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write your own review of the Kenwood TM 241.
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KC7YRA
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Rating: 4/5
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Feb 3, 2010 20:24
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Not bad!!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I picked up my 241A from a hamfest. It was $20. I wanted a "beater" radio to put in my off roading vehicle.
This little radio was great. I beat the crap out of it. COVERED in dirt, wet, hit with objects. It kept on ticking. Never a problem. Always on the dash of my vehicle. Didn't matter if it was 120 degrees, it worked fine.
I eventually had to sell it due to financial problems (Got $110 on ebay).
The reason for the 4 you ask? It was an absolute NIGHTMARE to program. It was the most counter intuitive, convoluted programming scheme in the history of radios.
Other than that though, it was a winner.
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KB0UQX
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 29, 2010 17:09
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Virtually Indestructible
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I purchased my TM-241A new in 1996, just after I got my ticket, for mobile use. Not long afterward, after the warranty expired, the display went south. I had a well known SK that has repaired many rigs take a look at it and he said to retire it to a base unit. I later took it apart and discovered all it needed was to shim the board forward so the display plug engages better. After this very minor mod, this rig has been totally trouble free. It's even fallen off the dash onto the floor many times due to our rough forest service road. It seems to be virtually indestructible. I just purchased another TM-241A with a display problem and repaired it for use in another vehicle of ours. They don't have all the bells and whistles the new rigs have but that's ok by me. They do everything I need.
I do have three newer dual band rigs but prefer my old TM-241A's due to their ruggedness and simplicity of operation.
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KB2FCV
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Rating: 4/5
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Jan 27, 2010 23:44
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Glad I checked here!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have a TM-241A that was given to me over 10 years ago because it 'did not transmit'. Sure enough, I tested it with the stock mic and nothing happened. It received perfectly fine. I put it in a box and forgot about it. That was 10+ years ago. I found it earlier today and decided to look it up here on eham. Low and behold I read about mic issues. On a whim, I shorted ptt to ptt ground and the radio puts out power just fine! I suppose I'll pick up a new mic up for it. I'm not sure what I'll do with it otherwise.. good little backup 2 meter rig.
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KE4ZHN
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Rating: 3/5
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Mar 10, 2009 01:26
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Ok with some issues
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I bought a TM 241A brand new when I first got my ticket. It worked fine for a couple years and then got the dreaded display issue. I was able to coax the display to work but it would occasionally still act up. The receive and transmit was good, but the microphone was a piece of junk. It had a piece of foam in it to actuate the PTT switch inside the mike! I had to fix it because the mike wouldnt TX anymore. This wasnt a horrible rig but the quality wasnt what I would expect from Kenwood to be honest.
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K5YC
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Rating: 2/5
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Mar 9, 2009 20:55
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Bad radio
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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Shortly after purchasing radio microphoe failed. Then display went. Sent radio off to be
fixed. Came back broken. I found problems
and fixed radio promptly selling it to someone
else before other trouble. Can not recommend
this radio.
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KI4SDY
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 8, 2007 20:13
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THESE ARE GREAT LITTLE RADIOS!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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A good powerful little radio with excellent
receive and transmit. Always get good audio
reports. No display problems or issues with
the mike. I don't know what more you could ask
for? Mine was marked TM-241A.
Later appeared as the ADI AR-147 with controls
in the same place and similar features. I have
one of those too and it has been a great radio
as well.
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N1FMP
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Rating: 4/5
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Oct 5, 2007 07:32
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Tough simple radio in spite of lousy mic and crazy display.
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have three. The first one I got used when it still hurt to drill a hole in the roof of my "new" 1987 Ford F-150. The second one I got (brand new) to install in my wife's car (mid nineties), the last I got at a hamfest three or four years ago.
All three microphones failed after a few years of use. One totally dead, one no PTT and one no audio on transmit. All three radios have had the "loose front assembly connector" display problem. One required a battery replacement (against all good advice I replaced it with one from Radio Shack by soldering braid to the battery - wearing safety glasses of course).
I have replaced the MC-44 mic's (which are discontinued by Kenwood and were trash), with various 500-600 Ohm dynamic mics. One I replaced with a Trio brand that had the correct connector, the PTT, UP and Down buttons were even wired correctly ($5 at a flea market). The others I replaced with old 6-pin Kenwood mics that needed to have the connectors changed. I used the 8 pin connectors from the defective MC-44's.
I hadn't used the dial pads for many years because the phone patch on our local repeater hasn't been in use for years. That might be an issue for someone that needs the touch-pad. Power output seems very sensitive to line/antenna mis-match, but that's a good thing.
The radios seem bullet proof (except for the crazy dial problem). After years of bouncing around in pickup trucks, and my 1987 Jeep, they still work. They are a bargain used in spite of lousy mic and crazy display.
They have very nice audio in receive and have always gotten good signal reports in transmit, The audio may have improved with the dynamic mic's. I especially like the large clear display, and simple operation. I am one of those guys that can't run a VCR (or should I say DVD) remote. I don't use most of the features on most of the radios I own because I can't remember how to use them minutes after figuring out how. For me the fewer bells and whistles the better.
These are my kind of radios.
Ed. N1FMP
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WA6GON
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Rating: 4/5
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Jan 15, 2007 18:12
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Great Radio
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have had mine so long I cannot remember when I bought it new. Had to be mid 90s. Used it mobile for a time and during packet heyday it was my home packet station connected to a PK88. The last six years it was in storage until I finally put it back on the air as a packet rig. Our local ARES is starting a packet net for reporting neighborhood issues after a severe storm. I had the same mic problem. That was caused by the foam Kenwood used to make the PTT button spring back. I fixed it myself replacing their foam with new foam with an equally springy quality. Never had the display problem but then I did have it mobile very long. It just seems to keep on working.
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KD7TDA
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Rating: 3/5
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Jul 9, 2006 10:12
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Not bad
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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My TM-241A has worked good. The mic has been a problem. I have had it repaired and now it is not working again. The ptt button is the problem. I really don't have any complaints about the radio itself though.
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W0PPK
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 16, 2004 09:38
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Exellent
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Has worked flawlessly! Tricky to program but still like it fine. Good power and modulation reports. Love the small footprint. Would prefer the display to light up and stay lit when power on.
73's Bob W0PPK
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