kenwood v-71a or yaesu 8800

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KD2DRM

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The price differential is $10 - $20. I presently have under my "control" at work, 2 of the Kenwoods. Don't really know what else the Yeasu offers. I do want to remote mount the rig under the passenger seat.

That is one downside of the Kenwood, the mic attaches to the main unit and also has to be extended using a $75 kit for the seperation cables. I already have the programming software and would be cloning my existing 2 radios. I have easily done the MARS-CAP mod on both. These radios are used legitimately for public safety communication in a health care setting.

Most Yeasu dealers are including the seperation cables at no extra charge. I have no software or cable for Kenwood other than for the VX-8G HT. I am not familiar with the MARS-CAP mod for this unit but it appears to be quite easy and similar to the kenwood (remove a resisitor).

I really like ICOM, I have found their receivers to be much better but it is out of my price range. Due to limited funds I was considering an Anytone or Alinco, but I don't think it is worth it, I will save the $ for the right radio the first time.

Advice?
 
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R8000

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Been very happy with my 8800's. Nice scan speed on them.
 

pddispatcher

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TMV-71A - Without a doubt.

The Kenwood will do crossband as well and you get more wattage on UHF compared to not as much on the 8800. There is a reason why Yaesu was offering a $100 rebate on the units.
 

KD2DRM

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I posted in another thread about a programming issue I have with the Kenwood. I have been using the free software from them and it does not easily allow you to move or insert channels. The answer is to get the RT systems software. I know that will work as I have their software for the VX8g. Scan speed is not a factor and the Kenwood does do crossband repeat. I am leaning to the Kenwood as I already use them. Still need to save a few $ before I can buy. Besides, christmas is just around the corner.
 

AK9R

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These radios are used legitimately for public safety communication in a health care setting.
Most public safety radio communications are licensed under FCC Part 90. The Kenwood TM-V71A is not FCC certified to operate in Part 90 service.

Your amateur radio license does not give you authorization to transmit on public safety frequencies. Your public safety license or whatever authorization you might have from your superiors to transmit on public safety frequencies does not give you the authorization to use non-certified equipment in a radio service where certified equipment is required.

As for advice, if you need a radio to transmit on public safety frequencies, then buy a radio appropriate for that radio service. Generally, that means Motorola, Harris, Icom, Kenwood, Vertex, etc. Alinco has recently released a DR-638T dual-band mobile that they say is Part 90 certified. Alinco has been in the U.S. amateur radio market for many years and they build decent equipment. There are also Part 90 dual-band mobiles from Wouxon, Anytone, and possibly others. However, I would not buy a radio from a company that does not have a U.S.-based marketing and service presence.

BTW, Yaesu is spelled Yaesu, not Yeasu.
 

KD2DRM

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We have a plethora of professional communications equipment. The amatuer radios are one more tool we have available as a back up to the back up. I dont think the fcc is going to come around during the next hurricane sandy to see if every radio in use is fcc certified. My amateur license has nothing to do with the fact the radios are modified. Because we operate a fleet of ambulances and other response equipment in the surrounding community, we hold letters of authorization to use their frequencies both for routine and disaster purposes under their license. Those vehicles are equipped with Motorola systems. The ham radios are used in our eoc or taken into the field say in a mass casualty incident. There just is not the ability to quickly set up the number of radios that would be required. Our ham units are self contained with radio antenna and power cords and all i have to do is crank over a generator, connect to a car battery or our portable inverter based power supply and we are good to go in less than five minutes for field use. The majority of the time we operate on a web based system called mutualink in our eoc. We can interconnect with any subscriber across the country which includes health care, law enforcement, homeland security, casinos, airports, state dot, you name it.. This is the direction everybody is headed in order to utilize a unified command structure. In short Interoperability and redundancy is the goal. If we have to use a non fcc certified radio to complete our mission, then thats what we will do.. In the not to distant future the mars/cap mod will be less useful as the switch to digitally encrypted and apco 25 systems progresses. For the most part we will not be getting from them, or purchasing the new equipment. However, most agencies are keeping their old systems up and will cross patch when needed.
 

DisasterGuy

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I understand what you are getting at and need to do. As others have mentioned though you are going about it the wrong way. Use your ham gear for ham. It is not narrowband compliant and in a narrowband world places other (adjacent) public safety users in danger. You have options for cheap import commercial V/U units and you have options with something like the XG-100m from Harris.

By the way, I would go with the Yaesu.
 

N4KVE

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Back to the original topic. The 8800 is a 10+ year old radio. In the consumer electronics industry, that's a lifetime. Anybody still using a 10 year old cell phone? And the buttons are not backlit. A no brainer for me.
 

MTS2000des

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Having owned both, the TM-V71A is a clear winner hands down.However neither radios are fit nor certified for industrial use, as someone who works in a health care industry, we chose to keep the lawyers off our backs and buy a proper part 90 solution, (in our case, Kenwood NX-300 NEXEDGE portables)- however, if you enjoy taking risks, have fun with that. I guess the risk management department got let go in the last round of corporate layoffs at your facility. Anyway, here's why I believe the TM-V71A is a superior AMATEUR RADIO for strictly non-commercial AMATEUR use:

1-More power on UHF (50w versus 35w)
2-Backlit controls, choice of amber or green backlight
3-Built In Echolink interface, just add simple cables (make em yourself!)
4-Kenwood gives away FREE PC programming software, use the self-made cable above to program away
5-Much better control head layout, can be inverted or remote mounted
6-Much louder audio output
7-Upgradeable firmware (Yaesu firmware is locked in masked ROM)

I run a V71A on Echolink 24/7/365 and stands up to high duty cycle very well.
 
