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Reviews For: Kenwood TM-V7A

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

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Review Summary For : Kenwood TM-V7A
Reviews: 111MSRP: 719.95
Description:
The dual band mobile with the cool blue display.
Product is not in production
More Info: http://www.kenwood.net/products/index.cfm?AMA=open&ama_mob=open
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
001113.8
K4MJK Rating: 2006-07-06
I Love It Time Owned: more than 12 months.
i have had this radio for a few years now had it in an expidition and an explorer with no problems i use the remote head kit and have no problems with the display this radio has gret recieve and is very easy to use i have not used it for data but i might try it with aprs very soon i will update when i figure out the aprs
KA3NXN Rating: 2006-07-05
Complicated operation Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Like another post here I too had mine installed in my Ford Explorer. That is where the similarity ends. I NEVER once had any of the current drain issues with the rig in the car. I would leave it on for days at a time without running the engine, and it never drained the battery. My biggest complaint was the programming and menu operations, even with the step by step manual, it was very complicated.
SANBORN_EX_AD9DX Rating: 2006-07-05
MISTAKENLY, I BRIEFLY OWNED ONE Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Priding myself on careful investigation prior to purchasing most items owned by me, I hate to admit it but I did not do my homework before this acquisition, and the accompanying unfriendly BITE-in-the-A$$ still hurts.

I was the 2nd owner, got it as part of a swap, (for which I gave a considerable amount of quality gear) as I expected a company as large and prolific as this would warranty-repair a KNOWN DEFECT - that being lines in the display which render the readout impossible to navigate.

When I called Kenwood I was told "NO WARRANTY TO YOU...$150 to repair" as I was foolish enough to be honest and tell them I was the 2nd owner, purchased used, no receipt.

FAR OUT, COOL & GROOVY! - Only $200+ (including 2-way shipping) to fix a KNOWN DEFECT on a used radio, worth maybe $250 in A-1 condition on eBay... Wowee Zowee, I'm soooo happppyyy!!!
~GRRRRRRR~

Now, IF you are the ORIGINAL owner, AND you still have your receipt, THEN they will warranty this KNOWN DEFECT.

I dunno, I would've expected what once WAS a major player in Amateur Radio to sell *carefully designed* & *well tested* rigs from the beginning and NOT problematic offerings, but hey, what do I know, I'm just a dumb consumer... silly me.

Now, I can imagine if FORD, CHEVY, or CHRYSLER had a KNOWN DEFECT which rendered the windshield blurry, cracked & unusable but said "No" to a no-questions-asked repair...
Well, we would certainly be saying "So long" to one of the big three!! ...and the fines & settlements, I can't imagine the number$$

- BUT -

This has certainly helped in my decision making process with regard to which new rig I'm purchasing for the Shack.

I had considered several rigs including the Icom IC-756 ProIII, Yaesu FT-1000 MkV, TenTec and the Kenwood TS-2000.

With regard for OLDER Kenwood gear; I LOVE my trusty old TS-520S boat-anchor which I keep on hand as back-up for my Icom IC-751A.

But after this truly disappointing and aggravating experience with Kenwood's disinterest in making right a wrong done, I now find I have only 3 rigs up for my consideration, can you guess the rig & manufacturer in which I have no further interest?
(Hint; the one with UHF)

Way to go there # F-O-U-R, you're now FAR BEHIND Yaesu, Icom & TenTec in my book.

- Oh, did I mention that this has one of the least intuitive, most frustratingly confusing menu systems I've ever regretted owning?

- Also, did I forget to mention the receiver died on the 2m side, and apparently for no reason?

In 39 years of radio-ing I've NEVER before lost a receiver in any of my other rigs, by Icom, Yaesu or `other`.
I guess I'm now a "Man", as I've discovered what it is to HATE. (Braveheart, Robert the Bruce' Father)

...sold for parts rig, lost my A$$ on this piece of $#!t.

- For me there is no longer the big 4, only the big 3.
MOVIN`-ON, NEVER AGAIN, NO WAY, NO THANK YOU!!

