Kenwood TH-F6A
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| Frequency | 144-148 MHz, 222-225 MHz, 430-450 MHz |
| Bands | 2m, 1.25m, 70cm |
| TX power | 0.05 / 5 W |
| Modes | FM |
| Weight | 230 g (8.1 oz) |
| Connector | SMA-Female on the radio body - takes SMA-Male antennas |
| Year | 2001 |
| antenna | SMA-Female on the radio body - takes SMA-Male antennas |
| speaker mic | Kenwood 2-pin (2.5mm + 3.5mm) |
| power req | rechargeable battery pack (model specific) |
Estimated (unverified): AMATEUR (ham) radio - FCC Technician-class license required to transmit; NOT GMRS, NOT license-free. TRI-BAND TX (analog FM): 2m (144-148) / 1.25m (222-225) / 70cm (430-450), all 5W. The standout is the SUB-BAND RECEIVER: ~0.1-1300 MHz with ALL-MODE reception - SSB (USB/LSB), CW, AM, and FM (SSB/CW available up to ~470 MHz). Rare in a handheld - works as a portable SWL/scanner/airband receiver. Wideband front end is basic (overloads near strong signals). 435 memories; SMA; Li-ion; MIL-STD-810. Introduced ~2001. DISCONTINUED (2017).
Kenwood's tri-band HT (2m/1.25m/70cm at 5W) with very wide receive covering 0.1-1300 MHz, including SSB/CW/AM/FM reception. A built-in bar antenna aids AM broadcast reception, and a fine-tuning mode helps SSB. It offers more receive capability than almost any other HT.
5W maximum. Discontinued. The 1.25m band has limited repeater infrastructure. SSB/AM/CW receive is for monitoring, not serious shortwave work. Kenwood's HT lineup has shrunk.
A wideband tri-band HT. The TH-F6A offered more receive capability than almost any other HT: SSB, CW, AM, and FM reception from 0.1 to 1300 MHz, plus transmit on three bands (2m/1.25m/70cm). A unique radio with no direct replacement.
The Kenwood TH-F6A is a cult-favorite handheld, prized less for its transmitter than for its remarkable receiver. On the transmit side it is a tri-band radio, covering 2 meters, 1.25 meters (220 MHz), and 70 centimeters at 5 watts, an unusually broad span. It requires an FCC Technician-class license or higher to transmit; it is not a GMRS or license-free radio, and its transmit is analog FM.
What makes it special is the sub-band receiver: it covers roughly 0.1 to 1300 MHz and, uniquely among handhelds, receives SSB and CW as well as AM and FM. That turns a pocket radio into a portable shortwave receiver, scanner, and aircraft monitor in one, which is why it remains sought-after long after discontinuation. The trade-off is that the wideband front end is basic and can overload near strong signals, it is a versatile receiver, not a high-performance one.
It is discontinued, and no current handheld quite replaces its all-mode wideband receiver. For a simpler current-era Kenwood single-bander, see the TH-K20A; for a high-power Kenwood dual-bander of its era, the TH-G71A.