First Mobile debating on radios TM-D710GA ID-5100A FTM-400XDR

[W7GEL]

OMG you thing buying a new home or car is hard... try armature radio purchase.
I'm trying to narrow down my options, my needs are coms in a Jeep when I'm out in the mountains 2 weekends ago had a situation that turned out ok but a broken winch, truck on it's side, dead battery, and no cell coverage was a real issue. My HT was able to get coms out and in and in the end we got everyone out. But looking for a mobile rig with some more usability in the cab and power if needed to call for help.

So I own a Kenwood Th-D74a and it's a decent radio, epic complex, lots of features good and bad.

I have been putting off buying hopping that Kenwood would have a new mobile option similar and or based on the 74 but that day may never come and I can't wait for every.

So looking for some input from others Good bad things you see notice that I should consider. At the end of the day they are all decent radios from what I have been able to gather, menus seem decent.

TH-D&10GA min 7 years old
seems like a solid radio - been out for years,
anyone know if the dreaded rot of the filters has been fixed in new units?

Kenwood TM-D710 - Failure of TOKO Filters

Failing 455 kHz filters in the Kenwood TM-D710 VHF/UHF FM transceiver. These are a through hole part within the D710 radio. TOKO Filters: A50EE...

forums.qrz.com

Seems a little long in the tooth
AGPS seems to be the best on this radio
no digital anything. + and - can't play on it with the HT.

FTM-400XDR
think this is the newest of the bunch
color screen touch
Not sure I like the ergonomics the 4 dials seem to really come out of the radio.
Fusion, never been on it and my HT is D-star good and bad I reckon
APRS heard it might not be very good. not a must have but I do thing it's a nice feature.

ID-5100A 6 years old
No APRS well it has some sort of digital version but
D-star
Touch black and white.
Epic large screen..


If you own - used one of these let me know your thoughts?

thanks
Dave

 

[k6cpo]

I have had the FTM-400XDR for several years now and I love it. I'm not sure what you mean by "the 4 dials seem to really come out of the radio." I've had no issues with the ergonomics of mine. I prefer the larger knobs compared to some of the older Yaesu offerings. The XDR version of the FTM-400 is the newer version with an improved GPS receiver which makes the APRS more reliable. Mine hooks up quickly and tracks well. The FTM-400 is programmable from a MicroSD card, which make it more convenient in a mobile installation. You don't have to haul a computer out to your vehicle to change the radio's programming. Just remove the card, take it inside, write the information to the card with your computer, replace the card in the radio, read from it and your programming is updated.

We have enough Fusion repeaters in my area to make the digital side of the radio worthwhile, but there are some things you should take into account when buying a new radio with digital capability. How many Fusion repeaters are there in your area compared to D-Star? And since you already have a D-Star capable HT, do you want to get a radio with a different and incompatible digital mode? All things to think about...

 

[AI7PM]

I have ID-5100s and a TM-D710. I like them both. I bought the 710 almost specifically as a data radio. Both are installed in my truck. For off-roading I'd recommend the 710 for it's APRS capabilities.

 

[jwt873]

The TM-D710 will pretty well do what your TH-D74 will do, but with higher power. (Of course it won't cover 220 Mhz, or D-Star).

The ID-5100 is a capable dual band that does D-Star and a quasi form of APRS called D-PRS.

Personally I'd go with the FTDM-400XDR. That will give you APRS and System Fusion. (The 400DXT along with your TH-D74 will provide the capability to use two digital modes). The Yaesu also has an attractive and bright, color screen.

I've actually though of purchasing a 400DXR, but my radio pile is reaching the ceiling. Got no room

 

[ko6jw_2]

Yaesu now has the FTM-300 as well. I have an FTM-400, but I mainly use it as a node station for Wires-X. There is no point in discussing digital modes - everybody has their own opinion. Some people resent being tied to a particular brand. Others say they have no need for it. All the radios you mention are good. APRS is a dinosaur. C4FM sends your position anyway in most Yaesu radios. Get what seems best to you.

 

[hill]

You need to look at the Kenwood V71 if you only wish to do analog.

Going forward I know some hams that have issues with Yaesu 400 radios.

Either way would chose a Kenwood radio. If you need fusion or Dstar will need one of the others.

 

[krokus]

If you are not going to use the Kenwood GPS features, then get the TM-V71. It is the same base radio, without the GPS head unit. The face is detachable so that can be mounted where visible, with the radio body being mounted out of sight.

 

[chief21]

FWIW, I prefer the FTM-400... I have owned four of them for several years with no issues. The touch screen is large, bright, colorful, and convenient. The separate head is easily located in your vehicle. The FTM-400 has plenty of good points, even if you don't have any use for the Fusion digital.

