PastorGary

The second cable arrived today - This is the one for programming the TK 280 and TK 380 portables and is every bit the quality of the first one. My source is Valley Enterprises, in Idaho... Web link below - http://www.valley-ent.com/catalog/

'Hay'... thanks for the reply. Just thought I'd stop back in the forum for a moment because it is starting to 'rein' outside and I didn't want to get my 'mane' set of clothes a little 'bit' wet, because that would be a night 'mare'. Now, I'm hungry again... maybe I'll just order out for a 'filly' cheese steak sandwich... and 'pony' up about $6.00.

Thanks, Rudy - I guess that means that it doesn't taste like chicken... I won't 'gallop' down to the market anytime soon to get horse burger. I 'canter' believe it. 'Whinny' they going to withdraw the product? I 'bridle' at the very thought and do not want to eat it and then get the 'trots'... but it's been available there 'furlong' time... and those persons who did get sick from it are now in 'stable' condition. If you can't hear what the meat market manager is saying, it's just that he is a little 'horse' today.

Thanks, Rich - We all know how busy you are with work these days...

Thanks for the update, Wayne. If you ever have tech issues, there are always persons around here to assist.

Sorry about the delay - Evidently Rich D. is super busy with work at the moment... We'll try to reach him again for you.

Just bumping this thread to see if anyone can assist with suggestions. Thank you...

A husband and wife were having a meal at a restaurant and were also watching a horse race on the jumbo TV from Belmont Park. The woman asked her husband what they did with horses that are too old to race any longer. He looked down at his plate and said, "I think I'm eating one - this steak is so tough, I can still see the jockey's whip marks on it."

That was my issue as well, Dave. However, it looks as if the vendor may have purchased someone's old stock and is selling these at a reasonable price. The quality and construction is commercial, not something just thrown together in a garage somewhere. I have my entire responder radio system updated, except for the TK 280 and TK380 portables... and I'll do those as soon as the KPG36 cable arrives this week With hurricane season under way, I'm glad that I have nearly everything ready to go if needed.

Impressive, John !!!!!

P/S to above /\ The new cable works so well that I also ordered the cable for my Kenwood TK-280 and TK-380 portables.... http://www.amazon.com/Kenwood-Programming-KPG-36-TK-2140-TK-3140/dp/B002Y5OA5U

William - Any mobile radio or portable radio that is used with a GMRS repeater system has to transmit on the 467 frequency and receive on the 462 frequency with exactly a 5 mhz offset. There is probably a CTCSS or DPL tone that has to be added to the programming for at least the mobile or portable radio transmit frequency to match what the repeater needs to operate. I'm personally not familiar with the Part 90 Baofeng uv-5ra radio that you mentioned, so perhaps others who have used that type can assist better than I can. Just a question while we are waiting for some additional help: Do you have the programming software and the programming cable?

John and anyone who may be interested - The Kenwood programming cable, as listed in post # 1 above, arrived today. It is superior quality with very good components. The software CD ROM that came with the cable has many segments that might be useful for some purchasers, but I already had Kenwood software and only needed the cable. I'm using KPG56D and KPG76D software and did some minor updating on a couple of my TK-370G portables, a TK760G mobile and 3 of the TK-863G mobiles. Everything is just fine and I can recommend this SERIAL PORT terminated dual RJ45 and mic plug cable. (For XP computers, remember to select COM PORT 3.)

Happy Anniversary and have safe travels...

Good thoughts, John. If the mobile antenna has a very high SWR, the mobile radio will sometimes default to a no-transmit mode to save the RF output stage from damage. That automatic trouble shutdown happens very quickly with Kenwood radios, so the repeater might only be keyed for a very short time. And if the two mobiles being tested are too close together, the RF output field from one radio will most likely saturate the input stage of the other radio keeping it from receiving properly. Let's see if our new member has feedback regarding equipment positioning and antenna configurations...

Sure, Jerry, no problem.... the Red Cross ERV's all operate on low band VHF Part 90 on 47.420 mhz for 8000 units, clear channel and in CSQ mode (no tones). There are some Red Cross Chapters that also have low band portables on that ERV frequency. Many of the mobiles are rated at 75 to 120 watts into a quarter wave antenna and the portables that I have seen are older Motorola HT750's. As I understand it, persons who have GMRS licenses can communicate regardless of their organization affiliations at any time. This is detailed under 95.181 but more specifically in emergency op's under 95.143... Personally, I don't see a problem with that at all, regarding Red Cross volunteers who are all GMRS licensed operating under Emergency op's. However, the Boy Scout situation may be a bit different because you mentioned 'daily operations'. They could get licensed as a council and install their own Part 90 repeater. That might be the best and most legal, but others here who may have set up such systems under these circumstances may be able to add details...

