Anybody use a Kenwood TM-V71A?

[Captain Kilowatt]

Planning a road to to Newfoundland this summer and want an excuse to buy a new radio. I have an older Icom IC-2000H which is just a 2m rig or I can take my Yaesu FT-857D to cover 2m and 70cm but not likely to do any HF while I am there plus it would mean no new radios for me. LOL What I am wondering about is how well it holds up to strong intermod. The Icom I have is damn near bullet proof and I have never had a problem with intermod and I am wondering how the TM-V71A holds up under strong out of band signals and what the audio quality is like. I could care less about the ability of D-STAR or digital audio echo-link etc. I just want a GOOD basic dual bander.

 

[tba02]

If I didn't have a TM-D710G (aka the bigger brother) a TM-V71A would be my choice.
I have used several and always had good audio reports (as with all the KW's I hev used). I haven't experienced and intermod, so I don't know if that is because it is good, or just wasn't in a bad environment.

I love the D710G!

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

I was considering the TM-D710G but it is a lot more radio than I really need or want for such limited use it will see. Up here it is $250 more so not really worth it considering what I really want. If I was on the air a lot and played with APRS then it would definitely be my #1 choice but the TM-V71A is more my style.

 

[CB590]

I have one. Use it in a base environment. Running Comet 2x4 antenna only 12' to tip. Punch up 50w and talk 100 miles to NY repeater by my sisters.

I never had intermod occur thus far and sound quality is superb IMO.

You can also turn off the right or left side if you want which is a neat feature. I monitor the local PD on one side and TX on the other on VHF as well. No issue either. I can also have two of the local 2m repeaters up one on each side and switch and key to either one pretty quickly.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

Coincidentally enough the antenna it will be used with is a Comet CA-2x4SR as well. I have had it for YEARS and it is still going. It performs decent and you cannot beat the bandwidth.

 

[tba02]

Agreed - the D710G is a lot of radio. The APRS functionality is useful to me. The V71A can adopt the D710G head so I don't know that there is a significant difference on the radio side. I'd go with a V71A any day if I did have the need for the extras.

I also use a TM-281A and for what it is, also a great, and rugged radio. Same microphone and same good audio reports.

 

[Steve_Buckeye]

I have been using the TM-V71 for 8 years now and think its a solid radio. I mostly use it as a base using the Kenwood MC-60 desk mic and a Diamond X50 base antenna at around 30ft. I'm only have 50ft of 8X cable, could do better with LMR400! Had to put around 5 magnetic clip-on chokes to stop the RF at full power. Great both on simplex and hitting the repeaters. On trips I take it along using the Diamond NR770H with mag mount and just use the stock mic. Not much traffic on the road though. I program the radio with the RT systems software in advance to cover all the states that are on my route. I can also crossband when I go hiking, I leave the radio on in the car and use my HT (FT-60) to communicate. Hope this helps Steve.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

My main concern is intermod and sound quality. My older Icom IC-2000H was pretty much bullet proof as for intermod so I am spoiled. LOL I could drive down North Street in Halifax past the telco main tower site which at the time had 149 various VHF/UHF transmitters including the old 149 MHz paging systems and not break squelch. I have decided that I want a dual band mobile with detachable faceplate and so far the TM-V71A is at the top of the list as it seems to fit my desires and price range. I love the RT Systems software and have used it to program my Yaesu FT-857D which I had considered putting in the truck for our road trip but I won't be doing any HF and I still won't have a dual bander in the truck if I just do that.

 

[drgrant]

I am deeply curious about this radio as well. I had a TM-V7A back in the day and I had to get rid of it because the intermod situation was bad, although it was not nearly as bad as the IC2820H I have now, that thing basically has a front end thats the size of an aircraft hangar. At least with the V7A there was an AIP function which -kinda- helped this, but in really horrendous situations it just made you feel good. I think the V71A has the same function, but its hard to get feedback on how well these radios work or don't work under duress. I currently have a V8000 mobile on VHF and I think I'm about ready to bite the bullet on an Icom F series UHF mobile (commercial) instead of trying to reinvent the wheel, because I know mono banders usually don't get annihilated....

 

[drgrant]

Just as a bump... bought one of these today.... initial impressions.... simple, robust, decent radio. Have it installed on my X500HNA at home and even with AIP off, the radio is not getting annihilated by intermod. I only ever heard a couple peeps out of it while tuning across 70cm, but its worlds worlds better than my 2820H, basically that radio was borderline unusable because it was getting hammered so bad by the pagers across town. Adjustable mic gain option is a plus, even in its lowest setting it seems to be loud enough, but nice to know that feature is there in case I connect some other kind of mic to it.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

Well that's good news and thanks for being the guinea pig and buying one. LOL I was also looking at the Yaesu FT-8900 which is only $30 more for two extra bands but being just FM it won't see much use on 10 or 6m. There is a 6m repeater locally here but nobody is ever on it. 10m FM is a blast when the band is open but I have to wonder about the small price difference for two more bands. What compromise was there? Later in the spring when income tax money comes back I will get either the TM-V71A or possibly.......just POSSIBLY the TM-D710G. It's a lot more radio than I need or even want atthis point but it offers some news things to play with like APRS and it just plain looks cooler. LOL

 

[543_Dallas]

I recently bought one of these but haven't used it much. My yaesu 7800 is going mobile and the Kenmore is going in the shack. It seems like a nice rig so far but time will tell.

 

[NightThumper]

My Kenwood TM-V71A is an awesome radio and used exclusively in my truck...didn’t need APRS/GPS. Regarding intermod it’s good but not exceptional. Reason for purchase was I didn’t need a remote head and I liked the fact I could flip the display around up or down so to speaker and it stays attached to the main unit. The internal speaker is ok but I use an external KES-3(S) speaker which I greatly prefer.

 

[drgrant]

The V71A will go remote no problem though if you needed it to.

The ONLY thing I can whine about is the fact that the alpha tags are only big enough for a 6 letter callsign or something. So that part is somewhat deficient but hardly the worst thing in the world.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

Yeah I have been giving the TM-D710G a bit more thought the last couple days too. Right now it is a toss up between the two but I am now leaning slightly towards the TM-D710G now.