Kenwood: TH-D75A: worth the buy?

[Trainguy1997]

Getting back into the swing of things and was wondering if the Kenwood TH-D75A is worth it. Wanting a handheld with APRS capabilities but I don't plan on using D-Star. Not really a fan of the price tag or one side I won't use, but I'll take what I can get.

Also instead of making another post I saw earlier this year that a possible replacement for the TM-710GA is possibly in the works. I can't remember where I saw the post, possibly here, but I was wondering if there has been any updates to that.

 

[GlobalNorth]

I don't use D-Star whatsoever, but the 5 watt output on 1.25 meters is important to me. It also does CW, LSB/USB, AM, and of course FM.
If you plan on using the split receiver function, buy a spare battery - it eats power in A/B mode.

 

[SA4MDN]

Clink the link then Use a Translater

【ハムフェア2024】＜APRS/D-STAR対応＞JVCケンウッド、開発中の144/430MHz帯の新型カートランシーバーを参考出品 - hamlife.jp

 

[MTS2000des]

"Is it worth it" is subjective. If the desire is for a high tier QUALITY amateur transceiver that does what one wants and is from a reputable manufacturer with USA support including warranty repairs and parts, the answer is obvious.

 

[ko6jw_2]

It depends on what value you place on features of this radio. For me the 1.25 meter capability was important. I have had a Yeasu VX-6R for many years but it is only 1.5 watts on 220. Having a triband radio was important. The APRS capability was somewhat important but the ability to use the built in TNC for packet and WinLink was attractive to me. D-Star was not important . In fact I have never tried to use it. The use of LSB/USB or CW is interesting but not vital. MW and HF reception requires an external antenna. Bluetooth along with the TNC is a nice feature for connecting the radio to a computer. For programming you should get RT Systems software. A specialized cable is not necessary since the radio has a USB C connector. The manual supplied with the radio is brief and you need to download the advanced manual.

I could go on but there are a lot of features that may or may not be worth the price to you. I decided they were. You may not and there are many excellent radio available at lower prices.

 

[kg4icg]

Have had it since day 1, not disappointed with it. Works very well. Yes I'm waiting for the mobile version to come out but it will be sometime in 2025.

 

[SigIntel8600]

5 watts on 220 with Dstar in my area is the next best thing to being encrypted. No Dstar repeaters for miles. Clean, quiet, communications on 220. For us worth it.

 

[AK9R]

No Dstar repeaters for miles.

No D-STAR repeaters on 222 MHz forever since Icom didn't make a D-STAR repeater for that band...though I suppose one could make one from an analog repeater and a MMDVM board.

 

[wd9ewk]

No D-STAR repeaters on 222 MHz forever since Icom didn't make a D-STAR repeater for that band...though I suppose one could make one from an analog repeater and a MMDVM board.

For a couple of years after the release of the TH-D74, there was a DV Access Point Dongle made for the 222 MHz band. It works, but these access points have less functionality than hotspots that are currently available.




The box appears to be the same as the DV Access Point Dongles for the 2m and 70cm bands, but with a tape strip showing an X next to "125cm":




As others have mentioned, whether or not the TH-D75 is worth its price is subjective. It has a lot of functionality, and I have made use of that since I bought mine:

• 222 MHz band (TX at 5W, just like on the 2m & 70cm bands)
• All-mode receiver (listening to shortwave, and with an FT-817 as an all-mode satellite ground station)
• D-Star (via hotspot, and - earlier in 2024 - via satellite)
• APRS (terrestrial, and via orbiting digipeaters like the 145.825 MHz ISS digipeater)
• USB-C interface (I can use the same charger from my mobile phone with the TH-D75)

The TH-D75, like the previous TH-D74, isn't capable of cross-band full-duplex operation for FM satellites. For me, there's a lot of other stuff in the radio that made it worth purchasing.

73!

 

[k6cpo]

Me felling is that it's overpriced. Based on current prices, I can get most of the same features in the Yaesu FT5D for about $270 less. Granted, the 5D isn't a tri-band and isn't D-Star capable, but these aren't must-haves for me.

 

[AK9R]

One feature of the Kenwood APRS radios, including the TH-D75, is that Kenwood gives you full access to the TNC so you can use it for packet/Winlink.

 

[k8zdr]

I decided to spring for one that I found on special. My feelings are mixed at this point. I am starting to get the hang of D-Star and there is a high profile repeater for it in this area. Having full power on the 220 band is nice. I have figured out how to get access to the TNC and get Winlink working. However, I could not get the TNC to work over USB. No matter how hard I try, Winlink just won't work with it even though the computer can see the serial port. I also still have a lot to figure out on what all is buried in the menus.

 

[kg4icg]

Me felling is that it's overpriced. Based on current prices, I can get most of the same features in the Yaesu FT5D for about $270 less. Granted, the 5D isn't a tri-band and isn't D-Star capable, but these aren't must-haves for me.

FT5D can't do didpeating, nor can it be used as a stand alone TNC and a few other things on the list. I have the FT5D along with THD75A and FTM500 as well

 

[k6cpo]

FT5D can't do didpeating, nor can it be used as a stand alone TNC and a few other things on the list. I have the FT5D along with THD75A and FTM500 as well

A purchaser has to weigh the feature set against two criteria: Cost and whether they will use a feature or not. In my case, digipeating and an accessible TNC are not high on the list of features I'd use, so I save some money by purchasing a radio that doesn't have those features.

 

[AA4HI]

Does anyone know if the KENWOOD SC-58 carrying case fits the TH D75?

 

[RichardKramer]

Does anyone know if the KENWOOD SC-58 carrying case fits the TH D75?

Yes, it also fits the TH-D74.