Now remember, this is just MY experience-based opinion, and when considering the other reviews of this radio / company which mention memory problems, more warranty problems of this nature and others, and the other types of odd problems encountered with these rigs, I can't see why everyone shouldn't rush right out and grab THREE!!

73, & good LUCK with yours!
N6ATF Rating: 2005-12-05
Mac is to Blueface as PC is to anything else Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I got mine new in a trade for my used Icom 2100H and T7H, and the trader got it right before AES ran out - it was too valuable for his company to insure in the car.

I have had no problems with this radio running in a "mobile base" configuration. The manual could use some work, though. Don't be surprised if you have to ask around about the key sequences for things such as DTSS coding or enabling crossband repeat mode. (Hint: hold the band select button when turning on, not off, the radio)

Note: if you get one in a box with the lavender colored lettering, it was the last revision Kenwood put out, so you shouldn't get any display issues like the original series had.

Having the speaker on top is good for tabletop listening, rather than some other mobiles that have the speaker on the bottom. Though, front-firing would probably be better for the mobile configuration. I eventually decided to put it through my mixer and headphones or external speakers for flexibility and less jack wear.

As far as crossbanding goes, people have not noticed a difference between me talking on the radio itself versus talking through a remote radio (in my case, my Moto GP300 channel 1 on the bandplan frequency).

Wish I could use it to it's full capacity (data) but I would need to spend more $$$! Having one connector works well for my dualband Elk Antenna LP, no need to have a duplexer and coax for each band.

So harking back to the summary, this radio is a pleasure to use just like Macintosh computers, all the rest pale in comparison like PCs.
F6IQA Rating: 2005-10-14
Good and reliable radio Time Owned: more than 12 months.
No problem with this radio, exept two freeze that needed full reset, i more than 3 years. No problems at all with the display. Readibility Ok. Just I cant find how to opperate split. Any tip ?
VE4UB Rating: 2005-04-21
Great Radio as long as you don't have a Ford Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This is the best dual band mobile that I have owned in my 25+ years. I purchased it when they first came out and have never had a problem with it except for our present SUV. Ford Canada tells us that the current draw while off (less than 30ma) is killing the battery (heavy duty). In the last 3 years we have had endless boosts from roadside assistance, battery exchanges and rewiring. Last month we once again had the vehicle in for the same problem (dead battery) and were again told the current draw was too high. They have installed a trickle charger and told us to plug the charger in year round. The battery still dies even after the fuse for the V7a is removed. If you are considering this unit and you own a Ford Explorer, think again! There is no problem with the radio IMHO. I would recommend it to anyone in the need of a top notch dual-bander. Just don't install it in a Ford Explorer and expect cooperation from Ford!
KB1FPM Rating: 2005-03-24
Great Radio -- Unfortunately Discontinued Now Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I recently purchased a TM-V7A, motivated partly by the desire to add a radio with cross-band repeat and dual receive to the shack. Other than that, I figured it was basically similar to the TM-G707A that I've owned for more than three years. That turns out to be mostly true, with a few minor exceptions.

Based on my use so far, the good points of this rig are:

- dual band receive (VHF/UHF, VHF/VHF, UHF/UFH)
- cross-band repeat
- alpha-numeric memory tags
- easy to operate
- plenty of memories
- free memory management software on KW website
- very quiet fan
- easy to remote-mount the control head
- faceplate is easily removed to prevent theft
- excellent front end

I haven't found anything I'd identify as a problem, although there are some things I'd mention that buyers should be aware of.

I have not found the display hard to read in limited mobil use, but in my Jeep has a relatively high dash and the head is always shaded. If you put this on top of the dash in your vehicle, you may well have problems - something to think about beforehand.

There are enough memories in the rig for my needs, but the operator does have to allocate the memories between VHF and UHF bands, and if you change that allocation in the future, you'll loose all memory channel data in the radio (hint: download the free software and buy the cable).

