[aprssig] "Best" Mobile APRS Radio & TNC

[Rich Mulvey]

JD wrote:
> At 11:56 AM 8/20/2007, you wrote:
> >I recently had the control head of my Kenwood D700 stolen from my 
> car; the
> >main unit was left behind. (Some advice: Don't leave your car 
> unlocked! Ham
> >radio control heads look like GPS or Satellite Radio units to thieves.)
> >
> >So I need a replacement setup for my D700. I think I have several 
> choices,
> >so I'm looking for opinions:
> >
> >1. Find a replacement D700 control head, but that's not likely.
> >2. Get a new or used D700
> >3. Get a new TM-D710 when they come out
> >4. Get a non-TNC radio and a separate TNC, such as the Tiny Tracker or
> >OpenTracker.
> >
> >Money isn't really an issue -- I'm willing to pay for a new D710.
> >
> >(For a GPS, I'd probably continue using my Garmin GPS 18.)
> >
> >What would you do?
> >
> >73
> >
> >Ralph KC2RLM
>
> Ralph,
>
> I think you will have difficulty buying a replacement control head. 
> Seems Kenwood doesn't sell them for _any_ of their products. I asked 
> the folks in the booth at Dayton about this and all I got was some 
> lame excuses. They just don't sell them as a spare part. I had to part 
> out (2) TM-741s because I could not buy replacement control heads. 
> This policy has kept me from buying Kenwood products again. I hope you 
> have better luck.
>
>

   It's not just Kenwood.  I had the same problem with a Yaesu FT-8500.  
I had a control head that I had accidentally crushed ( don't ask. :-) ), 
and Yaesu absolutely wouldn't sell me a replacement under any 
circumstances.  I ended up selling the RF deck on Ebay for about 3/4 the 
cost of a new one.  ;-)

- Rich