That narrows things down a bit. Sounds as if you may have to wait for return contact from the owner. Your testing indicates that your equpment is OK if you can hear your radios transmitting together. The only thing I can add before other members weigh in is this: Are your radios programmed for NARROWBAND and is the repeater operating WIDEBAND? If your equipment is narrowband going into a wideband repeater, you may not hear perceptable audio at times into a wideband system unless your volume is turned up quite a ways on your equipment. IF your radios ARE set to wideband and so is the repeater, then I personally can only bow out at this time and allow others with TK-805D experience assist. Best of luck and perhaps John E and other Kenwood servicing tech's can help out.

Welcome to the Forum. A little more info may be needed before the members here can make some suggestions. You mentioned that you can activate the repeater and hear the transmitter time out. (1) Are you saying that your radios can not transmit VOICE AUDIO into that repeater so your other radio will hear it? (2) Are you hearing any OTHER user transmissions on that repeater system? (3) In a simplex mode or using a scanner to monitor the 467 mhz repeater access frequency from your own radios, are you able to hear voice audio that way? I have spoken with a couple system owners who are using the newest repeaters that require that the ESN (electronic serial number) or other identifying databurst of all mobiles in the network be programmed into the repeater memory so unauthorized radios will have their audio cut off if they try to use the system without permission. Older repeaters do not have this blocking feature and many older mobile radios can not be set to provide a digital databurst at key-up that contains the radio's 'signature' ESN or identifier. We'll be standing by to hear from you regarding a bit more info...

Jerry - I'm not an authority on 95.179 {b}, but looking at the wording, it seems as if the word "EMPLOYEE" is the key to this: In every case, the wording seems to indicate that BUSINESSES licensed and Grandfathered for GMRS and catagorized as titles in listings (i) through (iv) may allow "EMPLOYEES" (on the payroll) to operate under guidelines in section (2). It does not state that a non-profit entity may be licensed at all or "VOLUNTEERS" or "GENERAL MEMBERS" of a non profit entity may use a system. We must carefully look at section 95.5 regarding licensee eligibility: In section {b} it states that a NON-INDIVIDUAL can NOT obtain a new GMRS license. Reading further into that section shows that BUSINESSES licensed before the cut off date in 1987 can renew, but not greatly modify... (usually just business address and phone number modifications are allowed). Therefore, according to details, a Non-Profit or Business can not obtain a new GMRS license. Just an FYI - The Red Cross is licensed under Emergency Response Vehicle mobile radio license KA3699 and WPME641 for numerous Part 90 itinerant frequencies and these frequencies are managed and authorizations for Chapters to operate are given out by the American Red Cross Communications Advisory Board in Washington, DC. The Boy Scouts of America qualify for Part 90 licenses and there are over 8 pages of individual Council licenses listed in the FCC database.

Will do, John... It is scheduled for delivery by the weekend. Hopefully, the testing will net some positive results.

Welcome to the forum. We will send this information on to the owner of the main website and while he is exceptionally busy with work, I'm sure that he will get back to you soon in this thread or by private messaging. Thank you.

Thanks, Jake - It's on order....

Thanks, Dave - If you look carefully at the photo in the link, it has TWO cable ends - this is a dual capability cable with RJ45 as well as the external mic connector style for the portables that use that configuration.

Thanks, John - I may do that and give this one a try. I have had the software for many years - just no RELIABLE way to get the radio connected to the PC.

Just in case it IS a technical or configuration issue with the system itself, perhaps we can all discuss internal repeater possibilities. I know that a high SWR can create stronger than normal primary to secondary harmonics and sub harmonics. I remember a situation in Tennessee about 20 years ago where a law enforcement repeater antenna had some storm damage and with the high SWR, the transmitted signal was creating a harmonic into the duplexer that caused an audio feed back between the repeater receiver and transmitter whenever it was lit up by a mobile. Perhaps that might be close to what is happening here.... However, it could be a sub harmonic that is just causing a squeel or high pitched growl, rather than actual audio feedback from interaction between the transmit and receive sections. ?????????????