handheld radios...

My Radio purchasing Goals?:

To replace my aging TH-78A (Nothing can replace it),

A Commercial Grade duel band (2m/70cm) ham radio,

Water proof (not submergible),

Dropable (can take normal abuse),

Computer programmable,

Not too expensive,

Small, not too small,

Back lit key pad,

Keys in the correct place (*, #, and 0, on the bottom),

Preferably, compatible with my already owned Kenwood accessories.

What Radios did I consider?:

Kenwood TH-G7A

Kenwood TH-G71A

Yeasu VX5R

I don't like ICOM

(that's another (web page) story (I had a IC-706-0; = 2 (0-10 score)...

Which radio would I get, if I could change my mind?:
A Yeasu VX5R.

(A side note. I was going to get a VX-5, but when I went to PacificCon HamVention, the Yeasu Rep (~2000) was abrasive and flip (rude), to me, when I commented on the fact that the radio doesn't cover ~40-60 MHz, instead of the 48-54 MHz. And, that the key pad is laid out strangely, in a nonstandard way!
Because of this I bought the Kenwood TH-G71a, instead!)

Later I got over the rude Yeasu rep, and tired of the poor(er) battery life of the NiCd's in the TH-G71a, and several of my friends had VX-5r's, so I got an Yeasu VX-5R (my review).

Back to TH-G71a review...

Last updated: 12/08/2000, 03-19-02.