If I had my 'druthers, I'd change the display to either permit display of the alphanumeric tags only (no freq), or to allow the size of the alpha tags and the freqs to be switched. As it is, the rig displays both the alpha tag and the freq for each side of the radio. You can blank the display for one side if you aren't using it, but the remaining display doesn't get any larger. This is not a big point, but I'm trying to be objective and complete. For me, it's all the more noticed because the display in the somewhat similar Kenwood TM-G707A is so excellent.

One feature of the -V7A (and the -G707A) that I hadn't used until I bought the -V7A is the "programmable memory" feature. Basically, this allows you to pre-set a large number of operating and display choices into one of four memories. You select them by pushing "PM" and then the appropriately-numbered button on the faceplate. This turns out to be a great way to quickly change display settings, power settings, band settings, etc. I never used it with the -G707A but find it very useful with the -V7A.

I live and operate in metrowest Boston, which has many pagers and other RF sources that will show up intermod problems quickly -- I have had no such problems with this radio.

On the other hand, the receiver seems to be very hot. I first noticed this when I did a doubletake, hearing a fire department I didn't recognize on the freq assigned to our town FD. It turned out to be a FD in a neighboring state, 70+ miles away, that I'd never heard before. I have been able to receive stations as much as 100 miles away with this rig installed in my home shack, which is extremely good performance.

I have to say that I have not found this radio at all hard to operate, nor do I think the manual is badly written, especially when compared to other KenYaeCom manuals.

Overall, a very strong rig and a pleasure to operate. Too bad it's gone...get one while you can.

73
John
YEPSURE Rating: 2005-02-08
Great for Data Operation Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I purchased this radio to use mainly for packet on one side and voice on the other. I found this radio performs very well in this capacity, and has no problem doing both voice & data simultaneously. At the time of this writing the V7 is on closeout and only a few outlets have stock. Price paid was $339 from GigaParts, which included shipping. Also purchased was the optional PG-4S programming cable for $32.

The display seems to be the most notable thing about the V7 people have commented on. Some like it while others seem to loathe it. I happen to like the display, but I use the radio as a base station in an evenly lit room without direct sunlight causing the ‘washout’ effect many have mentioned. Another aspect of the V7 display concerns the vertical line issue many owners have experienced with older V7’s. I have noticed a change in the V7 display, at least in the trim color around the outer edge, which was changed from the original black to purple. Apparently when Kenwood redesigned the LCD portion of the display in order to fix the vertical line problem they changed the color of the outer trim to visually indicate this change. Thus, all V7’s with the purple trim color around the display are evidently the newer redesigned LCD’s. The black trimmed models are the original older versions that have the potential to develop the vertical lines (unless it has been repaired already by Kenwood).

Overall, I really like the display when used as a base station. I can see where the problem would come in to play if it were used mobile. It was apparent after a short time this display is both loved and hated by many, depending on how the radio is used or mounted. I love the ability to display both frequency and a 7 character alpha-numeric tag. I found the display to have good clarity and provide enough information to easily see that state of your radio at a glance. I also like the button and knob placement. The controls are easy to manipulate and have good response. There is an optional separation kit that allows the display to be mounted in a variety of ways, which is always nice.

The radio chassis itself appears identical to my TM-D700A dual bander. With the exception of not facilitating an internal TNC, this appears to be the only difference between these two models. Everything else is either the same or similar in terms of operation and specifications.

The radio has the standard 5/10/50-watts output on VHF and 5/10/35-watts output on UHF. The high-power measurements on my radio were actually 55-watts VHF and 37-watts UHF. I like seeing a radio that meets or exceeds the manufacturer’s claims, as I’ve seen several Yaesu models that were spec’d at a specific power output only to actually measure 5-10 watts less than spec. I live in a high-RF environment and have not noted any intermodulation while using either VHF/UHF, VHF/VHF, or UHF/UHF configurations. The antenna being used is a Diamond V2000A high-gain tri-band base station antenna with 75’ of Belden 9913F coax (just to state the actual setup for informational purposes). Again though, I’m sure a mobile installation would have different results. The fan keeps the radio reasonably cool at high-power levels, and crossband repeat works like a charm in both one & two-way directions. The internal speaker provides decent audio output, but for mobile operation I highly recommend using a good quality external speaker (Motorola is my favorite).

