Just has a conversation with N0BVE, Don, via his EchoLink setup. Don is at Dayton. Don walked to the Kenwood booth, and asked the Kenwood rep directly (well, they heard me asking on Don's radio), "Is this unit true, full-duplex - where we can monitor the sub-band while transmitting on the primary band?"
The Kenwood rep answered too quickly - after just hearing the word, "duplex." Unfortunately, marketing terms and ham terms are not always carry the same definitions. When I re-asked the question, the rep was not sure.
Don, although using a Yaesu VX-7R at the show, knows Kenwood radios (and remembers his TH-78a - which WAs a TRUE, full-duplex radio). So Don grabs the new Kenwood HT, and tries to program "our scenario" for working the FM satellites: monitor 435.000 while transmitting on 2M. He couldn't get it to do it - but that was because the radio needed to be reset, after so many messing around with it.
SO, we really do not know. We do not have a preliminary instruction manual. We do not have a submission to the FCC for certification. GPS/APRS features look intriguing. But we still do not know if this is a TRUE, full-duplex unit.
I know - although preferable, it is NOT *mandatory* that we work the FM amateur satellites in true, full-duplex mode. But it would be nice to have another rig - in addition to the Alinco DJ-G7 - on which to use this operating mode.
Clint Bradford, K6LCS AMSAT area coordinator http://www.work-sat.com
P.S. - W6GPS (another "Don") just told me that it IS a true, full-duplex unit. But he hasn't actually seen it in that op mode. And so it goes ... (grin)