Picked mine up today. I'm an avid APRS user. The D74/D75 is, in my opinion, the best radio for APRS, especially the ability to use the TNC (over Bluetooth) with PC programs such as PinPoint. Even simple messaging is much easier compared to Yaesu's flagship FT5DR (though its a great radio, otherwise...) By the way, thanks for the great videos. You sold me on the D74 at Hamvention 2017, and the D75 at 2023. See you in May!
@@susieroberts8175Oh you guys are so wrong. I'm a full blown, headed into senior moments, brain farten scatter brain. If I can do it, ANYBODY can. Seriously anybody. In my case I had never done vhf uhf repeater comms. So it is different. That's all just different. I followed this good gentleman's video step by step (I watched it four or five times) and I was rag chewing with a couple great local guys. Just start by writing down the repeater frequency you hear a lot of activity on along with the tone frequency so you have that ready to enter into the radio. For me it was important to give myself some breaks. If I felt frustrated (which I did a couple times) oh, and make sure you load the correct manual in your phone or pc. Don't do what I did. I downloaded a manual and when I tried to search for something it turned out I was missing the last 2/3 of the manual. Not helpful. So I downloaded it from a different source. I tell you it's a lot of money for a radio that you have to download the manual. I think the problems I have would be the same for any of the competition. Lot's a menus. Like for the squelch. Come on guys. No separate knob for the squelch? What ever.
I just picked up this radio at my closest HRO. Like a kid on Christmas, I got it home and I'm sat in front of youtube trying to learn all the little shortcuts and tricks it can do. Thank you for the great videos!
Don, I am very new to the D75A and trying to learn as much as I can. I did not have the 74, so this is indeed quite new to me. I am very grateful for your videos and all you do to support us! Thank you!
I’m green to the new terminology and data functions of the last 30+ years. I bought a Dt75a and after going through this video a few times it makes more sense and beginning to work. Getting use to the order of the various keys had me on the ropes at first. This unit is much easier to use than a Beafeng.
Thx, Just taking note of some 3 digit menu paths for "most used" settings will make the note taking and making a quick reference seem much easier and a smoother path in learning the radio. I like it.
Always appreciate your how-to videos on these handhelds! I have the D72 and D74, and frankly my D72 is more dependable than the D74. I like the triband D74, but the battery life stinks and I don't use DStar enough to make it pay. $800 for the D75 at HRO is too steep for a handheld regardless of features in my opinion. But...your videos are always a great help and appreciate your time on them!
thanks for your comments I would ask that you charge fully and fully discharge the battery 7 times see if it helps. I am getting 7 to 10 hours on my original battery. email me w6gps at yahoo dot com
Thank you kind sir for this video. It was exactly what I had hoped to find. I had to watch it a few times, but just an hour ago I made my first contact with a couple of great guys. I really needed that first success and now I have it. I used to spend countless hours writing instructions for CNC machinery. It is much harder than folks think it is. I wrote many versions before leaving them alone. So I commend you on the fantastic job you did and I thank you because your effort made it possible for the current smile on my face to be here.
Just received mine from DXE. Thanks for the video, it's a huge help. I will look forward to future videos. Fabulous HT, but I think Kenwood missed the price point.
Thanks for a great video. I love using APRS and I set it up like the video. Undortunatly I wasn't able to see myself on the APRS website and I have no idea what to do when it comes to DPRS. Do I need to figure out DPRS to get it to talk with the APRS?
Dude, this was a great intro! Gave me just what I needed to get to my local repeater. How do you remember the menu numbers? Do you have a shortcut cheat sheet?
Is there a way to put my location on manually if I cannot get a gps signal? I’d like to scan local DR repeaters. Is there a way to manually input a DR repeater from repeater book?
At the end. If you currently have aprs/kiss active with dual mode then switch to single mode with non aprs channel showing is aprs still active/beconing in background even if not showing?
Warning!! If you get one of these new Kenwoods, don't let programming software vendors sell you an expensive extra programming cable. I purchased and downloaded RT Systems software to program my new TH-D75. And I ordered the cable to go along with that but of course that has to come in snail mail. I didn't want to wait, so I just used a cheap USB-A to USB-C cable that I bought from Dollar Tree!! Worked perfectly. But only after I got charged an extra $10 for the cable that I didn't need. Don't get bamboozled like I did. Any USBA to C cable will work just as well. Reply
Thank you for all the work on this, and listing the menu functions in the video description. Question: Will the Voice Guidance feature read incoming APRS packets?