 

[R8000]

The D710G is rock solid. I have 5 of them. The D710A had the flaw you mentioned and discontinued year and years ago. I also have a FTM 400XD...meh. It's ok. The display is cool bling, but the D710's control head is just so much more user friendly.

For what it's worth, the FTM 400 is on it's second version as well due to final pa failures. That has supposedly been fixed with the XD model.

 

[W7GEL]

I have had the FTM-400XDR for several years now and I love it. I'm not sure what you mean by "the 4 dials seem to really come out of the radio." I've had no issues with the ergonomics of mine. I prefer the larger knobs compared to some of the older Yaesu offerings. The XDR version of the FTM-400 is the newer version with an improved GPS receiver which makes the APRS more reliable. Mine hooks up quickly and tracks well. The FTM-400 is programmable from a MicroSD card, which make it more convenient in a mobile installation. You don't have to haul a computer out to your vehicle to change the radio's programming. Just remove the card, take it inside, write the information to the card with your computer, replace the card in the radio, read from it and your programming is updated.

We have enough Fusion repeaters in my area to make the digital side of the radio worthwhile, but there are some things you should take into account when buying a new radio with digital capability. How many Fusion repeaters are there in your area compared to D-Star? And since you already have a D-Star capable HT, do you want to get a radio with a different and incompatible digital mode? All things to think about...

I live in WA state so it seems all digital option are around my area, So having both options is good and bad as I can't talk to each other aka each radio is on it's own.
To be honest I don't use or listen much on D-star as it's quiet and my HT is well weak to the nearest area.

I guess the 4 knobs volume just looked like it made the FTM-400XDR screen look way in and the knobs were mountains coming out . LOL a few more videos online make it look a bit different.

 

[W7GEL]

I have ID-5100s and a TM-D710. I like them both. I bought the 710 almost specifically as a data radio. Both are installed in my truck. For off-roading I'd recommend the 710 for it's APRS capabilities.

hmmm both... interesting why limit myself to 1 actually a good thought, I do have more then 1 car.

What antenna's are you running on your dual setup? identical? Well that's the next part.

 

[W7GEL]

The TM-D710 will pretty well do what your TH-D74 will do, but with higher power. (Of course it won't cover 220 Mhz, or D-Star).

The ID-5100 is a capable dual band that does D-Star and a quasi form of APRS called D-PRS.

Personally I'd go with the FTDM-400XDR. That will give you APRS and System Fusion. (The 400DXT along with your TH-D74 will provide the capability to use two digital modes). The Yaesu also has an attractive and bright, color screen.

I've actually though of purchasing a 400DXR, but my radio pile is reaching the ceiling. Got no room

How many radios do you have??? 1 more is only 1... you should go for it. I'm starting to like you and AI7PM thought process. I assume Baofeng HT don't count in ones collection.

 

[W7GEL]

I have ID-5100s and a TM-D710. I like them both. I bought the 710 almost specifically as a data radio. Both are installed in my truck. For off-roading I'd recommend the 710 for it's APRS capabilities.

So when you say data are you using 1 band for APRS reporting And the second as the listening channel you are on that you report via aprs? or do you do something entirely different by DATA.

I'm starting to realize having a radio capable of 50W and a decent ant is a big step up from a HT in my hand even with an upgraded ant.
thx

 

[KE5MC]

APRS is handled on usually the B side for send and receive beacons. The other side for voice. AI7PM will have to answer the DATA question for his use case. If the 400 control head is eye catching, see if you can find a 5100's head in-person to look at. I checked one out at HRO and it's about the size of a barn door.
Lots of good input from others in the thread. While any of the digital mode mobiles have analog, my expectation is while off-road analog is the most likely mode to establish contact with someone else. Digital is reported to have a small edge in range obviously requiring the other end to have a similar radio. Digital and GPS add to the cost and size for the larger display. Likely your GPS needs are taken by something you already have. Depending on the jeep style keeping a smaller radio out of sight is something easier to do, but no hiding the antenna. Antenna can be a challenge for lack of a ground plane and the whipping back and forth that can snap off at the base longer antennas.
Good Luck,
Mike

 

[mmckenna]

Another vote for the Kenwood. I had one and liked it.
Probably someone won't agree, but one of the things I liked about the Kenwood amateur radios was the better quality microphone. Simple and durable. Considering it's the part of the radio you interface with the most, it's something I consider.
That, and I've had several Yaesu microphones fail on me, and I've had to replace PTT buttons on Icom mics.

Good news is that most of the modern crop of name brand radios are pretty solid and have a lot of nice features. In reality, you can't go wrong with any of them. Most of it comes down to personal preference.

