Field Programming for Kenwood TK-370

The Kenwood TK-370 is a versatile 32 channel portable radio, capable to deliver up to 5W in UHF from 380 MHz up to 500 MHz. Of course, with some tuning in the front end receiving section...
You can use KPG-27D software (DOS based) or you can choose the easy way for programming from the keyboard.

Here is the algorithm for keyboard programming:

To enter in the programming sequence, press and hold (light) & (dial) while turning on radio.

Hold until (SEL) appears on the display.

You can choose three sets of menu items, depending on what key is pressed after entering into programming mode.
To advance in the menu items, press PTT. At the end of the menu commands set, will be shown on the LCD.

Pressing (SCN) allows you to program the following

1. Monitor Key
Off = off
1 = Monitor momentary
2 = Monitor Lock
3 = Squelch off momentary

2. Scan Key
Off = off
Co = carrier operate
To = Time operate

3. Dial Key
Off = off
On = enable

4. TA key
TA = talkaround
RV = Reverse
Off

5. Lo Key
On
Off

6. Priority
None
1 = fixed
2 = selected

7. Fixed Priority Channel
Turn selector to channel

8. Look back time A
Turn selector to time in seconds

9. Look back time B
Turn selector to time in seconds

10. Revert Channel
1 = Selected
2 = Last Call
3 = Last used
4 = Selected + Talkback
5 = Priority
6 = Priority + Talkback

11. Tx Dwell time
Turn selector to time in seconds

12. Drop out delay
Turn selector to time in seconds

13. Time out timer
Turn selector to time in seconds

14. Tot Pre-alert
Turn selector to time in seconds

15. Tot Rekey time
Turn selector to time in seconds

16. Tot reset time
Turn selector to time in seconds

17. Squelch Level
Turn selector to Squelch

18. Beep tone
On
Off

19. Signalling
And
Or

20. Battery Save
On
Off

21. Selectable QT
On
Off

22. Clr to transpond
On
Off

23. Del/ Add
On
Off

Pressing (Dial) allows programming of:

DTMF

24. digit time
Turn selector to time in milliseconds

25. inter digit time
Turn selector to time in milliseconds

26. First digit time
Turn selector to time in milliseconds

27. Rise time
Turn selector to time in milliseconds

28. Rise time with QT
Turn selector to time in milliseconds

29. PTT ID
Off
1 = connect
2 = disconnect
3 = Both

30. Dial ID
On
Off

31. Connect ID

32. Disconnect ID

33. # of DTMF keys on Keypad
12
16

34. DTMF hold time
On
Off

35. Store & send
On
Off

36. D key assignment
Turn selector to D or time in seconds for pause

37. Dtmf Signaling
Off
1 = code squelch
2 = Selective Call

38. Intermediate Code
OFF
A
B
C
D
E
F

39. Group Code
OFF
A
B
C
D
E
F

40. Auto Reset time
Turn selector for time in Seconds
41. Call Alert/ Transpond
Off
1 =
2 =
3
4
5

42. Transpond
On
Off

Pressing (TA) will allow you to program Frequencies

Use selector to choose channel
Press PTT

Enter Rx frequency using:
- the Selector Knob to change kHz;
- the Selector Knob + (light) to change MHz.

If no channel is Shown press the (LO) button.
Press PTT

Enter Rx CTCSS code
Press PTT

Enter Tx Frequency as above
Press PTT

Enter Tx CTCSS code
Press PTT

1. Option Signal
Off
1 = DTMF
2 = 2-Tone

2. PTT ID
On
Off

3. Add/ Del

4. Busy Tx

5. Clock frequency shift

6. Power
Hi
Low

Portable holiday setup

Acum aproape o luna am primit de la Corrado o antena Sirio Megawatt DX4000.

De la "mama ei", antena este destinata utilizarii pe masina in canalele CB.

Este cea mai lunga antena de mobil pe care am intalnit-o in Romania. Poate mai sunt pe alte meleaguri...
Potrivit specificatiilor, antena suporta 600W continuu; este terminata in mufa UHF (nu sunt un fan al acestei mufe dar este relativ OK in HF) si are, atentie, 2 m inaltime!
Am avut ocazia sa trag cu ochiul la un prospect Sirio unde este prezentata in sectiune zona bobinei. Astfel am vazut ca bobina este doar in prelungirea spicului nefiind conectata si la masa. Acest aspect a fost confirmat si cu aparatul de masura. Destul de fireasca solutia, intrucat, la aceasta lungime, cateva spire fac antena sa simuleze un GP sfert de unda (aproximativ 2,6m fizic).

Ideea este ca antena a fost "tintita" pentru utilizare in benzile HF, nu numai in banda de 28 MHz ( in care merge ireprosabil scoasa din tipla!).

Antena este insotita de montura de fixare pe tabla capotei, la o stfel de lungime nefiind recomandabila utilizarea suporturilor magnetice; montura este insotita si de un cablu RG58U terminat cu mufa DV la capatul dinspre antena si cu mufa UHF tata la capatul dinspre statie.

Fixarea pentru teste am facut-o pe marginea balconului, pe o piesa L din otel, la randul ei fixata cu suruburi de o platbanda de Al pentru imobilizarea pe balustrada balconului.
A fost necesara inclinarea antenei pentru a o scoate de sub plafonul balconului.
Ca de obicei la astfel de teste, am fixat si o contragreutate realizata dintr-un banal fir electric multifilar, din Cu izolat cu PVC in lungime de aproximativ 3m, lasat sa atarne sub antena.

