Kenwood: New Kenwood TH-D75

[alcahuete]

Folks, the relative merits of the various digital voice modes used in amateur radio has been debated at length in other threads. I don't think we need to chop that wood again.

In all fairness though, that is probably going to be the major deciding factor in buying the radio or not. $800 is pretty expensive for an analog radio (i.e. if D-Star is dead where you are, or otherwise). I think if the radio was DMR, or even DMR and D-Star, it would sell like hotcakes. Kenwood missed the mark.

 

[vagrant]

Kenwood and Icom meet up after work at a nearby izakaya. After a few drinks and salty food on a stick they head over to a hostess bar. Just before midnight and the last train they head to the station, each going in a different direction. They bow to each other across the platform and Kenwood-san says, "Amateur DMR"? Icom points eastward and says "No thank you" in Chinese. They laugh and get on their trains.

They agree on a digital mode for amateur radio.

 

[AK9R]

$800 is pretty expensive for an analog radio

Ham Radio Outlet $749.95
DX Engineering $749.95
GigaParts $749.95
R&L Electronics $739.95
MTC Radio $749.00
Associated Radio $749.95

Let's call it a $750 radio. Yes, expensive. However, based on social media reports, the dealers can't keep them in stock due to high demand and short supply. Microeconomics at work. It will be interesting to see how those tables tilt in 6 months, 12 months.

 

[Echo4Thirty]

At least this should drive the cost of the way overpriced used D74s down on eBay. Some of those folks are just nuts.

 

[sallen07]

At least this should drive the cost of the way overpriced used D74s down on eBay. Some of those folks are just nuts.

The fact that people were willing to pay $$$ for a D74 even though the D75 was about to come out tells us something. Not sure what it is.

My favorite right now is the D75 on eBay for $1000. "I took it out of the box to review and now I'm selling it." Ok sure, but for $250 more than a brand new one???

 

[palmerjrusa]

Ham Radio Outlet $749.95
DX Engineering $749.95
GigaParts $749.95
R&L Electronics $739.95
MTC Radio $749.00
Associated Radio $749.95

Let's call it a $750 radio. Yes, expensive. However, based on social media reports, the dealers can't keep them in stock due to high demand and short supply. Microeconomics at work. It will be interesting to see how those tables tilt in 6 months, 12 months.

$749.95 sure is a lot for a handheld.
I expected the TH-D75 to be around the $700.00 price point though.

When Icom's IC-92AD was released I remember paying around $600.00 for that handheld, in fact, think it was in the $650.00 region and that was a good many years back now.
So maybe $749.95 is not unreasonable considering its capabilities, inflation etc...

 

[jazzboypro]

In all fairness though, that is probably going to be the major deciding factor in buying the radio or not. $800 is pretty expensive for an analog radio (i.e. if D-Star is dead where you are, or otherwise). I think if the radio was DMR, or even DMR and D-Star, it would sell like hotcakes. Kenwood missed the mark.

In my case, 220 is dead and i have no interests for APRS. The feature set of this radio makes it apart from the competition. I do have the D74 because at the time the ID-52 was not out yet and the 51 was not available new if i remember correctly so i had no choice but to go for the 74. I have since bought the 52 and the 74 does not see a lot of action. If the D-75 was as easy to use as Icom's gear i would probably buy one.

 

[jazzboypro]

$749.95 sure is a lot for a handheld.
I expected the TH-D75 to be around the $700.00 price point though.

When Icom's IC-92AD was released I remember paying around $600.00 for that handheld, in fact, think it was in the $650.00 region and that was a good many years back now.
So maybe $749.95 is not unreasonable considering its capabilities, inflation etc...

Considering the ID-52 is now 600 (including a $50 rebate) and the fact that i think the D75 as a richer feature set 750 is not that bad. The deal breaker for me is the fact that it's not as user friendly as Icom's gear.

 

[N8IAA]

$750 for an HT is outrageous! Must be a lot of disposible money out there.............

 

[mmckenna]

$750 for an HT is outrageous! Must be a lot of disposible money out there.............

One of our sergeants who's a ham just retired after 30+ years. Bought himself a nice new APX-8000 as a retirement gift. And all I gave him was a lousy 50 feet of LMR-600.

Some hams do have a lot of disposable income and are happy to spend it on the hobby. Looking at some of those contest HF rigs will make your eyes water.

 

[sallen07]

$750 for an HT is outrageous! Must be a lot of disposible money out there.............

So is 9 or 13 grand for an HF rig, yet people buy them ....

 

[palmerjrusa]

So is 9 or 13 grand for an HF rig, yet people buy them ....

I'm always amazed the $$$ people pay for some cell phones (and those plans), something whose battery will last maybe two or three years and the device becomes obsolete.
My cell phone cost $55 and my plan is $5/month (Speedtalk).
An expensive piece of ham gear will still be worth a chunk of change several years down the line.

Still, I know the feeling, I see some new very costly radio and all rational thought flies out the window😁...

 

[vagrant]

The Kenwood D75 Mfg. suggested and current selling price in Japan is the equivalent of $600 U.S.D. Please note that model is meant for the Japanese market. It does not have the coverage like the one for the U.S. market, so avoid buying it or suffer the consequences.

 

[krokus]

DMR has been out for ~8 months now. There's no D-Star activity around me.... it won't be missed. Plus ICOM can't produce narrow band FM equipment. Not something I'd even consider -- anything with D-Star.

DMR has been around much longer than 8 months.

Icom does produce narrow band radios, not that most hams use it.

 

[krokus]

I am interested in the radio, like I mentioned early in the thread. I don't have that much disposable cash right now, so it will wait.

 

[kayn1n32008]

$750 for an HT is outrageous! Must be a lot of disposible money out there.

JFC hams are cheap. This hobby has never been so affordable.

My first dual band portable was a TH79AD, adjusted to 2024 dollars, was close to $1200.

 

[AK9R]

Must be a lot of disposible money out there.

Care to add up the prices on the radios in this image I found on Facebook?


I'll help.
Uniden SDS100 $650 without options
Icom IC-R30 no longer available, $800-1000 on Ebay
Anytone AT-D878 $300 depending on version
Kenwood TH-D75 $750
Icom ID-52 $600
Yaesu FT-5D $450

 

[AK9R]

This hobby has never been so affordable.

Yep. In 1989, I bought a new Yaesu FT-23R from a dealer at Hamvention. 2m only, 10 memory channels, had CTCSS encode but no decode, no DTMF capability, NiCad battery pack. $230. That's $565 in today's money.

 

[palmerjrusa]

Yep. In 1989, I bought a new Yaesu FT-23R from a dealer at Hamvention. 2m only, 10 memory channels, had CTCSS encode but no decode, no DTMF capability, NiCad battery pack. $230. That's $565 in today's money.

It's interesting, when you account for inflation and considering the current technology, i.e. what your $$$ will actually get you re specs and performance, it's quite astonishing.

At HRO the Yaesu FTDX-10, after the mail in rebate = $1,139.95.

YAESU FTDX-10

HF/50MHz 100W SDR Amateur Radio Transceiver

www.hamradio.com

 

[jazzboypro]

Care to add up the prices on the radios in this image I found on Facebook?
View attachment 156351

I'll help.
Uniden SDS100 $650 without options
Icom IC-R30 no longer available, $800-1000 on Ebay
Anytone AT-D878 $300 depending on version
Kenwood TH-D75 $750
Icom ID-52 $600
Yaesu FT-5D $450

It looks like my lineup except i don't have the Yaesu and i have the 74 not the 75.