some reason they do NOT include a bracket for the radio, which is another $30 (absurd, as the radio is REMOTE MOUNT ONLY) and this will push the price up to $400. Add another $150 for Bluetooth.

The Yaesu FTM-400DR seems like it would be your choice radio, even if you never used the C4FM digital. Has a modern TFT display, tons of features and options. It would be my choice if I were buying a new HAM dual bander.

Except for the FTM-400, it's a steep price to pay, and it only gives you a touch display over the Kenwood, but does not do zones(banks), and that was something we talked today about on the phone... Something else to keep in mind as well.


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[teufler]

Had a Yaesu 8900. For driving at night, it was just scarey as the display buttons did not light up at night and the porinting was small. I got a Kenwoood D700, has 8 character memory name assignment, the cable was an old serial cble and the software was free. Point is that I shopped around and bought other radios at the first, because the Kenwood was just too pricey. Finally bite the bullet and quit buying radios as it everything I need . The radio is split remote mount, 50 watts on vhf, display is big and easy to read in the daylight or at night. If you can find one, they are nice. The current d710 is just as nice. I would l;ook at the Kenwood d-710

 

[SCPD]

Used to be, you mean you had a good memory at one time edmscan? Lol



As Ray, Bill, and myself have said off forum in emails, you can't go wrong, add in the AIP(basically just a switchable attenuator) they really are decent radios, and very easy to program.




I will echo what MTS2000des states below.




Except for the FTM-400, it's a steep price to pay, and it only gives you a touch display over the Kenwood, but does not do zones(banks), and that was something we talked today about on the phone... Something else to keep in mind as well.


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Memory .. what's that ?

From what I have seen ... there is not a radio that comes close to this Kenwood for the money. I am only going to spend so much .. as that is a factor too. So this is my choice now, I have yet to hear a bad thing about this radio. Thanks K ... I owe you a coffee, if I remember.

 

[Colton25]

Not sure if your dead set on a dual band single radio, but if your not and don't mind 2 separate radios Kenwood offers the TK-7180 (VHF) and TK-8180 (UHF). They offer a 12 character display that is extreamaly bright and easy to read. They are also capable of holding up to 512 channels.
TK-7180H/8180H | Land Mobile Radio | Communications | Kenwood USA

I am looking for a dual band mobile transceiver .. 2m / 70 cm.

However .. I have yet to find one that I think does not have issues.

First .. no DStar. That means no Icom.

Second .. I would like more than 6 charcters for a name display. The reason for this .. is that we have several repeaters with the same callsign. And there is no way to "easily" distinguish if you are on the UHF / VHF repeater.

I am 50 .. and my memory is not what it used to be, so remembering frequencies is not an option. So I want all my memories named.

The only good thing is that I will be using it at home .. so I will not cause an accident due to poor design of these radios. I already have a Yaesu Ft-7800R I think in the car. It seems to work well.

Right now .. the Kenwood TM-V71A is looking like the best answer.

Anyone have any thoughts ?

 

[Kingmobileaudio]

The Kenwood D710 shows alpha tag and frequency

 

[cmdrwill]

I am very happy with my Kenwood TM-V71s.
Excellent performance.

 

[SCPD]

I typically do not want frequency display ... it is just more to remember.
The only time I care about a freq is in simplex mode. Otherwise .. no.

I do not remember frequencies. But I can remember call signs.

So ... alfatags it is, and I have determined that 6 is just fine to distinguish the different repeaters, even though some have the same call signs just different bands.

So .. there is a flea market in 2 weeks from today at which I hope they will have the Kenwood TM-V71A for me to purchase.

Thanks for everyone's help, even that guy from 'the patch' :lol:

 

[kayn1n32008]

Not sure if your dead set on a dual band single radio, but if your not and don't mind 2 separate radios Kenwood offers the TK-7180 (VHF) and TK-8180 (UHF). They offer a 12 character display that is extreamaly bright and easy to read. They are also capable of holding up to 512 channels.