I’m guessing that the APRS symbols for person, bicycle, etc. are not read aloud by the voice guidance. Can you list them somewhere in order? For example, if one symbol is the default or has a low beep assigned to it, what is the order of symbols as you turn the encoder knob clockwise from that point? Thanks.☺️
Hi Don, tks for your helpful information o the TH-D75. What I curious about is how to have D-Star channels on both bands in parallel. I copied settings from my TH-D74 but can’t choose D-Star channels on the B-Band. I can‘t find any information on the internet about this. 73 Erwin, OE1EKG
Does it transmit analog using F3E or G3E form of angle modulation? In other words is it true FM (F3E) or phase modulated (G3E)? This would not include DSTAR, which or course is digital.
Looks like the rubber side cover will be the first thing getting ripped off in the field. Followed by potential water / dust getting into the connectors and then potentially onto the circuit board(s) themselves. I dont have much experience when it comes to Kenwood HAM radio equipment, but have enough experience with their Business / Mission Critical DMR / P25 Radios to hate them with a strong passion.. They could have at least used a multi pin connectors for the side of the radio which sure, would most likely require a specialized programming cable to be purchased, but at least add to the durability of such device.. Build quality in general of the TH-D75A doesnt look all that impressive or "advanced" in any way.. I bet 2 drops to the floor and its lights out for this radio Some of the chinese competition are light years ahead of Kenwood if this is truly the best they can do All that for around 700 usd.. Ill definitely be sticking to Motorola / Hytera and their commercial line of radios as I mostly do DMR and actually want my equipment to last Come on Kenwood.. you can do better! (Of course this is all just my opinion) Thanks for reading
How are people getting these early? Mine not supposed to come until March 17th!!! BTW, all the APRS and DSTAR stuff is pure gibberish to me. This guy must have been on all that for years. I know nothing about any of it. Seems like it's a steep learning curve and not the radio itself but the APRS and DSTAR alone.
Good to know @w6gps. I was always a fan of the practice. Someone with way more letters after their name in the field of electrical engineering told me that it was not needed with today's battery technology, and this was about 10 years ago. So I stopped doing it :). He also stated that it was more of an issue with Nickel Cadmium rather than Lithium batteries...So I was just going by information I had. I get the radio Friday :)
@@Dr.Logistik I'm an engineer working in lithium ion battery industry. Totally a myth that you have to cycle or "work in" lithium batteries. Older technology NiMH batteries had a memory and this makes sense. Older NiCAD could be recovered by cycling. Lithium nope.
Picked mine up today. I'm an avid APRS user. The D74/D75 is, in my opinion, the best radio for APRS, especially the ability to use the TNC (over Bluetooth) with PC programs such as PinPoint. Even simple messaging is much easier compared to Yaesu's flagship FT5DR (though its a great radio, otherwise...)
By the way, thanks for the great videos. You sold me on the D74 at Hamvention 2017, and the D75 at 2023. See you in May!
2 minutes in and I’m already glad I passed on buying one of these.
Thanks for posting the video.
your welcome.
Me too - this is the video that shows me this HT will frustrate the heck out of me.
@@susieroberts8175Oh you guys are so wrong. I'm a full blown, headed into senior moments, brain farten scatter brain.
If I can do it, ANYBODY can. Seriously anybody. In my case I had never done vhf uhf repeater comms. So it is different. That's all just different. I followed this good gentleman's video step by step (I watched it four or five times) and I was rag chewing with a couple great local guys.
Just start by writing down the repeater frequency you hear a lot of activity on along with the tone frequency so you have that ready to enter into the radio.
For me it was important to give myself some breaks. If I felt frustrated (which I did a couple times) oh, and make sure you load the correct manual in your phone or pc. Don't do what I did. I downloaded a manual and when I tried to search for something it turned out I was missing the last 2/3 of the manual. Not helpful. So I downloaded it from a different source. I tell you it's a lot of money for a radio that you have to download the manual.
I think the problems I have would be the same for any of the competition. Lot's a menus. Like for the squelch. Come on guys. No separate knob for the squelch? What ever.
any suggestions on something simpler? I'm just getting back into radio after many decades off and I feel like I've walked into a sci fi movie :)
I just picked up this radio at my closest HRO. Like a kid on Christmas, I got it home and I'm sat in front of youtube trying to learn all the little shortcuts and tricks it can do. Thank you for the great videos!
This is the best video on here and describes the functions bang on ..excellent video and I'll always use to reference
Just been doing some looking over on the video. And it was truly another awesome one. You do absolutely great with your videos.
