Kenwood Original TM-V71A 144/440 MHz Dual-Band Amateur Mobile Transceiver, 50 Watts, 1000 Memory, EchoLink Sysop-Mode Operation, True Dual Receive

As a new HAM bought this as the next step up from the cheap Ali-Express Baofeng and boy what a difference it makes. Much easier to program with the Kenwood native software, very solid build quality, doesn't generate tons of interference every time I transmit and it also has Air Band which is fun to listen to the aircraft. I love the old-school design and user interface which takes a smidge of getting used to but then becomes second nature. Also upgradable to digital modes with a new faceplate.

This is a great starter radio. I coupled it with a magnet mount antenna and was quickly up and running hitting repeaters, some over 100 miles away. On local repeaters I'm told my signal is clear even on low power in the 2m band. It has way more features than they advertise in the manual (honestly the manual is the weakest part) and is well worth the money paid. I might even buy a spare. If you're looking for a 2M/70cm starter radio and want something more than a cheap Baofeng but don't want to break the bank, I recommend this unit wholeheartedly.

Bought this radio on multiple recommendations. Well built, with the option to split the controls from the rest of the radio. Controls work well. Dual tuner is a nice feature. Using it primarily as a base station with a power supply. Controls on the mic are easy to use. Lots of features, so expect to spend some time exploring. Only gripe is occasional fan noise when transmitting (even on M or L power). Get the HOSA DB9(F) to DIN8(M), 3 ft. COMPUTER SOUND-CARD CABLES and the Gearmo 12 Inch USB to RS232 Serial Adapter FTDI Chip 920K with LED to program it for about $20 instead of the $50 programming cable. Program it using the Kenwood software from their website, or use CHIRP.

Great radio with all the bells and whistles. Basic 2m/70cm operation and more. Complete radio package would require : a data cable, pc cable, coax cable, an antenna, a 50 watt power supply and a RT programming package that programs the radio. Great little radio. Well worth the price. I use mine as a base station at home with a survival antenna, connected to my Mac-mini. You might also want to invest in a good audio speaker. I bought the Yeasu for 50 bucks and it delivers great audio from the radio. I have the radio connected to a Yeasu 1030A power supply. To operate this radio you must take a test to get a license. 73, KF6FBA

I use this as my primary VHF/UHF rig and love it. It takes some time to become accustomed to the menus and buttons due to the lack of space for buttons on the face of the radio. I recommend the RT systems programming software and cable just to make life easier. It will let you import repeaters data from repeaterbook.com making programming a lot easier. I still haven't used all the features on this radio, but one thing I rather like is the ease by which cross-band repeat can be set up to work with my handheld to let me walk around my property and still communicate with the local repeater without interference.

I could not be happier with this radio. I am using it as a base station. I added a next ternal speaker and it is a wonderful radio. One feature I like is that you can set it to rebroadcast from your handy talkie on a different channel. This means you can contact the radio on Simplex and have it re-broadcast on your favorite repeater. There is a slight delay. I have it yet begun to use all the features, but it is a joy to use.

This is a great radio for the price. It is very easy to manually program. It works good for me with the Bioenno LiPO 12v 12AH battery.

Love this dual band radio. Great quality. Very durable and we'll made. Stick with kenwood and you'll be happy for years. Watch youtube vids to learn how to program. Once you get the hang of programing you'll fly putting in those repeaters. I have had my radio for a while and I love it!