Kenwood TM-271A
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| Frequency | 144-148 MHz |
| TX power | 25 / 60 W |
| Modes | FM |
| Weight | 1 kg (2.2 lb) |
| Connector | SO-239 |
| Year | 2003 |
| antenna | SO-239 |
| dc in | 13.8VDC fused power cable |
| mic | Kenwood 8-pin modular (RJ-45 style) |
| power req | 13.8VDC (vehicle power) |
Kenwood's long-lived 2m mobile. 60W (60/25/5W). 200 memories. MIL-STD-810 C/D/E/F rated. Simple, reliable, and the standard recommendation for a dedicated 2m mobile, bought in quantity by ARES and RACES groups.
2m only. No dual-band. The interface is basic. No APRS. No digital modes. In an era of dual-band mobiles, a single-band radio is a hard sell.
The 2m mobile you recommend to everyone. Simple, reliable, high power, affordable. The TM-271A exists because there is always a market for a radio that does one thing well without complications.
The TM-271A is Kenwood's long-running 2-meter FM mobile, and it built a loyal following on a simple pitch: lots of power, tough build, low price. It puts out a strong 60 watts on high (more than most rivals in its class) and drops to 25 watts on low. It is a single-band radio: 2 meters only, FM voice only, no 70-centimeter coverage and nothing digital.
The build is the selling point. Kenwood rated it to MIL-STD-810 environmental standards, gave it 200 memory channels, full CTCSS and DCS tone control, a NOAA weather-alert receiver, and free PC programming software. The common gripes are equally well known: the heatsink is a touch small for sustained 60-watt transmitting, the microphone connector is a non-standard modular type, and there are only two power levels rather than three or four.
It has been discontinued and replaced in the lineup by the 65-watt TM-281A, but used examples remain popular and plentiful. It is the modern descendant of older Kenwood 2-meter rigs like the TM-241A, and if you would rather have two bands, the vintage TM-731A is the step in that direction. For a single rugged 2-meter mobile, the TM-271A is a known-good choice.