Don, I am very new to the D75A and trying to learn as much as I can. I did not have the 74, so this is indeed quite new to me. I am very grateful for your videos and all you do to support us! Thank you!
Thank you again for another great video.
Truly in depth and really helps out
I’m green to the new terminology and data functions of the last 30+ years. I bought a Dt75a and after going through this video a few times it makes more sense and beginning to work. Getting use to the order of the various keys had me on the ropes at first. This unit is much easier to use than a Beafeng.
Thx, Just taking note of some 3 digit menu paths for "most used" settings will make the note taking and making a quick reference seem much easier and a smoother path in learning the radio. I like it.
Always appreciate your how-to videos on these handhelds! I have the D72 and D74, and frankly my D72 is more dependable than the D74. I like the triband D74, but the battery life stinks and I don't use DStar enough to make it pay. $800 for the D75 at HRO is too steep for a handheld regardless of features in my opinion. But...your videos are always a great help and appreciate your time on them!
thanks for your comments I would ask that you charge fully and fully discharge the battery 7 times see if it helps. I am getting 7 to 10 hours on my original battery. email me w6gps at yahoo dot com
I must agree with you.
That is a great video I have watched it a couple of times after I get my 75 and a couple of months I will have this to look back on😊😊😊
I just picked up mine.
I liked it so much, I bought a new in box tmd-710 as well.
lT IS GREAT TO GET BACK TO APRS.
Thanks Don - you just helped me set up my new TH-D75A. I love this radio:)
This was very helpful Don. Looking forward to more videos to help me get started with this HT.
thank you for doing this...programing 3 of them, my wife kb3ofi, son kb3wbg, and mine kb3mec....
Thank you kind sir for this video. It was exactly what I had hoped to find. I had to watch it a few times, but just an hour ago I made my first contact with a couple of great guys.
I really needed that first success and now I have it.
I used to spend countless hours writing instructions for CNC machinery. It is much harder than folks think it is. I wrote many versions before leaving them alone.
So I commend you on the fantastic job you did and I thank you because your effort made it possible for the current smile on my face to be here.
Just received mine from DXE. Thanks for the video, it's a huge help. I will look forward to future videos.
Fabulous HT, but I think Kenwood missed the price point.
Great Introduction to the D75!!!
Great reviews! This will help me a lot, thank you! What were you saying about never doing what when charging it? I don’t understand. Take care!
Kenwood needs to update online registration page. The TH-75A not in the drop down selection and data entry not permitted. Great videos Don. 73, W1RKB
Thanks for a great video. I love using APRS and I set it up like the video. Undortunatly I wasn't able to see myself on the APRS website and I have no idea what to do when it comes to DPRS. Do I need to figure out DPRS to get it to talk with the APRS?
Great video
I noticed on your radio’s channel a
Next to ptt it has a “h” my radio has a “m”
It won’t let me put in a frequency lower than 146
Dude, this was a great intro! Gave me just what I needed to get to my local repeater. How do you remember the menu numbers? Do you have a shortcut cheat sheet?
@@hdryden7652 I do not. I just play with the radio all the time. Make a copy of the menus from the manual
Glad I kept my receipt.
This was a short video to show how to program from the keyboard
excellent, thanks Don
Is there a way to put my location on manually if I cannot get a gps signal? I’d like to scan local DR repeaters.
Is there a way to manually input a DR repeater from repeater book?
Really helpful
Hello don hope all is well! In this video you recommend to not turn on the d75 while using the wall charger correct? Take care!!!
@@Gun_Slinger556 not with the wall charger. Not enough amperage
@@w6gpsThank you Don, I appreciate it! This radio is amazing! Take care!!!
At the end. If you currently have aprs/kiss active with dual mode then switch to single mode with non aprs channel showing is aprs still active/beconing in background even if not showing?
Warning!! If you get one of these new Kenwoods, don't let programming software vendors sell you an expensive extra programming cable. I purchased and downloaded RT Systems software to program my new TH-D75. And I ordered the cable to go along with that but of course that has to come in snail mail. I didn't want to wait, so I just used a cheap USB-A to USB-C cable that I bought from Dollar Tree!! Worked perfectly. But only after I got charged an extra $10 for the cable that I didn't need. Don't get bamboozled like I did. Any USBA to C cable will work just as well.
Reply
Thanks, Don!
Is there anyway to make the screen font or frequency numbers a little larger?
Nice radio. Thank you.
Thank you for all the work on this, and listing the menu functions in the video description.
Question: Will the Voice Guidance feature read incoming APRS packets?
