Manager


Manager - NA4M
Manager Notes

Reviews For: Kenwood TM-731A

Category: Transceivers: VHF/UHF+ Amateur Base/Mobile (non hand-held)

eMail Subscription

Registered users are allowed to subscribe to specific review topics and receive eMail notifications when new reviews are posted.
Review Summary For : Kenwood TM-731A
Reviews: 17MSRP: TM-731A
Description:
2 m/70 cm dualband FM transceiver
Product is not in production
More Info: http://
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00174.9
VE3YR Rating: 2015-12-04
Great radio Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have 3 of these now. Fixer uppers from flea markets. Mostly bad tantalums and mic problems. So easily fixed and easy to operate! Love this model.
N4THC Rating: 2015-07-12
Keeps going and going Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I purchased my 731 new on 10/29/1990 for $619 and it has been going strong. I have replaced the memory battery three times since. The only other repairs are a loose leg on the UHF final I had to re-solder and an external speaker outlet I had to replace due to abuse. Other than that, I'm sure it will last quite a while longer.
KN6JS Rating: 2013-12-21
Kenwood TM731A looking for TSU-6 board Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Have had this radio for over 10 yrs... great rig.

BUT now I need a TSU-6 tone board ..

Anyone have one for sale?

Chuck Alldrin
Chico, CA

KN6JS
530-570-0633
K6WHP Rating: 2013-05-04
Aged and faithful performer -- but watch out! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Hate to tinkle on the parade here but, while the TM-631 and TM-731s are venerable and capable radios, they will eventually need to have their memory battery replaced and that WILL require some delicate surgery -- including unsoldering the old battery and soldering in the new one..

..or leaving them powered on..or some reprogramming every time the power goes off.

But the radio is a good, solid performer and a new battery will guarantee you another 6-10 years..

FORMER_N4XU_NL Rating: 2010-11-13
An oldie but a goody Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Picked up at a local "fest" for $125. Didn't check if it had the TSU-6. But when I got it in the shack, it sure did! It is in excellent shape, included box, manual, microphone, etc. Good receive and transmit audio using an MC-60A. It's a keeper !
W1ZE Rating: 2009-03-27
Still worth the $$ Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I purchased my 731 new in 1991 and it has worked without a hitch for almost 20 years. If you see one in a fleamarket and need an easy to operate true dual-bander, buy it.
KB4TPP Rating: 2009-01-14
Classic rock solid performance. Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I first used a 731 and it's predecessor the TM-721 back in the late 1980's as a new ham. I've wanted one since, recently bought one off QRZ. 20 years later it's still a rock solid radio. No, it does not have a 1000 memory channels, DCS, D-Star, etc.

But if you want a radio that is built as solid as say, a Syntor X 9000- with the performance of such- look no further than the TM-731A. It's built well an it is HEAVY (first clue of the quality inside). Many of these are still in service after two decades.

Pros:
-Easy to program, who needs a manual?
-Easy to read display
-SUPER front end can hear better than most modern radios, smooth audio quality loud, crisp and clear
-Cross band repeat capable with modification, excellent audio too.
-Large heat sink and die cast body, no wonder it lasts so long!
-Has independent controls for everything, even independent speaker jacks for both bands.

Cons:
-Only 10 memory channels per band plus call channels and band edges
-CTCSS decode requires an optional TSU-6 board, it's almost unobtania, if yours doesn't have one they are getting harder to find
-Cross band repeat requires a hardware mod to enable
-Independent VHF and UHF antenna leads, you have to use a duplexer if you want to use a dual band antenna.
-Band and memory scan is kind of slow but what do you expect for a 20-year old radio.

If you can find one of these, buy it. The transmit audio is clean, not overdriven and distorted like most newer radios are. Very good build quality sure to keep on working for another 20 years. Would make a great radio for a new ham, easy to learn without reading a 200 page manual or navigating large tree of on screen menus.
LW4ELP Rating: 2008-09-16
Excelente equipo Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Compre este equipo en los años 90, y todavia sigue en uso. Lo he usado continuamente durante horas en full duplex y se ha aguantado la exigencia. Solo le he agregado un pequeño ventilador para facilitar el enfriamiento del disipador. Lo compre de segunda mano y lo use tanto en mi hogar como en el movil, siempre con excelentes reportes.

Para ser un equipo de los años 90 tiene excelentes prestaciones, aunque el Kenwood TM732 lo supera en algunos aspectos.

El 731 es mas robusto y tiene un gran disipador, mientras que el 732 mas refinado, con un pequeño disipador enfriado con un ventilador.

En el 731 tiene a la izquierda del display la banda principal (la que transmite) y a la derecha la sub banda. Con un boton se puede alternar entre VHF y UHF como banda principal y viceversa.

El inconveniente es que los seteos de squelch y volumen quedan fijos, independientemente de cual sea la banda principal y la sub banda, y eso hace que muchas veces, cuando se cambia de banda para transmitir, haya que modificar el squelch y el volumen.

El 732 en cambio solo cambia el PTT de banda con presionar el boton de volumen, con lo cual, todos los seteos quedan como estaban.

El inconveniente que he tenido, como la mayoria, ha sido el microfono de palma, que los botones han empezado a fallar.

Otro punto en contra que posee es que la iluminacion del display no se puede apagar del todo, por lo que al dejarlo operando como repetidora en el auto de noche, llamara la atencion (eso no ocurre en el 732).

Si tuviera que comprar de nuevo un 731, lo haría, pero si pudiera comprar un 732, no lo dudaria.
KA0AZS Rating: 2007-12-09
Very good dual bander Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've owned mine for over 11 years now. Bought from it's original owner (now an SK).

It was my first mobile until I bought a newer one with more memories, computer programming and built in crossband repeat with no mods (IC-2720). Has been in my shack ever since. I also don't miss having a duplexer in the car to work a single dual-band antenna.

The lack of memories and un-modded cross band repeat (never got around to doing the mod) is not a factor in shack where I have time to look up and punch in freqs, tones, etc without having to drive at the same time, and I don't do cross-band at home. Plenty of room for the duplexer as well.

The only problems I've had have been with the microphones. Original mike had very low transmit audio when I got it, so replaced it with a new MC-53DM. That gave about 10 years of good work until the PTT quit holding in. Found the rubber/foam piece holding the return spring had been sawn through by the spring. Some superglue and spring stretching seems to have fixed that problem.

Overall, very good, basic dual bander, excellent for base operations where the memories are not as critical. I would probably buy another one if the opportunity came up.
W5DXE Rating: 2007-07-28
This Woody is a Goody Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The only mobile Dual Band radio I have found close to this one is an Alinco 610. The only gripe I would have is since it is an older rig it doesn't have the memory capacity that the newer rigs do. What it DOES have though is the best receiver and audio for a mobile that has ever been made. I just don't get it! With all the new technology out there why is it the new rigs sound more like a cheap HT on TX and a soup can and string on RX. All the bells and whistles in the world don't do any good if you sound like crap and your RX sounds the same. OK I'll put my soap box away. Bottom line. If you find a 731 in good condition buy it and throw that ICOM and Yaesu junk in the garbage.