TK-7180H/8180H | Land Mobile Radio | Communications | Kenwood USA

Funny you put that link to the TK-X180 series, no word of a lie I just finished programming a TK-8180, that will, hopefully soon, be installed in my truck. I am now on the hunt for a TK-7180, and want to mount it in my truck as well. These will be only for amateur radio, my LMR stuff will still be done with the company NX-700.

While I love all that my TM-V71a does, the display is maddening(6 characters)as is the scan(ALL hammy rigs scan not just the Kenwood).

Now that I have been using the scan function on my NX-700 work radio, I like it, it's fast, and the add/delete is handy for deleting annoying chatter on some channels, and it's temporary until I cycle the scan button, even across zones!

The only thing I would miss about the V71a is crossband repeat.


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[kayn1n32008]

So .. there is a flea market in 2 weeks from today at which I hope they will have the Kenwood TM-V71A for me to purchase.

Thanks for everyone's help, even that guy from 'the patch' :lol:

Ha I resemble that remark sir! And I will take you up on that coffee... Soon... With the other guys too... If we can all find a common day we can make work.

I will see you at the flea market... I take 4 cream and 1 sugar.


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[mrweather]

The only thing I would miss about the V71a is crossband repeat.

If you're really adventurous get yourself a TK-x90 in dual-band configuration and you'll get your crossband repeat back.

I'll echo the V71A comments. I've had mine for several years and have been very happy with it.

 

[kayn1n32008]

If you're really adventurous get yourself a TK-x90 in dual-band configuration and you'll get your crossband repeat back.



I'll echo the V71A comments. I've had mine for several years and have been very happy with it.

160 channels across both bands combined is not nearly enough channels. There are over 200 amateur radio repeaters in Alberta, plus simplex on VHF and UHF and I extensively travel this province. Plus my non ham stuff that I monitor... I am literally, at a bare minimum, 100-160 channels short with the x90 series... If they only came in a 512 channel option.


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[N0IU]

First .. no DStar. That means no Icom.

You are aware that not every Icom comes with the ability to do D-Star, right? They still make "normal" analog VHF/UHF radios.

 

[SCPD]

You are aware that not every Icom comes with the ability to do D-Star, right? They still make "normal" analog VHF/UHF radios.

I was at the Icom dealer just a few days ago .. and honestly the cost for an Icom radio is just much higher than the Kenwood and with no obvious benefit. The selling feature was that "they were dstar capable". I do not want to pay extra for something I do not want.

I am in Canada .. and on the Icom Canada website .. there are no normal 2m / 70cm analog mobile radios. I can possible order from the US to get radios they do not sell here, but then warranty becomes an issue.

 

[AK9R]

I am in Canada .. and on the Icom Canada website .. there are no normal 2m / 70cm analog mobile radios.

Icom Canada may be lagging a bit behind Icom Japan and Icom America.

The IC-2730 is an analog-only dual-band radio. At two U.S. dealers I checked, it's less expensive than the Kenwood TM-V71. The 2730 is a new model, so I've not seen much user feedback about it yet.

 

[SCPD]

Icom Canada may be lagging a bit behind Icom Japan and Icom America.

The IC-2730 is an analog-only dual-band radio. At two U.S. dealers I checked, it's less expensive than the Kenwood TM-V71. The 2730 is a new model, so I've not seen much user feedback about it yet.

Thanks .. I will keep my eyes open.

 

[AC2OY]

What's wrong with the F6-A? it's a tribander and you can get one for 300 bucks. The B reciever is I think 25-1300mhz? I love this radio!!! I'm charging as we speak for this storm in case all else fails!!!

 

[kayn1n32008]

What's wrong with the F6-A? it's a tribander and you can get one for 300 bucks. The B reciever is I think 25-1300mhz? I love this radio!!! I'm charging as we speak for this storm in case all else fails!!!

If you looked at the title of the thread, the OP is looking for a mobile, not a portable radio.


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