Kenwood TM-V71A – The Dual-Band Beast That’s Always Down for a Road Trip
Need a mobile radio that packs a punch, listens twice as much, and practically begs for a cross-country hamcation? Meet the Kenwood TM-V71A – a 50-watt powerhouse with enough features to make even your car’s infotainment system jealous.
50 Watts of “Heard You Loud and Clear”
Let’s cut to the chase: this thing is loud. With 50W of RF power on both VHF and UHF, you’ll be coming in hot and crystal clear, even if you’re transmitting from the top of a mountain or just your driveway with style. Choose from High, Mid, or Low power settings depending on whether you’re whispering sweet nothings to your local repeater or shouting across the state.
Dual Receive: Because One Frequency is Never Enough
Feeling indecisive? No worries—the TM-V71A can eavesdrop on two channels at once, even on the same band. VxV? Yup. UxU? You bet. It’s like having two radios without the extra bulk or the judgmental looks from passengers wondering why you need so many knobs.
Travel-Savvy: Your New Road Trip Wingman
If you’re the kind of ham who loves to mix cross-country road trips with repeater hopping (who doesn’t?), then you’ll love this: compatible with ARRL TravelPlus for Repeaters. With the MCP-2A software, just load up your repeater map, hit export, and voilà —your radio is now your travel guide. Snacks not included.
Other Cool Perks:
- Big display with lots of customizable options
- Cross-band repeat functionality (because sometimes one band just isn’t enough)
- Built Kenwood-tough to survive your car, your shack, and probably a zombie apocalypse
Who’s This For?
If you’re a mobile ham who likes power, flexibility, and the ability to tune in like a pro, the TM-V71A is your ride-or-die rig. It’s perfect for those who want reliable comms, multi-channel chaos, and just enough bells and whistles to keep things spicy—but not so many that you need a pilot’s license to operate it.
Final Verdict?
The Kenwood TM-V71A is like your favorite multi-tool: compact, powerful, and always ready for action. Whether you’re chatting with locals or reaching for the sky (literally), this rig does it all—with style, strength, and stereo-like dual receive. Now get out there and ham it up.
