I am about to pull the trigger on a Kenwood tm-v71a. My only frustration is that it doesn't have GPS, but I don't know that APRS is worth the big cost jump to the 710 series.
Am I being cheap by not making the jump to the 710? Is there a yaesu/icom/whatever unit I should be considering? It seems like the v71a hits the sweet spot on features, but I've been wrong before. I am not really interested in the digital modes, but wouldn't rule out a good radio just because it had it.

I went to HRO in Woodbridge, VA today with plans to put down some cash. I chickened out and left with an antenna (diamond nr770) and trunk/hatch nmo mount. It is mocked up and just waiting for a radio to connect to. I am tinkering with mount position and height. I get higher is better, but I think my wife would prefer that an antenna not stick out too much like a sore thumb. I also don't want to whack it on branches and whatever else might come calling.

Edit: I would like to spend a few of my dollars as possible. The move to DC is cutting into my bottom line pretty hard. That said, I can probably spend kenwood 710 or icom 5100 money if people convinced me there was that much more benefit.

UPDATE ANTENNA QUESTION:

I know higher is better, but I also know higher runs into more stuff. I don't think the lower mount will meaningfully impact my ability to get my signal out. Beside avoiding more overhanging things (branches, garage doors, whatever) it also places the antenna mount base behind the car which makes me think it will be better protected. I know the pictures show a passenger side install, but I think I am going to move it to the drivers side to further move it away from branches and other obstructions. Final note: I would do an NMO in the middle of the car but I have a moon roof.

In that area just put the mount on the trunk or hood and be done with it.
Do you really need APRS tracking?  It's ok to play with, but for most people it's kinda pointless.
Yaesu 8800 - 8900

I'ma 71a guy, if I could I'd spring for the 710 but I like APRS

I like the V71A.  I have three of them.

I do APRS with a Yaesu FT2DX H/T.

I have two TM-V71A's and for me they have absolutely problem free.

I would consider hard what features of a radio you will actually be using. I have learned, over and again, that buying a radio with lots of features with no real plans to use them, turns out to be a waste (not really). I’ll say, it hasn’t stopped me one bit from doing it over and again, but I say that I’m case you are one who really cares where your dollars go.

I have the TM-V71a, and I enjoy it. Nice dual watch feature and can play UHF/VHF, UHF/UHF, or VHF/VHF which is really nice for using two freqs at the same time for whatever reason you’d like.

Good luck, your enjoy either. I have the HT version of the 5100 and it’s an amazing radio, too.

Simple is always good. I just happened to start out with Yaesu gear, so I might suggest the FT-7900, but I know Kenwood equipment is very good. Enjoy!

I sold my TVM71A,  FT8800, and FTM-100

went back to the old simple FT7800 / FT7900 radios

simple is good when you're trying to drive

....and operate HF

Back in the 90s, I bought a Kenwood TM-733a 2m/70cm dual bander.  One of the reasons I bought it was for all the options and features it had.

And truth be told, I never scratched the surface on using or exploring the options it has.  I only used the dual V/V, U/U receive feature, and that was about it.

I realized that in the car, all I want is a radio that can change channels and banks, change the volume and Push to Talk.  That's about it.

OP, I've heard some good things about the Connect Systems CS800D.  Its a dual band radio, with analog and DMR capabilities.  It also has a detachable head connected with CAT5 cable.  There are some downsides to that radio though - it only offers single receive, not dual receive, and you are limited to 16 channels in each bank.  There is talk about changing the number of channels per bank though.

APRS is an app for your phone. meh

Then there is the question, "why do you want people unknown to know where you are or are not?"

Facepalm

APRS is not just an app, it useable across multiple devices including computers and even some radios have functions built in.

One feature APRS has is a QSY feature. If you are driving down the road and get a beacon from a passer by or cross into a new AO your radio can alert you to the local repeater freq and even automatically tune you there.

Weather info is very commonly passed

Emails can be sent using the network

APRS is an awesome technology and not automatic position reporting system

OP I have two 71a radios. They are solid radios and easy to use. The 710 has some nicer display features but if I were going to go for a big display radio I would get an icon 5100 (have a 7100 in my truck touch screen is awesome)

I’m with Derek in KISS is better mobile

I know you are trying to be helpful, but the last thing I needed in my time of radio shopping difficulty was a picture of the ts-480. I would love to have one of those in the car.

lower and not center of roof will cause issues that will never affect your rag-chewing on the repeaters locally!

I run front fender mounts on everything and for what I'm using it for-I'm Very Happy!

I vote Low and Driver-side.

