Kenwood TH-F6a

[the_sandman_454]

Who has a Kenwood TH-F6a? What antenna do you use? How do you like it?

I have one of these, with I believe a Maldol antenna, I'm not sure of the model number, but it's for 2m, 220mhz, and 70cm.

Just wondering how many others have this radio.

 

[Moleculo]

I have it. I think the antenna I picked up is the Maldol also. It's the one with the coil in the middle of the antenna. That antenna made a big difference for me, although I do use the stock one under certain circumstances.

I also like that it also has HF receiver. I made a pretty long wire receive antenna that I can screw on which is kinda neat to listen to shortwave stuff if you're on a trip and don't want to lug a whole big radio around.

This is also the only radio with 220mhz that I own. A few of the guys that I occasionally 4x4 with like to use 220. I found a little 220 50 watt amp at a swap meet for dirt cheap that I use on the base, too.

It also makes a pretty effective little race scanner. I like how I can monitor two channels and have independent scan on each. Usually I set one channel to either race control or the broadcast, and then scan the drivers. It's nice that you can set the volume to prefer one channel over the other also.

The menus are really pretty easy to learn. It's a lot easier than any Yaesu HT I've owned or played with. The software for it blooooows, though. As a whole, I really like the little radio.

 

[KingCobra_CDX882]

I have this as well

THF6a is a ok radio
great battery life between charges
but rather low to poor audio (is same with the 2 i own)
thumbs up for the 220 band...that is only reason i own it

i also use the triband Maldol antenna
its hf is nowhere as good as on the IC-91AD

 

[C2]

or vx-7r?

 

[Justme]

I have onehere in The Netherlkands
Te audio from the H.T itself can be seriously improved when you open the channel from the front leading through an passway to the microphone.
Look for that on the how to do on the usual sites.
I use an speakerphone all the time, opened it up to use it not only on the normally open TX frequencies but also on the 8 channelsthat are available here with 500 mWatts for persoanl frequencies.

As Ham it works well on 2/70 decent batterylife for an HT good reciever, All mode reception on HF etc.
The second HT is an Icom Q7 with speakerphone, used on business fairs we organise here, and for reaching out our local repeaters wich i also maintain.

The Kenwood is loaded with features, takes reading the manual to use them all

Cor

 

[KingCobra_CDX882]

sorry

I still give the THF6a thumbs down
(except for its having 220 band)
I also use it with external speaker mike

forgetting the 220 band and excellent battery life
my Icom T-90A destroys the THF6a

Although now i use mostly the 91AD

 

[C2]

thumbs down for what?

What does the T-90A is better where?

 

[novakor]

forgetting the 220 band and excellent battery life
my Icom T-90A destroys the THF6a

Funny you read the reviews at eham and the THF6a has more than twice the reviews as T-90a and the THF6a still has a better average rating.

 

[Master Chief]

The BEST antenna for this radio is the Diamond SRH320A:
http://www.rfparts.com/diamond/srh320a.html

http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/4298

 

[Justme]

Using the Diamond SRH771 but we don't ave 220 mHz to worry about here

 

[C2]

I've been struggling to decide between the VX-7R and TH-F6A.

 

[KingCobra_CDX882]

my T-90a has far better audio

gets the signal out much better

when using out and about most think they are hearing a base set up

is the absolute easiest ht to use

on street i hit a repeater 70 miles away
my THF6a is unable to hit the repeater
(although i didnt try doing it on the 91AD)

only bad thing about the T90a is same as my 91AD and that is it eats the battery in very short order (about 3-4 hours)
also that it does not have the 220 band
but it does have the 6 meter band

also i can say from experience the T90A
takes lots of abuse and keeps on working as good as new (cant say that of my 91AD or THF6a)

ofcourse on all my HTs i use the best antennas money can get and that also makes a heck of a difference..

one possible reason my T90a smokes my THF6a's (i have 2 of them) is i use a dual band hi gain antenna on the T90a and a Hi Gain triband antenna on the THF6a
but to be honest i highly doubt it would make the huge difference i see in my HTs

also both my THF6a and 91AD had to be sent in for servicing and took several months to get them back

finally the T90a is also the least expensive of all my HTs (also tried out the yaesu 7u and didnt like it)

anyways
everyone has reasons that do not always agree with those of other people
but in my experience the T90a is supper tough HT to beat (at any price)

 

[KingCobra_CDX882]

my T-90a has far better audio

gets the signal out much better

when using out and about most think they are hearing a base set up

is the absolute easiest ht to use

on street i hit a repeater 70 miles away
my THF6a is unable to hit the repeater
(although i didnt try doing it on the 91AD)

only bad thing about the T90a is same as my 91AD and that is it eats the battery in very short order (about 3-4 hours)
also that it does not have the 220 band
but it does have the 6 meter band

also i can say from experience the T90A
takes lots of abuse and keeps on working as good as new (cant say that of my 91AD or THF6a)

ofcourse on all my HTs i use the best antennas money can get and that also makes a heck of a difference..

one possible reason my T90a smokes my THF6a's (i have 2 of them) is i use a dual band hi gain antenna on the T90a and a Hi Gain triband antenna on the THF6a
but to be honest i highly doubt it would make the huge difference i see in my HTs

also both my THF6a and 91AD had to be sent in for servicing and took several months to get them back

finally the T90a is also the least expensive of all my HTs (also tried out the yaesu VX-7R and didnt like it)

anyways
everyone has reasons that do not always agree with those of other people
but in my experience the T90a is supper tough HT to beat (at any price)

 

[Justme]

The Kenwood has all mode recieve on the H.F. bands too, for most an reason to get the Kenwood for listening in while away from home.
With an decent speakermike the audio is decent and if you perform the mods i did in the engeneering menu wich needs opening up the radio, things can be drastically improved.

I got it 2nd hand for an good price, and works fine since the last 2 years.

For hollidays i use the FT100 to work the world wit an homebrew FD-4.
The Kenwood gives acces to the local French repeaters for an chat.

For home use it is mostly used on work organising business fairs etc.
I have an dual band in the van running 75 watts on 2 and 50 watts on 70.
At home the Yaesu FT 847 with Collins filters is used with the Heathkit SB-1000 amp, and an few homebrew 2 and 70 amps with an few 100 watts.

For size the older Icom Q7 here with yaesu speakerphone sees the most use, even 300 milliwatts lets me reach the local repeater 18 miles away wich i am part of the team doing maintenance on ( 2/70/23 cm) and beacons.

Both H.T's use aftermarket antenna's.
As you see, it is an personal choice.

The best transciever is the one you use

 

[C2]

So the choice is between:

6m coverage

or

All mode receive to 470 MHz and
Wider receive up to 1300 MHz

Most every thing else is about equal.

Most all the other gimmicks on the VX-7R don't interest me much.

But then, 220 MHz is not really very popular. 6M would be a much better trade, but you don't even have to trade that in the VX-7R, just a bit of power there.

And, from what I've read, these HT's have relatively poor receivers on HF anyway, so you might not even notice the all-mode receive. You will be kind of stuck with the AM broadcast stations anyway.

So why not go for the 4-bander?