axorlov

You can build one: "https://m0ukd.com/calculators/quarter-wave-ground-plane-antenna-calculator" or you can buy one, aforementioned BR-6140, that I use above my roof. It is on newegg for $35, which is a steal. Cable, like LMR-240 or RG-8X will probably be as or more expensive, depending on the length you need to run to your attic. And it's all futile if you have this new OSB with aluminum foil anywhere on your roof. Or concrete tile. In that case you'd need to put antenna outside, but thanks for the short wavelength of GMRS, it will be trivial to hide or disguise. And with regard to the cable, LMR-400 or RG-213 would be better, of course, but not really handy when connected to HT, because they are 1/2" thick (give or take). You'd need short patch cables with connectors that will drive up the cost. Of course, cost may be, or may not be a factor for your situation. Anyway, consult these tables for the loss: "https://w4rp.com/ref/coax.html"

So, do you have KPG-49D software and cable? Can software talk to the radio?

For TK-3170 you need KPG-101D.

I was talking about DTMF tones, not PL/CTCSS. I'm not sure about PL, maybe you can configure the radio for assigning PL using OST feature. I do not do it, and cannot confirm it, but I remember people discussing the possibility on this board. The 99.99% of my usage is simplex, so I just never researched this option.

Oh, I goofed up on that. Sure, not the DMR radio. Not so tempting now, lol.

For $115 from Amazon, tempting... What about single frequency DMR repeater function, did you try that out? Does it work? And how does it work, anyway (I'm totally new to DMR)? Time slot 1 is uplink and Time slot 2 is downlink?

I desolder resistors on all three 880 I have. It is SMD resistor, so cannot be bent. You probably can carefully crush it with wire cutter, but I think, desoldering it safer.

There are some users of TK-880 (and other Kenwood iron) on this board, with the experience in programming it. You sure can import everything from the file, but would, say, my file be of any use to you? KPG-49D software is fairly straightforward. What exactly do you want to have? Repeaters? With a specific tones? Or a simplex operation? Or, maybe, both?

I assume you perform this test in the close proximity of your mobile, right? Your mobile radio overloads your HT's frotnend. When you stop transmitting on the mobile, overload is gone, and you hear the repeater "tail". Now, give HT to someone, drive the block away, or behind the big building, and repeat the test.

Theoretically, 1/2 wave antenna should not require a ground plane. It will require matching, though. The 5/8 wave antenna should have much less dependency on the size and quality of the ground plane than 1/4 wave. I do not have a personal experience with 1/2 or 5/8 without ground plane or with limited ground plane. I do run BR-178, which is 5/8 antenna, but it is mounted on the big flat roof of SUV.

Regarding TK-880 and Part 95: https://criticalradio.com/Kenwood%20Spec%20Sheets/Data%20Sheets/TK780h_880h_ver2_k.pdf Scroll down, important information is on the last page. FCC IDs for all 3 types and certifications.

In my experience, boosting power from 4W handheld to 40W mobile increases the distance 2-3 times. From 0.5-1 miles to 2-5 miles. My guess is that it has a lot to do with terrain. My real life use is in the Sierra Nevada foothills, in the canyons, with a very little vegetation. 65cm waves seem to reflect quite well from the rocky surface. Power boost makes the reflected waves go further. My real life example is in Pinnacles National Park, where I can easily contact HT-to-Mobile between the East side and West side. Over the air distance is is about 2 miles. This is not possible with HT-to-HT. In fact, TK-880H (40W) parked at the West parking lot hears pretty much from all the Pinnacles (spare the caves) and can reach HTs at the same distance (40W rules!).

Addressing the original question. There are discussions on Motorola and Kenwood HTs on this forum. I settled on Kenwood because I was already familiar with their mobile radios. My criteria for handheld were: - Part 95 (because I wanted to be squeaky clean legally and RF-wise when on GMRS), HAM frequencies is nice to have but not required - No less than 16 programmed channels - Reasonable price on ebay, below $100 - Lithium batteries (low self-discharge current allows them to be stored for months and maintain the charge) - that turned out not to be so much important - Programming software avilability - Parts availability, like cases, buttons, whatnot... So I settled on Kenwood TK-3170-K (and it's brother 3173-K). I have four of these for 4 years, with 3 still working and one quit on me (receives but does not transmit). They are honest 4 Watts, Part 90 and 95, perform on 70cm HAM band just fine (software complains about out-of-range, but still works). They are significantly bigger and heavier than Baofengs, but still not a burden for a day hike. As all Part90/95 equipment they can be programmed in a foolproof way that people who have no clue about radio can easily operate them without fear of striking wrong frequency or rendering radios non-working. I did a quick and dirty comparison against Baofeng UV-B5 and Yaesu FT1-XD, the performance is on par with Yaesu, but outshoots UV-B5 both HT-HT and HT-repeater. With all that said, should I start anew today, I would probably go with TK-380. It's bigger than 3170, has NiMh battery and weird connector for external headset and programming. But it is almost twice cheaper on ebay, and NiMh allows for an easy refurbishing with new cells.