UPDATE:
I bought the TM-V71A. Hopefully I can get it wired up tonight. We just finished a move, so my tools are still stuffed in boxes. My first problem popped up as soon as I got started - the power wire harness is 8 inches too short for my install location.

As far as the antenna, you're better off having a shorter antenna mounted higher than you are the longer antenna mounted lower for the same overall vehicle height. That probably doesn't help you now that you already bought it.

Make sure you get the 200 watt HX version, and a TARHEEL II antenna

On the mount, personally I'd do a NMO offset a few inches to either side from the existing roof antenna
(since you know there's clearance there.)

I did a pretty short (maybe 12") dual band on a grand cherokee and it worked great and never ran
into or snagged anything, nor was it ever in the way.

Otherwise high driver's side is fine. When you mount low you run into detuning issues as well
as signal loss.

All that and a KISS conclusion? Although you are definitely far ahead of anyone I know and it is easy for me to be immersed in 100s of hams. I know of no one getting all that you describe.

I was pointing out that APRS is available in a smart phone (ok, I missed "or computer or some other such device") for a 1 time few dollars, so it does not need to be in a radio. I use this routinely when driving cross country as one of my ham bud's son likes to track me when I am in the land of roads that are only E/W or N/S. I live in CT which probably has more ham clubs than where I grew up had hams (middle of nowhere IL). I am a member and occasionally visit a few of the clubs in SW CT (New Haven to Stamford) and was quoting one of the guys that has a GPS/APRS enabled mobile. He buys everything!!

For not being an "automatic position reporting system ", it does a d@mn good job. Many of the ham associated groups launching weather ballons are completely enamored with it. We fished one of said balloons from a bay in the east end of LI a couple years ago per APRS. APRS allowed us to track it and it followed a NOAA predicted flight path. Yes, I was astonished with that accuracy. One of the yacht club guys went out in rough sea & retrieved it for us before we could get to it. We were joking at flipping a coin as to who would wear a tux to go to that yacht club to retrieve our wayward balloon.

Sooooo what part of the US do hams use this capability?

I live that Motorola life. And drilled NMO mounts all day every day.

Just got done doing the install on my 2018 Sierra. Still have a few things left to do like mounting the O3 head.

Attached File

Radios with large display/control head units are nice but it's hard to find a place for them in a modern vehicle. I have an Icom ID-5100 but it's been sitting in a box, untouched for over a year. I just could not find a suitable place to mount the head in my 2016 4Runner. A Kenwood TM-V71a fit just fine and it does have everything I need. Having a cross-band repeater capability has been a huge plus for me.

This was a perfect spot for the control head. It can be easily seen and reached but its out of the way:



Kind of looks like your antenna. So far it has been performing very well. The antenna can be quickly removed and the base capped for car washes and parking garages with low ceiling.

Yup. The 710 was tempting for the APRS/GPS, but that head unit was too big. Likewise, the touchscreen of the 5100 is awesome - but would only work for me as a base station in the home. It was too damn big. If I had a camper of a full size truck, I might be able to swing it. the V71A is a great size radio that is so damn easy to use.

I didn't think about getting a cap for the nmo mount. Thanks for the reminder.

I'm running the Yaesu 8800 with a Larsen dual band antenna in my Grand Cherokee.  The body of the radio is mounted to the pad where the satellite radio once sat (not paying money to listen to the radio) and the antenna is mounted where the sat radio antenna used to be.  Didn't need to drill a hole, but it's a better method. The tiny control head is on a RAM mount in front of the air vent.

Attached File

Attached File

Attached File


In my M1009 I'm running two Orion single-band radios, one UHF and one VHF to a single dual-band antenna on the truck's antenna mount.

Attached File

Attached File

I have a d700 which is the previous model.  Great trouble free radio.  I don’t use the built in tnc.  If buying again would get the 71.  But, the 700 is easy to program compared to 71.

I think you had a antenna placement question.

Use antenna analyzer to place antenna in best location.  Barrow one.

I get frequent APRS texts from other hams.
I once texted from Michigan to Nevada.
I have sent emails but not as frequent.
If someone is within RF range, you can press one button and have your secondary frequency change to their frequency.
APRS radio to radio works when you are out of cell phone range and can go worldwide if receive station connected to the internet.

Sure I would be happy with a 71 but use my 710 everyday.

i axed a dumb question then found my own answer

RE:Antenna-  I use that same mount but with an SSB-5 on a MazdaSpeed3 Hatchback.  I still drag on my garage door a little bit but nothing bad.  I'd suggest using a 1/2 wave antenna as they are less dependent on a ground plane.  Obviously smack in the middle of the roof would be ideal but then I couldn't even go into a parking garage with my little car without bashing the antenna to death.