TK-880 Displays 'yyyyyyy' New Post

[Extreme]

WRAK968, on 16 May 2018 - 12:50 PM, said:

Hey everyone,

 

So, I recently picked up a Kenwood TK880. I've heard quite a few good things about these radios, however when I powered it up for the first time, it displayed Ver: 1.5209, beeped, then showed yyyyyyy

From research, I learned this is likely a firmware issue in that it should be Ver2.xxxx as per the sticker, but was flashed to Ver 1.5xxx for passport use. Does anyone know how to obtain the FPro software and Ver2 firmware?

 

I have the same problem suddenly.  Powered up several times with no issue then today (installed 2 days ago) powered up normally with "Y04HFU".  Tested simplex with HT and it worked great.  Powered down, then back up to test repeater between 880 and HT.  Display came up "yyyyyy" as described above.  I see here that the OP resolved his issue with an upload but I'm not seeing details on where you got the firmware, etc. 

I should have the correct cable in my mailbox right now and have downloaded 49D software.  Is that what I need or is there more to it?

 

Details appreciated.  And it's fine to talk to me as if I'm green.. because I am.

 

Reposted this as a new topic since it didn't seem to show up as unread topic for all to see.

[WRAK968]

Hey there. We cannot direct link to software or firmware due to copyright issues (To my knowledge anyways) However, if you message me your E-mail I can send you the firmware package I used.

I will need to know if the 880 is Version 1 or 2. This can be determined on the sticker on the back of the radio (Version 2 radios will say Version 2.0)
Other than that, your 49D software disk should have a program called FPRO. This is used to update radio firmware. Ill include more detailed information when I send the firmware.

[Extreme]

Hey there. We cannot direct link to software or firmware due to copyright issues (To my knowledge anyways) However, if you message me your E-mail I can send you the firmware package I used.

 

I will need to know if the 880 is Version 1 or 2. This can be determined on the sticker on the back of the radio (Version 2 radios will say Version 2.0)

Other than that, your 49D software disk should have a program called FPRO. This is used to update radio firmware. Ill include more detailed information when I send the firmware.

 

I'll let you all know the response I get from the vendor when I call Wednesday.  It was ordered as V2 but I neglected to look on the tag so will verify that tomorrow.

My preference will be to return it for them to update since it should have come V2, but I might hit you up for the firmware if/when the time comes.  On first glance I don't see FPRO in the software but haven't yet run Setup yet (waiting on the cable).

 

Seemed odd to me that it took several cycles on/off before it reared up 'yyyyyy', but hey, it's all new to me.

 

FYI, RCM recommended you to me if I need help, so thanks for the support folks.

[WRAK968]

Yeah the "yyyyyyyyy" error has something to do with passport being uploaded to the radio then configuring the radio in conventional format. Another sign is when you power up the radio and it reads "Ver 1.5xxx" or something like that. I believe if you tried to use the 49D software it would give you an error telling you to use the EF Johnson program instead. Its not a hard fix though so no worries.

Fpro will install when you install the program software, though I found it always hides it in the program folder and never seems to get a shortcut. To resolve this all I did was opened the folder I loaded the file to and made a shortcut of Fpro to my radio folder. The nice thing is that Fpro works on a wide range of kenwood radios. (I wont say all as I haven't used the newer digital radios, but Im sure it works on them as well) So once you have Fpro in a convenient location you can use it to update any kenwood radio firmware.

Many of us are hams and we remember what its like to be new to radio. Heck I'm still learning every day So don't worry about asking for support if you need it.

 

[Extreme]

Update FWIW.

 

I sent my TK-880 back to www.used-radios.com to verify firmware and install the correct V2.  Turnaround was 7 days total.  I got a call from the service manager and he got the tech to work it over and correct it.  Fired it up this afternoon and all seems well, buttons are correct for me, groups and channel programming are right, and there's no 'yyyyyyy' across the display.  Hopefully, it won't revert (it didn't do it the first time until power had been cycled multiple times).  They suspected corruption in the software/firmware or such.

 

I would likely mention here if I'd received poor or sub-par service from a vendor, so it's only fitting that I complement one with great service.  Some might say I paid a premium for a used radio but part of my rationale was the 90-day warranty they provide, and that it came complete with mic, power cable, and mounting bracket. 

Now I can add good service to that.  And thanks to all of you who helped diagnose the issue.  

[RCM]

Update FWIW.

 

I sent my TK-880 back to www.used-radios.com to verify firmware and install the correct V2.  Turnaround was 7 days total.  I got a call from the service manager and he got the tech to work it over and correct it.  Fired it up this afternoon and all seems well, buttons are correct for me, groups and channel programming are right, and there's no 'yyyyyyy' across the display.  Hopefully, it won't revert (it didn't do it the first time until power had been cycled multiple times).  They suspected corruption in the software/firmware or such.

 

I would likely mention here if I'd received poor or sub-par service from a vendor, so it's only fitting that I complement one with great service.  Some might say I paid a premium for a used radio but part of my rationale was the 90-day warranty they provide, and that it came complete with mic, power cable, and mounting bracket. 

Now I can add good service to that.  And thanks to all of you who helped diagnose the issue.  

I might have mentioned that you paid a premium, but I didn't mean that as a bad thing. You got value for the premium you paid, for exactly the reasons you state here.

[Extreme]

I might have mentioned that you paid a premium, but I didn't mean that as a bad thing. You got value for the premium you paid, for exactly the reasons you state here.

 

Not at all.. I don't even remember who might have said that, and it certainly didn't bother me - I'd pretty much decided on the used-radios route after learning here I could do better than Midland stuff.  Learned more about GMRS here than I thought there was to know.

[dalrymple]

Many of us are hams and we remember what its like to be new to radio. Heck I'm still learning every day So don't worry about asking for support if you need it.

Well, since you offered!  Based on your posts, you seem to have solved the problem of TK-880 V2.0 radios with V1.5xxx firmware.  Could I bother you to point me to a copy of the V2.0 firmware?

 

I have a TK-880-1 v2.0 that displays V1.5164 on power up.  I have tested uploading GMRS frequencies in conventional format and all appears normal until you power down and back up.  Once I power back up, I'm getting the "yyyyyyy" display that is described here.

 

Thanks in advance for any assistance you may be able to offer!