Thanks!

Yes, everything RCM wrote is true, and marcspaz's point is also very valid. Buying used commercial equipment has some risks and involves some elbow grease. Some people are not afraid of all that, and to some figuring out details might be daunting. Putting old commercial rig into service would involve: - figuring out the power supply and connector (new rigs already have wires with fuses supplied); - figuring out programming (some could be programmed from the front panel, some not, cables, software, etc...); - risk that commercial rig would have a wrong/special firmware (one of mine TK-880's had something weird, and I had to ask around to flash the stock Kenwood firmware). So, in addition to the purchase price of the rig, one must plan for another $10 - $50 and some work for what might be needed to put the transceiver into service. Not a problem for me, most HAMs, radio professionals, but could be a problem for a lot of people. But, yeah, $55 for a working TK-805D with mike, or $65 for TK-880... I'll leave you here gentlemen, I need to do some shopping.

Technically, you'd need a serial cable. However, there are bunch of cables on ebay that already include FTDI chip, making it USB. Like this, for example: https://www.ebay.com/itm/FTDI-USB-Kenwood-Programming-Cable-TK-780-TK-880-KPG-46/152844849543?hash=item2396435187:g:FCQAAOSwYVlaEPE5

I have 3 TK-880 (v2.0), all programmed the same way. One shows the backwards E like on your photo, and the other two show triangle when adding programmed channel to scan. I haven't found any difference in scanning functionality.

Base antenna: Browning BR-6140 Mobile antennas: Browning BR-178, Browning BR-170. BR-170 hears a bit better.

Interesting discussion, gentlemen. There is a specific language in Part 95 that specifically, very clearly prohibits simplex repeaters on FRS and CB. There are no such statements in Part 95E. I will find the relevant references later, when have time. Regarding the Argent Data repeater, it is not a repeater, but rather a repeater controller. It uses your (certified, of course!!!) radio to receive, record and transmit if asked, so it does not have to be Part 95 certified. The default setting on ADS-SR1 is to record and do nothing. Only when DTMF "0" is heard on air, then the last recording is transmitted out. Of course, you can configure it as a true parrot repeater and annoy everybody in the range of 5 miles from your location. To deploy such system in urban area would be uncourteous at least. I use it when camping and hiking deep in the woods. Car with ADS-SR1 connected to TK-880 is parked somewhere (preferably high, but often not). Family is spread out and left for they own devices, some at the river bank, some sleep, some cook, some carve spoons out of pieces of wood. I could be 2 to 7 miles out from the camp. When I need to check on kids and adults, I call out and wait 20-30 seconds for them to answer. No answer heard, I send "0", and TK-880H blasts out my last transmission at 40W, now I've got everybody's attention.

Speaking of TK-880, Type 1 is 450-490 MHz and certified as Part 95 radio. https://criticalradio.com/Kenwood%20Spec%20Sheets/Data%20Sheets/TK780h_880h_ver2_k.pdf

I have TK-3170, three of them. Repeater splits, tones, groups, scan, flexible assignment of all buttons. Just as flexible as TK-880 or maybe even more. For models without the 0-9 keypad DTMF tones may me programmed as selectable from menu assigned to one of the 6 available buttons. If it is important to you, 3170 is Part 95A radio, do not know about 3180. 3170 is significantly bigger and heavier than Baofengs, looks like 3180 is even taller.

Can't help here. My radio is v2, I never had this error message.

This may be of help: Important: picture below is for pin locations. Do not connect power to pin 7, this pin (and pic) is how to provide switched power from the radio to external hardware.

Mu suggestion would be either to: - rewire radio with Anderson powerpoles, and fabricate a pigtail for the power supply; - rewire radio with Yaesu-Kenwood-Icom T-connector, and fabricate a pigtail for the power supply; - keep existing connector on the radio (I think it is GM-style car radio power connector, available at auto-stores) and fabricate a pigtail with corresponding connector for the power supply.

I'm sure kidphc was talking about digipeaters and i-gates, not your regular voice FM repeater. Without digipeater in a good location the APRS network shrinks down to the range of simplex HT and even shorter (being packet without error correction, requiring better signal than FM voice). I also use my FT1XD when hiking, however, here in California, the places covered by digipeaters most often also have cell connection. The exceptions are rare, one such weird place is a lake nearby - cell connection non-existent, but digipeater is up high and functioning. The Sierra foothills, where I like to camp or just tag around on foot/skies/bicycle etc has an abysmal coverage by APRS, it's like one huge black hole.