Kenwood TK-3131 15-Channel GMRS / FRS 2-Way Radio with 121 Privacy Codes

Although that radio is 4x expensive than the Midland GXT800, it is worth the money. Some key remarks: The Monitor button works instantly. Which is important in the situation when you need it. The Sensitivity of the receiver is better: Under same conditions GXT800 vs. Kenwood on the receiving site. 3miles vs. 5miles. The sender was a Kenwood of same type. While at 5 miles distance, the GXT800 received just noise, you could hear, noisy though, voice in the Kenwood. The LED at the Kenwood on top is a place, the designers thought about it for practical usage. While you use VOX (with a headset), it is useful to know due to the LED on top, if you are transmitting indeed. The VOX in general is working very well. The best I ever had. (Comparing to Cobra, and Midland). The Radio is indeed very robust. A solid design. All call tones are compatible to other radios. Which for example is not the case at some Cobra radios, who do some digital gimmick. Volume of voice is loud enough. And, compared to all others I had: the charger indeed indicates when batteries are full, by green light, and it turns down the current. (I measured this). So, no problem to keep it in the charge while turned on.
Summary: A radio, where all the functions and menues make sense, and are have been designed by people, who thought about a real case usage.
Just one minor downturn: If you replace the battery pack by standard AA NiMH for example, they won't get charged. That is something the Kenwood designer could little improve it.

A freind and I each purchased a Kenwood TK-3131 to use for motorcycle to motorcyle communication on a trip from north Texas to and through Colorado. The radios worked flawlessly. They were crystal clear at 70 MPH. I Highly recommend them. They ran all day on 3 AAA batteries.

I was disappointed that I cannot find a battery eliminator for this radio.

I bought it to install it on my motorcycle, as part of a bike to bike communications system (Autocom) so I'd much prefer to have it hard wired to my bike electrical system instead of having to be changing batteries during the day.

I did buy two extra battery packs, but it's a pain in the neck to remember to charge them.

Apart from that, I get good range and clarity of communication.