Chinese KMC-32 Kenwood DTMF Mic

[RCM]

I bought one of the cheap ($15-20) DTMF mics for my Kenwood TK-880. I had programmed my radio for user PL selection, which allows you to change the PL tones from the DTMF pad.

 

It was a waste of money, because it doesn't work. It seems to work as a microphone, but it doesn't ground the on-hook line through the mic button. That means the scan function is disabled. Not only that, but while the PL select looks like it's working, what it actually does is turn off receive PL globally. I had to remove power from the radio for a moment to get the PL decode to return.

The seller advertised it as suitable for Kenwood commercial radios, including (specifically) the TK-880.

 

Maybe it can be rewired to work; who knows. And maybe it works perfectly on a Kenwood amateur transceiver. I don't have a TM series radio, so I can't test that.  But it certainly doesn't work as delivered on my Kenwood commercial rigs.

[JohnE]

ground the clip

[RCM]

ground the clip

The clip is grounded. It works fine with an actual Kenwood mic, but doesn't with the Chinese mic.

 

Thanks for your input, though.

[PastorGary]

Just a couple thoughts - you may have already considered these, but I'm including this for persons with TK-880  (8 pin mic) radios that may not be aware of this:

Option 1:   TheTK880 series has the Operator Selectable Tone set up menu available through the software 'edit' tab.  Once you have the tones in place that you may need, then go to the "Key Assignments" drop down menu and assign the two arrow keys to the right of the "A" and "B" buttons to select the tones.

 

Option 2:  Go with an actual KMC 36  mic from Kenwood to solve the scan issue.

 

Good luck...

 

[RCM]

Just a couple thoughts - you may have already considered these, but I'm including this for persons with TK-880  (8 pin mic) radios that may not be aware of this:

 

Option 1:   TheTK880 series has the Operator Selectable Tone set up menu available through the software 'edit' tab.  Once you have the tones in place that you may need, then go to the "Key Assignments" drop down menu and assign the two arrow keys to the right of the "A" and "B" buttons to select the tones.

 

Option 2:  Go with an actual KMC 36  mic from Kenwood to solve the scan issue.

 

Good luck...

 

 

Thanks Gary. I did option 1 before I got the mic; now I'm trying to figure out a way to enable OST without using a DTMF mic. If I can't find a way, I'll be looking for a KMC 36. Hopefully one that doesn't cost more than the radio itself.

 

I sent the seller an email. So far it's like Phil Collins; "no reply at all."

As cheap as it was, I'm thinking about just opening it up and connecting the wire from pin 7 to the hangup button, as it should be. Then maybe see if there is some way I can configure it to work with OST.

 

This thread is not intended to say this mic can't be made to work. I don't know yet if it can or not. But if my mic is typical, be forewarned that it doesn't function properly out of the box.

[JohnE]

 

Kenwood TK-880. I had programmed my radio for user PL selection, which allows you to change the PL tones from the DTMF pad.

where do you see this in the software?

I have been programing these for as long as they have been around.

[RCM]

where do you see this in the software?

I have been programing these for as long as they have been around.

Edit > keypad assignments. The service manual describes it, too. It is called Operator Selectable Tone. Page 5 in the service manual.

Most Kenwoods have this feature, including the 880.

 

Btw I did determine that it can be programmed to work without a DTMF pad. It means I give up Talk Around, but that's no biggie: I just programmed additional simplex channels to make up for it.

[JohnE]

I did not find what you describe in my software. after looking at the manual my software does not have quite a few of the options described. there. version 4.02

[RCM]

I did not find what you describe in my software. after looking at the manual my software does not have quite a few of the options described. there. version 4.02

 

I have version 4.01. At the top just to the right of the "Model" tab is the "Edit" tab. Click that and the drop down menu shows "Operator Selectable Tone" just above "Test Frequency."

You have to open that and set it up for what tones you want. You can only enter 16 tones and each can be PL or DPL.

 

Back to the drop down menu, near the top is "Key Assignment." In that menu, each front panel key has a drop down menu to assign a function. One of the options is "function" so if you assign key A (for example) as "Function," pressing the A key brings up DTMF keypad options. You select those options from the submenu "Options 2."  I had mine set up where A was "Function," then on the mic DTMF pad * was TA and # was OST.

 

When I first set it up, it seems like I couldn't find OST until I assigned a Function key.  Once I determined that this mic wasn't working for me, I looked in the Options 1 menu and foud that I could assign OST to a front panel key. I don't know if it showed up there only after I assigned it under "Function," or if it was there all along and I just missed it.

 

At any rate, you probably have to add some PL tones to the main dropdown selection to enable it, before it will allow you to assign it to a key. 

[WRDE414]

Late to the subject. I don't know if you found a way to get that mic to allow scanning. I bought a tk880 off ebay. when I first programmed it It would not let me scan after I changed from programming cable to mic. So a couple of attempts later to program it. I found in the kpg49d software if you go to Edit>scan Information there is a check box to Off Hook Scan. This fixed me up