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I have spent some time today investigating the pinouts and behavior of the RJ45 connections on the radio for the purpose of integrating with other things. I have also messaged BTWR to ask for the official information. I will post the results here in the near future. One think I discovered today is what I consider to be an error in the manual. The pin numbers used in the manual for the RJ45 (8P8C) connector are backwards from the standard. So if you make you own cable and reverse the conductors based on the standard pin numbers, the cable will be incorrect. If using the standard pin numbers, Pins 5 and 7 need to be reversed end to end, not 2 and 4 as indicated in the manual. However, if you follow the graphic in the manual you will be fine. Michael WRHS965 KE8PLM Edit: Here are the current pinout findings.

In the last day or so, Radioddity has released new firmware for the GM-30 radio. It is available on their website now. V2.06 allows the programming of additional repeater channels on which you can transmit. To try it out, I updated the firmware on my radios, then reset them (menu 40). After that I opened my saved configuration, and added eight additional repeater channels to the file, then uploaded the new file to the radios. It seems to be working as it should with the additional repeater channels available in addition to the stock 30 channels. The new firmware/software package allows the configuration of additional channels for multiple repeaters on the same frequency pair, where only the PL tone is different. For those that have been wanting additional flexibility with the programming of these radios, this update should help.

On the 50x1: I haven't tried renaming the hard coded repeater channels. You can add more with customized names, but they are receive only. If you can find a commercial surplus that fits your needs, grab it ?my current base is a surplus vertex standard that is 90/95a certified (under the old set of rules), though it's acting up related to the tones, and almost seems like it's a hair off channel. To be honest, I never felt like the btech came up short on power, though. With a small 5/8 wave antenna on a piece of sheet metal up in the top of a closet, I can reach a repeater around 60 miles out up on the hill, plus a couple more closer in.

That's true. If you don't mind forgoing the Part 95 certification the other band split will work just fine plus gives you full access to the complete Ham 70cm band. I found the other band split I can program my radios down to around 440MHz which covers a lot of the simplex frequencies and the repeater section of the band just fine. Most of the radios you find are the -K type. The programming software you need is the KPG-89D, which I have since it's the same software used on the TK-3180 hand held radio I have. The version I found, V1.61, has the so-called "engineer's" key allowing the bypass of any passwords set in the radio and access to a few more features the usual dealer or end user version doesn't allow. The software installs and works fine on Windows 10 as well. You just need to find a programming cable. Some people here have a good recommendation on where to find one.

They are wonderful radios! I have several of them as well as an TK-880-1H and an TK-840(N). Carefully read and check out the pictures to be sure everything is included: microphone, power cable with fuse(s), mic clip, mounting bracket, etc. Here is an example of a 'complete' unit: https://www.ebay.com/itm/303837053371?hash=item46be1981bb:g:gG8AAOSwsOBf9Moa

One of the first things I do when thinking about buying a radio I'm not familuar with is go look for any manufacture's brochures. They are a good source listing the radio's main features. For the TK-8180 look here. http://www.swscomm.com/kenwood/TK-7180_8180.pdf This seems like a very nice radio.

Sean, like most "commercial" radios, the display is either the frequency programmed, or a 12 character Alpha label of your choice. With 512 channels split among 128 zones, you won't have any issue with having FAR more than you'll ever need in flexibility. None of this silly "Channel Number" nonsense unless you choose to use them for your Alpha tag of course. A "Zone" is a way of segregating your frequencies rationally. For example you could have one Zone strictly for GMRS frequencies (which you could label "Channel 1," etc. You could also create another Zone with only frequencies used for another town...

I have a number of commercial Kenwood hand held radios and one mobile. While it did take a bit of searching on the Internet I have managed to find the programming software on line to download. So far I have the OEM software to program the following UHF Kenwood radios. TK-370G TK-3160 TK-3360 TK-3140 TK-3170 TK-3173 TK-3180 TK-D340U NX-340U NX-820HG (mobile) One of the nice things about the commercial radios, at least Kenwood with Motorola not so much, is the ability to program in frequencies outside of the official band split specifications. That allows using the radio for both GMRS and Ham Radio's 70cm band, both TX and RX operation, for those that are dual licensed. The purposed built GMRS specific radios typically don't allow this and could be a factor is which radio you select. Many of my radios have GMRS simplex and repeaters programed along with a bunch of Ham 70cm simplex and repeaters too. Just have to remember which call-sign to use depending on the memory channel in use. 8-) The main problem with using free software like Chirp are some of the radio's features are not supported, or what support there is happens to be buggy. Waiting for Chirp bugs to get fixed, well some never do seem to get fixed. The developer for the module for that particular radio lost interest, doesn't have the time or doesn't have access to a radio to reverse engineer the communications protocol and code plug. Some of the developers are "loaned" radios to use for a period of time then have to return them to the owner(s). If you want to make sure you have full access to a radio's operational features there is no substitute for the manufacture's software, and this is VERY particularly true for commercial radios.

Your understanding is correct; the btech will meet all except that last bullet. For occasional changes, I don't know that I'd have an issue; changing tones is pretty straightforward in the menu. My case with 2 repeaters in range of base on the same channel with different tones....was a little more frustrating. Given that's one of your big wants, the extra time and money may be worthwhile, and that's my only major gripe with the radio.

This was mentioned in the pst by other members. You pay for quality. Thats the biggest thing that leave members leaving GMRS. If you want quality service dont spend $20 on radios