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mmckenna

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I will save the $ for the right radio the first time.

And there is your answer. Save your money and do it right the first time. Just about every Part 90/LMR radio out there will cover the amateur radio bands adjacent.
None of the agencies that you have MOU's with will really appreciate the fact that you want to use non-narrow band compliant, hacked amateur gear under their licenses. If they really know what they are doing, and they found out what you want to do, they'd likely pull the MOU and send you packing.

If you really do run a fleet of ambulances, then get the right freaking radios. Others lives depend on this. Makes me wonder what quality equipment you would use in your ambulances if you are willing to used hacked hammy gear for "emergency" communications.
 

kayn1n32008

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And there is your answer. Save your money and do it right the first time. Just about every Part 90/LMR radio out there will cover the amateur radio bands adjacent.

None of the agencies that you have MOU's with will really appreciate the fact that you want to use non-narrow band compliant, hacked amateur gear under their licenses. If they really know what they are doing, and they found out what you want to do, they'd likely pull the MOU and send you packing.



If you really do run a fleet of ambulances, then get the right freaking radios. Others lives depend on this. Makes me wonder what quality equipment you would use in your ambulances if you are willing to used hacked hammy gear for "emergency" communications.


*like button pressed*
 

DisasterGuy

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To follow up on this I will relate my experience and leave it open for folks to convince me otherwise. I have owned both Kenwood and Yeasu HTs and mobiles. Both Kenwoods (last being a TMV7A) ended up broken with busted knobs and buttons. A call to Kenwood indicated no replacement parts and only the ability to send it back for flat rate repair. I have also owned a Yeasu mobile and HT and with a fair amount of abuse have never had a single issue. Their amateur construction is on par with the Vertex commercial offerings. The Kenwood amateur products I have used have a much cheaper (plastic) construction than the Kenwood commercial products I have worked with.
 

mrweather

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I have both a Yaesu FT-8900 (the 8800's predecessor plus two more bands) and a V71A. In terms of reliability they've both been fine radios.

I give the edge to the Kenwood because it can be controlled remotely (via DTMF) which is an important feature if you're running crossband repeat. I'm not sure why Yaesu doesn't put this functionality in their radios. Kenwood has been doing it for years and Icom had it some early dual-band models.
 

AK9R

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Folks, the original question asked for comparisons between the Kenwood TM-V71A and the Yaesu FT-8800. As long as the replies continue down that path, the thread will remain open.

However, the original poster also revealed that he planned to use his chosen amateur radio on non-amateur frequencies. It was his choice to post that information and subsequent replies have adequately informed the OP that what he is planning to do is a violation of FCC rules. We've beaten that dead horse many times in many threads on this forum, so there's no need for additional replies in that vein.

For the record, while RadioReference forum moderators do occasionally delete off-topic, offensive, or inappropriate posts, we generally do not delete entire threads as a matter of policy. Doing so is actually rather pointless given the caching that goes on on the Internet. Just like you can't pull back a fired bullet, you can't take back words posted on the Internet. Everyone is responsible for their own actions here. If you post information that is detrimental to you or your employer, you will probably have to live with the consequences.
 

Brasso

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I'm trying to decide between these two radios myself. I would go with the Kenwood without any hesitation, except for one small point. The Kenwood has no real mid level output. Having 10w as the mid output level is ridiculous. It should be 25w. This one point has kept the Ft-8800r in the running so far.

I plan to use this as a base station and possible later for a mobile. Should I let the fact that it basically only has a low and high output bother me?
 

northzone

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I have tried them all. I use a TYT TH-9800. Four bands, REAL narrow-band fm receiver filters, comes with remote head kit and programming cable/software. Build quality inside is as good as any commercial radio I have seem. $239 shipped from a usa dealer on ebay.
 

robertmac

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I really can't comment about the 71. I do have kenwood handhelds, the small 6 and D7. Because I do not use them that often I find them a pain to program. I do have a couple of 8900 which I have had for almost 15 years. No problems with the mic or buttons that are not lit. When mobile I don't want to take my eyes off the road to read the buttons anyhow. Most of the usual functions one needs can be set on 1 of the 4 P buttons on the mic. I have VFO, reverse, power and change A and B sides of radio. I find the 8900 easy to program and very easy to change a setting in a memory channel [for this I cannot comment if the 8800 is the same as the 8900]. On transmit when I listen, I really can not tell what radio a person is using provided they have set it up properly and are using it properly. The one thing I do hate is the mic cord attaching to the remote face. I would much sooner have it go to the main body. The 8900 remote face has the mic attachment on the right hand side and where I can place it in my vehicle, the cord is much too short. The right side might work for the country where this radio is manufactured. So I now have to extend the mic cable. This just adds to more cords in the front of my vehicle. Would be much nicer to have it under the mats or carpet. I use a remote speaker and find that the volume when turned up much more than enough even when driving on the highways and gravel roads. The one other thing that bothers me is the Internet or WIRES tone that can easily be set by an accidental press of the lower left tuning knob. Once I learned to be careful with this, I have no more problems. But a lot of new users don't know or even hear that they are transmitting a turn when the PTT is pressed. I have looked at few of the CCR mobile radios, but for me, they do not cover all the frequencies that I like to listen to. That is they often only have 136-174 or 400 to about 480. I like the ability to listen to VHF AM aircraft band, and 800 meg frequencies that are not digital. The 8900 is over kill on 6 and 10 meters as I seldom if ever use FM on these bands. I can't comment on out of band transmit with modifications as this is illegal. I do notice that on VHF, the 8900 seems to have poor receive up on the 173 and higher VHF frequencies. Haven't notices this with 400 and above.
 
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