The microphone is the standard backlit DTMF style, which I find comfortable and easy to hold. The audio produced is of excellent quality, and the cord is slightly longer than the Yaesu mics I’ve used in the past, and uses the now standard RJ45 connector. A standard CAT5 cable can be used with a coupler to extend the microphone to a longer length if desired (be sure not to use a cross-over cable).

I also purchased the optional PG-4S programming cable, which I think is a must for any currently made radio, whether base, mobile or portable. As with all other Kenwood software I’ve used over the years, the V7 programming software works flawlessly every since time, unlike Yaesu and their worthless ADMS junk (just my personal opinion, again from personal experience though). The V7 software is quick & easy to use, and simple to learn (not to mention free).

The V7 can be used in a variety of ways regarding data operation, but is among the few that can have two separate TNC’s attached and operate two independent data channels at the same time. For example, you can operate APRS on one side using one TNC while operating Packet or SEDAN (or whatever your flavor) on the other side using another TNC, and BOTH sides will operate independently from each other as if they were two separate TNC/Radio systems. For those of us who love packet this is truly a handy radio (very impressive radio for those who know what I’m referring to). **If anyone has any questions regarding packet/APRS operation with this radio and a TNC please email me, and I’ll be happy to help you**

Overall I really love the V7 and I’m glad to have been able to pick one up new before they disappeared completely from new outlets. Please email me if you have any questions about this model and I’ll be happy to help you, as I’ve done just about everything you can do with the V7 and would be happy to assist.
ON7DCM Rating: 2005-02-07
on7dcm Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I bought this tranceiver new a year ago( tmv 7 e).After sending it back to kenwood(on visual scan there was something moving ,eating all the information shown on the display and "spitting" it out in unlogic strange signs. it was just like the old pac man game!Kenwood never had seen this problem before)now the receive is excellent,the modulation is stronger and s meter reading is correct,before everyone had a s9(on hf i always here people giving 5/9 to anyone even if they're noisy,hihi).Ill keep this kenwood t'ill he's out of order.
KV9U Rating: 2004-12-20
non responsive repair Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This is my second TM-V7A. The first was OK but was damaged by a lightning spike on the power line. I admit the display readibility is quite poor on this type of "cool blue" display.

The replacement never worked properly and I eventually sent it in to the Virginia Beach factory authorized repair facilty to correct loss of stored memories/display showing scrambled information, etc. Clearly, a microprocessor problem. The repair facility was completely incompetent and wrote back that it needed a better antenna. (I am not making this up!).

I then contacted Kenwood West and Mr. Leo Fahmie said his top tech would look at it. The unit was returned after a few weeks with a "new chip" replaced in the display. Of course the problem still occurs. After a complete reprogramming, it may or may not hold the data for a few weeks but one day you turn it on and you may have changes in the channel numbers, total loss of all programming, etc. ... in other words, some kind of microprocessor glitch.

I wrote back to indicate that it was still defective. No response. After a month I sent a follow up letter. No response. I wrote to Kenwood's main HQ, several weeks ago, and still ... no response.

As a ham who has up until now, purchased mostly Kenwood rigs, including HF transceiver, several 2 meter mobiles, 4 HT's etc., I expected more. I suspect that Kenwood is having internal problems but I do not know that for sure.

I might mention that I had several decades of experience running an electronics/AV shop and would never treat a customer in this manner.

What I do know is that I will never buy Kenwood nor recommend Kenwood to others. Consider that I will be forced to trade in this "repaired" rig so some other ham will have the same experience.

But since the rig is primarily to support EmComm here in our area and just can not be relied upon, it leaves me with little choice.