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Reviews For: Kenwood TR9130

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

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Review Summary For : Kenwood TR9130
Reviews: 9MSRP: 549.95
Description:
2 meter all mode transceiver
Product is not in production
More Info:
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0094.2
W0BKR Rating: 2017-05-31
Great Performer! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Can't beat the price clean/used, 175-250, provides a good start to VHF SSB, or FM (I use a Com Spec board in the radio for the repeaters). Good sensitivity, easy to understand how to use, etc. I run mine on low power into an amp and get easily 100 Watts or more out which is more then adequate for openings. Unfortunately, not much activity on VHF SSB anymore since the Feds gave out the free upgrades. Many folks vacated VHF SSB. At least in my area. Very solid built radio, like a brick. You can't go wrong.
N7KFD Rating: 2009-10-01
Well built Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I purchased mine about twelve years ago to put in my pick up truck and work local repeaters and it did a fine job. I sold the truck, packed up the 9130 where it sat for about eight years. Four months ago I decided to give weak signal 2 Meter SSB a try so I pulled it out and it worked like the day I packed it up. Although it's not really suitable for today's repeaters since it doesn't do PL tones without additional equipment, no one makes an all mode mobile VHF rig anymore. The 9130 is a tough little radio that pulls it's weight and is worth looking for a used one for weak signal work. Easy to operate compared to new rigs - no menu's, what you see is what you get. I've thought about selling several times and I'm glad I didn't, I'll always have a place for it in my shack.
NA5XX Rating: 2008-03-17
Great Older Rig Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought this radio several years ago and currently use it as my primary rig. It has great transmit and recieve. Mine is fitted with an Com-Spec ss32p tone board. This is rather small and difficult to see to set dip switch positions, but fortunatly only one local repeater uses tones. If I could find another tr-9130 at a good price, I would not hesitate to buy it.
K7DLB Rating: 2007-06-17
I like it!!!!!!! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I got mine for $165.00 and I really like it. It gets nice audio reports and with the TE-32 it does repeater work like a pro!!!! On simplex it has a very nice receiver and I think for the price for all modes it can't be beat!!!I'd like to find another one for a spare.
W2HTW Rating: 2003-11-21
BLAST FROM THE PAST Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I OWNED A TR-9130 WHEN I WAS FIRST LISCENSED IN 1980 I PURCHASED ONE IN 1982 BRAND NEW I USED AN ARR GAASFET PREAMP AND CUSHCRAFT STACKED 11 ELE YAGIS THE RIG WAS A PURE JOY TO OPERATE BUT LIKE EVERYTHING IN LIFE BEING YOUNG AND WITH CHILDREN GROWING UP MONEY WAS MORE IMPORTANT THAN RADIO EQUIPTMENT WE SOLD EVERYTHING AND GOT OUT OF RADIO FOR ABOUT 13 YEARS. I HAVE BEEN BUILDING MY STATION BACK UP FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS AND ALWAYS WANTED TO FIND A TR-9130 AND PUT ONE BACK IN THE SHACK WELL ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO I SAW ONE ON EBAY THAT WAS A ONE OWNER ESTATE RIG WITH ORIGINAL BOX MIKE ETC.AND BEST OF ALL IT HAD THE BUY IT NOW OPTION FOR $175.00 I COULDNT PUT THE BID IN FAST ENOUGH ITS BACK IN THE SHACK AND WORKING GREAT THE RECEIVER IS GOOD BUT FOR WEAK SIGNAL WORK A GAASFET PREAMP IS NEEDED BUT WITH A GOOD PREAMP BOY IS THE RIG HOT.THIS TIME AROUND I USE A TEN ELEMENT LIGHTNINGBOLT QUAD FED WITH 7/8 HELIAX. I LOVE MINE AND THIS TIME ITS A DEFINITE KEEPER 73 DEAN W2HTW
2E1SIM Rating: 2002-12-09
great rig Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I think this radio is brillant, i brought it half a year after my exam secondhand. It has done everything i ask it and more! Really solid and easy to use; i would recommend this to anybody wanting a reliable, solid and simple 2M rig!
ZL2UFI Rating: 2002-10-03
FM/SSB Multi Mode Rig Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This was owned by a ham friend of mine and was his first 2 meter all mode rig. He purchased it, at the same time I purchased my IC-290H. So between to the two of us, we were able to compare both of these mid-1980’s rigs. We at one stage exchanged rigs for a couple of months to compare the differences. I must admit that I liked the 9130, with it is nice solid knobs and buttons, especially as the two of us used them mobile, and never in a base station situation. The major differences that I recall were – on high power both put out 25W, but the 9130 did 5W on low, where the IC-290H did 1W. I found this annoying on the ICOM, as I felt 5W was far more sensible. On the other side, the 9130 had a standard needle type meter, whereas the IC-290H had an LED one – in a mobile situation the LED was very easy to read especially as a quick glance while driving, even more so at night. The 9130 while probably more accurate was hard to see on the move.

As far as audio etc… 9130 always sounded a bit better than the IC-290H. We used the rigs mainly on FM and some SSB, as in those days most others had FM only rigs, and there was no DX on SSB to talk of, apart from contest times. I recall listening OSCAR 10, on SSB one day so call my friend, my IC-290H heard it quite well, whereas his 9130 heard nothing – both of us had 5/8 whips, on the same places on our cars, so I put this down to the ICOM have a better and more sensitive receiver.

Other reviews talk of PL tones; these are not an issue here in ZL, so buying one would still be OK down here, but they are well over 15 years old now and you’d want to check it over especially if it has spent it’s life as a mobile.
JAMES_BENEDICT_EX_N8FVJ Rating: 2001-03-17
Receiver needs Preamp Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Radio performs, however, needs a receiver preamp to work any 'out of town' SSB. The Kenwood TR-751A radio that replaced the TR-9130 simply 'blows the TR-9130 receiver' away!
NE0P Rating: 2000-07-13
good starter 2 meter allmode Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
THis was my first 2 meter all mode rig, and I was quite pleased with it. It puts out 25 watts on all modes, and has a great receiver in it-very sensitive. It also comes in a nice compact mobile rig package. I ran it in several VHF contests with good results. There are only 2 things I did not like about it: 1) no built in PL for the FM crowd; 2) You cannot turn down the power on SSB, but you can on other modes. THis would make it tougher to use with a tentec transverter. Overall a good 2 meter all mode, and I would buy another if I needed a 2 meter all mode mobile.