Pentru teste am utilizat:
A. FT817N+LDG Z817
B. FT857D+LDG Z100.
Antena se acordeaza absolut superb in benzile de 30m, 20m, 17m, 15m, 12m, 10m si 6m. Din pacate, propagarea nu a fost deschisa in benzile de la 12 m in sus, astfel ca probele s-au concretizat in legaturi in benzile inferioare valorii de 12m.

In varianta A am realizat legaturi in D, UR si GB in gama 20m-17m.
In varianta B, am avut placuta surpriza sa lucrez si W precum si o statie din PY!.

Folosind un dispozitiv de adaptare a antenei (un UnUn cu comutator 4:1 sau 9:1 si cu o bobina cu prize comutabile), am adaptat antena si pentru lucrul in benzile de 40m si 80m, conectand unitatea AM (antenna matcher) cu un cablu scurt cu un mic crocodil direct la mufa DV.
In banda de 40m am facut legaturi in Europa fara nici un fel de probleme, cu ambele variante de test.
In banda de 80m, am auzit statiile YO "traditionale" (YO2LGX, YO5PDW s.a.m.d) dar nu am fost auzit. Poate si pentru ca antena era cam prea sus pentru exploatarea efectului NVIS.
Una peste alta, antena se preteaza la operarea in regim portabil. Singura problema reala pe care o pune aceasta antena este transportul; in cazul in care deplasarea se face cu un autoturism, poate servi bine-mersi pentru echiparea statiei CB.
Totusi, retineti: este prea lunga pentru suportul magnetic!
Antena urmeaza sa echipeze Unitatea Mobila de Comunicatii a Societatii Romane a Radioamatorilor, in trusa de echipamente portabile HF.

WOW!

Skinput, o modalitate de a folosi corpul ca interfata pentru echipamentele electronice portabile.

Earth Hour

"Ora Pamantului" reprezinta o miscare globala un demers conjugat al sustinatorilor "cauzei verzi" si isi propune sa sensibilizeze comunitatile si sa lupte impotriva incalzirii globale. Este stiut faptul ca, la nivel mondial, aproximativ 35% din energia electrica este produsa de termocentrale.
Demarata in anul 2007 in Sydney/Australia, actiunea a fost deosebit de bine primita; in anul 2009, la actiune au participat peste 1000 de orase din 88 de tari.

Participarea la "Ora Pamantului" presupune reducerea consumului de curent electric prin stingerea luminilor pe durata unei ore si/sau deconectarea consumatorilor electrici aflati in stand-by.

Societatea Romana a Radioamatorilor isi propune sa sutina aceasta initiativa prin efectuarea de legaturi radio in intervalul 20:00 - 22:00 la data de 27 martie 2010, in benzile HF 80m-23cm, fonie si CW folosind exclusiv echipamente alimentate din baterii reincarcabile.

Indicativele sub care statia S.R.R. va realiza legaturi sunt: YO3KSR si YR1X. Puterea maxima cu care se va lucra va fi de 50W

Cu acest prilej vom pune in circulatie un QSL card special si o Diploma de sustinator.
Statiile care lucreaza cele doua indicative, in intervalul de timp indicat, in cel putin 3 benzi diferite, pot solicita Diploma pusa in circulatie pentru acest eveniment.
Diploma se transmite in format electronic.
Pentru expedierea diplomei in format printat, va rugam sa ne contactati.

MORE INFO HERE / MAI MULTE INFORMATII AICI.

In 2009 hundreds of millions of people around the world showed their support by turning off their lights for one hour.

Earth Hour 2010 will continue to be a global call to action to every individual, every business and every community. A call to stand up, to show leadership and be responsible for our future.

Romanian Society of Radioamateurs is sustaining this initative by issuing a special QSL card for QSO's with YO3KSR and YR1X stations.

The stations will be active in HF+VHF+SHF bands, from 80m band to 23 cm band, on 27 th of March 2010, between 18:00-20:00 UTC.

The maximum power will be 50W and the stations will be entirely battery operated!

For more than 3 QSO with this stations in 3 different frequency bands, a special Diploma will be sent in electronic format.

For paper Diploma, please contact us via e-mail: yo3 k s r @ gmail. com {remove extra spaces}

Sky Command II, reloaded

So... Maybe you are familiar with the Sky Command concept.
As I don't have anymore the TS2000x in my shack, I was wondering if I can make something to use the TS-480 and the TM-D710 (I have two of them) for SkyCommand!

I already have a TM-D710 on my ARO and I also have a TH-D7 to use them as Commander.
The user manual, both on TS-2000 and TS-480 say that the SkyCommand will work with a TM-D700 as Transporter radio.
The challenge was to use as Transporter a TM-D710.
The TM-D700 use a DB9 connector for COM and the TM-D710 use a 8 pin Mini Din female connector.
I was searching everywhere for a connector between the D710 and TS-480 but I couldn't find a diagram.
So I started to experiment.
I will not bother your head with my various tests but I will give you the result:

The schematic diagram for this special cable!

WARNING: THE CONNECTOR IS VIEWED FROM THE SOLDER SIDE!

Prerequisites:
-1 DB9 Female (cable version);
-1 8pin Mini D, Male (cable version);
-about 30 cm of 5x0.3mm cable
-Steady hand and good eyes!