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[N4CEO]

I appreciate any comments pro or con concerning how the FTM-400xdr handles APRS.
The Kenwood TM-710G seems to be so old - technology-wise. Odd that Kenwood has not embraced current computer technology (IE: use of USB interface). Having spend extra money on cables and "dongles" to make the thing work with a laptop is laughable (or cryable?).
Thanks

[WD9EWK]

I appreciate any comments pro or con concerning how the FTM-400xdr handles APRS.
The Kenwood TM-710G seems to be so old - technology-wise. Odd that Kenwood has not embraced current computer technology (IE: use of USB interface). Having spend extra money on cables and "dongles" to make the thing work with a laptop is laughable (or cryable?).

Yes, you need a cable and maybe a dongle to interface a laptop with a TM-D710G, but you get full access to the packet TNC. You aren't limited to the functionality built into that radio; you can use software that can do more - or different - stuff with that radio. You don't get that with any of the Yaesu APRS-ready HTs or mobile radios like the FTM-400XDR. You may be able to receive data from an FTM-400XDR, but that's it.

It is a tradeoff, but if you want to do more than just receive data from the radio the Kenwood TM-D710G may be a better choice. You'll have to sort out what you want to do with these radios, and then make your purchasing decision. It looks like Kenwood will keep making the TM-D710G as long as there is a market for them, and components remain available for them. Kenwood doesn't bring out as many radios to the ham market as Icom and Yaesu, something that has been the case for a long time.

Good luck, and 73!

[KD4UPL]

I've had an FTM-400 for over a year. I bought the radio mainly for APRS, particularly the touchscreen that gives you a keyboard to enter text messages. I use this function frequently when I'm working in areas with no cell coverage. I can send text messages, thru the SMS gateway, directly to my wife's cell phone. The radio works just fine for this. I like it. I have not tried to interface a computer to the rig as I'm not interested in that. The GPS receiver seems to work very well. I have the newer model, not the original one with the slow GPS receiver. The receive audio is quite loud, even in my diesel work truck.
As far as a radio the only bad thing I can say is there is no way to divide up the memories into banks. There are 500 memories per band. You have to scroll thru all of them to get to what you want. I typically roam around a rather large area and have lots of repeaters programmed in. It would be nice to have them in different banks for different areas.