 

[AI7PM]

hmmm both... interesting why limit myself to 1 actually a good thought, I do have more then 1 car.

What antenna's are you running on your dual setup? identical? Well that's the next part.

Comtelco A1531B (dual band) on the 5100 (front). Comtelco A1511B (middle) Motorola XPR5550 VHF. PCTel BMWU4002S (rear) XPR5550 UHF.
The 710 is on a Larsen 2/70 temporarily inside the topper mounted diagonally. Though a temporary compromise, it is performing well into repeaters and digipeaters. Yes, the 710 is going to be used bi-directionally on APRS, with the second side for monitoring or additional uses.

 

[k7ng]

I have an ID-5100, and have owned the much older TM-V71A, and I have other mobile/base dual band radios that don't need to be mentioned right now. I too have been hoping that Kenwood would offer a mobile version of the TH-D74 but no...

Definitely decide analog-only or one of the popular digital modes.

ID-5100: I am a D-star guy, have been for a long time, so I bought the ID-5100 when it was the new kid on the block, and honestly I haven't regretted it for a minute. Some folks might not like it since it can't be used as a one-piece radio - you get the display unit and the main body, like it or not - but for mobile rather than base use, well, these days a 2-piece radio is generally the way to go anyway.
...Good things: 1000 standard memories. I use them for analog repeaters only. I haven't filled them all up yet and I do a lot of road trips.
The DR memories for D-star works like it supposed to. If you edit the canned DR memories you get out of the box, I think you could put every D-Star repeater in the US & Canada in there with room left over.
I haven't run into any receiver dynamic range issues even in some RF-dense urban areas.
Sensitivity is good outside the ham bands, if that matters to you.
… Not as good: The mic plugs into the radio body rather than the display unit, so if you put the radio under a seat or in the trunk you'll have to run a longer cable... but it's a standard CAT5/RJ45 so maybe that wouldn't be a problem (remember to get a female/female adaptor for the mic end).
No mini-DIN or DB15 accessory connector which would make hanging things like analog TNC's or DTMF decoders on it easier. There is a 3-conductor mini phone jack for a TNC, but that's all. I would sure like to be able to get at PTT and squelch signals...

For analog-only: If it were me, and I was only wanting a few alphanumeric characters for memory names, and you really aren't trying to include a lot of bells & whistles, I'd still consider the TM-V71a. Recent production units don't have the filter problem. The radio is as rugged as they come, and the receiver performance is pretty good. The current price is right, as far as bang for the buck.

I prefer Icom and Kenwood over Yaesu - I haven't ever had radios from either of them fail in service, whereas I have had Yaesus go tango-uniform on me, and so have a number of other hams I know. Although there's one guy I know who is still using an FT-100 he got used in 1991, and hasn't had any issues with it.

In any case I also recommend looking into other than the manufacturers' programming software. I use RT Systems (and I have no business relationship with them).

 

[mmckenna]

I prefer Icom and Kenwood over Yaesu - I haven't ever had radios from either of them fail in service, whereas I have had Yaesus go tango-uniform on me, and so have a number of other hams I know. Although there's one guy I know who is still using an FT-100 he got used in 1991, and hasn't had any issues with it.

I had a Yaesu FT-2400 and an FT-2500. Both of them the cheap Yaesu mics failed. Trying to find a replacement got expensive. Finally just bought a new radio with a better microphone.
Those radios sat around for a few years and I finally sold them at a hamster fest to guys who were going to use them for APRS only.

I'm sure Yaesu has improved their microphones since then, but it left an awful bitter taste in my mouth.

 

[W7GEL]

If you are not going to use the Kenwood GPS features, then get the TM-V71. It is the same base radio, without the GPS head unit. The face is detachable so that can be mounted where visible, with the radio body being mounted out of sight.

I like gizmos, and can't see passing up GPS option even on a analog only.

 

[K9DWB]

The TM-D710 will pretty well do what your TH-D74 will do, but with higher power. (Of course it won't cover 220 Mhz, or D-Star).

The ID-5100 is a capable dual band that does D-Star and a quasi form of APRS called D-PRS.

Personally I'd go with the FTDM-400XDR. That will give you APRS and System Fusion. (The 400DXT along with your TH-D74 will provide the capability to use two digital modes). The Yaesu also has an attractive and bright, color screen.

I've actually though of purchasing a 400DXR, but my radio pile is reaching the ceiling. Got no room

If you need some radio storage space, I've got some room here if you'd like to store them.
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I kinda like the looks of the Yaesu FTDM-400XDR, but I would believe any of these mobiles discussed so far to be a choice you'd live with just fine.