I’m guessing that the APRS symbols for person, bicycle, etc. are not read aloud by the voice guidance. Can you list them somewhere in order? For example, if one symbol is the default or has a low beep assigned to it, what is the order of symbols as you turn the encoder knob clockwise from that point? Thanks.☺️
I agree, this is amazing, but there are a lot of blind hams out here that are waiting with bated breath to see the voice guide.
when you are setting up APRS you will get an I can read out
@@chrissmart9761
Looks like manual programming will be easier than the ID-52. Can't wait until I get mine.
Hi Don, tks for your helpful information o the TH-D75. What I curious about is how to have D-Star channels on both bands in parallel.
I copied settings from my TH-D74 but can’t choose D-Star channels on the B-Band.
I can‘t find any information on the internet about this.
73 Erwin, OE1EKG
Thanks Don
I got this radio because not only is a very well-made tri-band, that it also does terminal mode through Bluetooth?
Does it transmit analog using F3E or G3E form of angle modulation? In other words is it true FM (F3E) or phase modulated (G3E)? This would not include DSTAR, which or course is digital.
Excellent. Thank you ! How is the battery life?
So far about 10 pct better. 8 to 10 hours. Must condition the battery
Hi Don… How can I use the scan signal mode for GMRS?
Thanks, Don! New sub here.
Where is the handie made? Japan I assume?
I am going to buy it
I am sooo confused! I cannot enter a #$%^ frequency or correct mode in the $%^& radio!
So how can I contact you
@@w6gps I just sent you an email!
@@w6gps I figured most of it out today (I got frustrated and put the radio down for sex months!). Thank you!
Don is there ever a reason with this radio to upgrade antenna?
I would for iss ops and fringe area to a repeater. Diamond srh320 is what I recommend
Why shouldn’t you use the radio while on and plugged in with stock “wall wart” charger?
Not enough current to drive radio
I need some help with registering with D star
It would be more helpful if you scrolled through the menu rather than punch in numbers. I want to see how you got there.
I will do that in future videos
I like the numbers
It’s so much faster
@@ryanoleary100I agree it makes navigating the menu much better
Why is the radio labeled as TH-D75 instead of TH-D75A?
The case is probably the same for the entire world and the software is A/E whatever.
Life saver 73😊
Looks like the rubber side cover will be the first thing getting ripped off in the field.
Followed by potential water / dust getting into the connectors and then potentially onto the
circuit board(s) themselves.
I dont have much experience when it comes to Kenwood HAM radio equipment, but have enough
experience with their Business / Mission Critical DMR / P25 Radios to
hate them with a strong passion..
They could have at least used a multi pin connectors for the side of the radio which sure, would
most likely require a specialized programming cable to be purchased, but at least add to the durability
of such device..
Build quality in general of the TH-D75A doesnt look all that impressive or "advanced" in any way..
I bet 2 drops to the floor and its lights out for this radio
Some of the chinese competition are light years ahead of Kenwood if this is truly the best
they can do
All that for around 700 usd..
Ill definitely be sticking to Motorola / Hytera and their commercial line of radios as I mostly do DMR and actually
want my equipment to last
Come on Kenwood.. you can do better!
(Of course this is all just my opinion)
Thanks for reading
How are people getting these early? Mine not supposed to come until March 17th!!! BTW, all the APRS and DSTAR stuff is pure gibberish to me. This guy must have been on all that for years.
I know nothing about any of it. Seems like it's a steep learning curve and not the radio itself but the APRS and DSTAR alone.
it is not a steep curve if you really want to know. how to use the radio. it opens a lot of outlets for ham radio
@@w6gps Great, thanks.
Maylasia
hasn't the concept of cycling batteries been proven to be a myth?
Nope.
Good to know @w6gps. I was always a fan of the practice. Someone with way more letters after their name in the field of electrical engineering told me that it was not needed with today's battery technology, and this was about 10 years ago. So I stopped doing it :). He also stated that it was more of an issue with Nickel Cadmium rather than Lithium batteries...So I was just going by information I had. I get the radio Friday :)
@@Dr.Logistik I'm an engineer working in lithium ion battery industry. Totally a myth that you have to cycle or "work in" lithium batteries. Older technology NiMH batteries had a memory and this makes sense. Older NiCAD could be recovered by cycling. Lithium nope.
that's what I thought! @@schmidtwoodworks533
ua-cam.com/video/u44qdA9yL6U/v-deo.html&si=aDNRqJN73piPNlm7
As many have said and will...$750.00 for a HT? I'll pass.
For %700.00 maybe
Sooooo purdy......