The batteries america battery has the same contacts as the kenwood battery, 
you just put it in the charger upside down to charge it.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Colin McDonald" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, January 06, 2010 5:23 PM
Subject: Re: I'm getting a TH-F6A as a late Christmas present, a question.


>a few things:
> you'll have to get the batteries america battery that has the charging
> contacts on the outside of the battery pack...and the drop in charger from
> batteries america as well.
> I can't remember if you are in canada, but if you are, batteries america
> doesn't ship here yet to my knoledge.
> The TH F6A will recharge the battery from the supplied wallwart in 6.5
> hours...so it's not as bad as some HT's that take more than a day to
> recharge the stock battery.
> You can also use a 13.8VDC power supply to both charge the battery and tx 
> on
> the HT while it's charging...I don't think you can do this with the
> wallwart...at least you can't transmit using the wallwart alone.
> I have to look in the manual, but the radio might allow you to tx while
> using the wallwart charger by switching to the battery while transmitting
> and back to charging when receiving.
> But, more than likely not.
>
> Also, there is a  key chart, manual and menu list in text format on
>
> HTTP://www.icanworkthisthing.com
>
> that are very comprehensive.
>
> You might check ebay for after market batteries and drop in chargers made 
> in
> china that will be far cheaper and will ship to canada at a very low
> shipping rate.
> If all else fails, it would likely be cheaper for you to pickup a small 
> say
> 2 or 3 amp 13.8V power supply and just run the radio off that as well as
> using it for a battery charger.
> I think the source or radio shack have these for around $30.
> Pickup a DC cable for the HT, or chop the cable off the supplied wallwart
> for this purpose.
> As butch said, the f6a isn't a battery hog and the stock battery will last
> quite a good length of time before it needs to be recharged.
> Also, consider picking up an after market antenna for the f6.  The stock
> duck isn't great, though adequit on all 3 bands.
> There have been allot of great reviews on the Diamond SRH-320A.  It
> increases tx range and is a far better receiving antenna than the stock
> duck.  It's around 50 bucks, 42 from universal radio.
> there is also the Maldol MH610 for the f6 and a comit as well...but from 
> all
> i've read, the diamond out performs both of those on all three F6 bands.
>
> Enjoy your new rig when it comes.  You'll love it.
> If you need any help getting to know the radio without slogging through 
> the
> manual throw me an email...i'm on skype as well if that works.
>
> 73
> Colin, V A6BKX
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Kevin Minor" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Wednesday, January 06, 2010 1:17 PM
> Subject: I'm getting a TH-F6A as a late Christmas present, a question.
>
>
>> Hi.
>>
>> Before I ask my question, I need to clarify two things.  First, this is a
>> present that I purchased for myself.  Second, and perhaps more important
>> to
>> me, my financial advisor, also known as Mom, has threatened to kill me if
>> I
>> order anything else.  I'd say I'll just move, but the delivery dude
>> wouldn't
>> know where to bring the radio, so I'll stay here and risk the Wrath of
>> Mom.
>> (Hey, wasn't that the name of the second Star Trek movie? <grin>)
>>
>> I've listened to the tutorial that Handiham has on the radio, and it 
>> seems
>> easy enough to operate, but I do have a question.  The tutorial mentions
>> that there is a drop in charger for the battery packs you can get for 
>> this
>> radio.  Does anybody have information about this charger, such as how 
>> much
>> it is, and where can I get it?  I have a Radio Shack HT that I'm gonna
>> sell,
>> and one thing I like about it is that you can charge the battery without
>> it
>> being connected to the radio.  I purchased a second battery for it, and
>> I've
>> yet to run into the situation where both batteries are dead, because I
>> always have one charged and ready to use.  I plan on buying a second
>> battery
>> for the new HT, and I'd like a way of charging it while using the radio.
>> I
>> could always buy a second TH-F6A and use it exclusively as a charger, but
>> that would be real expensive, and I wouldn't have to worry about any
>> radios,
>> because of my early death from an antenna strangulation.  Wonder how much
>> time Mom would get for a justified killing of her son?
>>
>> That's about it from me.  I'm getting excited about this radio, and I
>> should
>> have it Friday or Monday.
>>
>> 73
>> Kevin Minor
>> [log in to unmask]