Kenwood TK-805D Issue

[molerottle]

Hi, folks.  Glad I found your forum.  I've got two Kenwood TK-805D radios for GMRS use.  They have been programmed to the local repeater with the proper transmit tone.  I can hit the repeater and get the squelch tail, but cannot receive anything on either radio.  I have re-programmed them, checked and double the frequency and tone, and get the same result.  Any suggestions on what I am missing?

[PastorGary]

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...

[molerottle]

Thanks for the welcome.  Let me try to answer your questions:

 

(1) Are you saying that your radios can not transmit VOICE AUDIO into that repeater so your other radio will hear it?

 

I do not get anything from the repeater.  I transmit and the only thing that comes through the other radio is the transmission time out when I unkey.

 

(2) Are you hearing any OTHER user transmissions on that repeater system?

 

I have heard a couple other folks talking, but got no reply when I tried to contact them for a radio check.

 

(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?

 

The radios work fine in simplex mode.  Last night I set a scanner to the repeater frequency and got the same results as with the radios.

 

I signed up with this group and was given unit numbers.  I was not asked for a ESN or anything else.  I also sent an email to the owner last week asking for help but have not heard anything back yet (maybe I need to ask for my donation back).  I'm new to this and this is my first attempt so I keep feeling I'm missing some small piece of the puzzle.

 

Thanks for any help and advice.

 

 

[PastorGary]

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.

[JohnE]

question , are you holding the repeater not just "chunking "it.

the second thing that comes to mind is how close is the radio your listening to to the radio you talking on. you could be getting near field desense.

[PastorGary]

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...

[molerottle]

The SWR is about 1.3:1.  The two radios are currently sitting side by side with the antennas about 15 feet apart outside.  I was reading today about desense but haven't been able yet to test them separate.  It'll be a few day before I can do that as my wife and I are leaving in the morning to head to the mountains for our anniversary (32 years!).  Thanks for the input. It give me a direction to go in.

[PastorGary]

Happy Anniversary and have safe travels... 

[gdavis316]

Happy anniversary and welcome. Hopefully the experts will help you get going soon, just don't give up.......it will be a great back up once you get it working.  I agree that the radios are too close while being tested.  

Glenn

[JohnE]

 

The two radios are currently sitting side by side with the antennas about 15 feet apart outside

too close. what are you using for antenna's? the 805's are 20W radios, your going to need 60'-70' horizontal or 20' vertical separation.

can you hear the machine inside?  improvise an inside antenna and that should let you hear yourself.

and happy anniversary.

[molerottle]

Thanks for the replies.  First and foremost, thanks for the well wishes on our anniversary.  We had a very pleaseant trip.  Secondly, the Kenwoods are working!  Had a couple of culprits looks like, with desense the main one.  Long story short, got some distance between the radios and they are working.  Seems too that the repeater closest to us is having some problems also.  We can't work through it, but we tried another one and all worked perfect.  I learned something new with this so it's not all bad.  Thanks for the help and guidance.

 

wayne

[PastorGary]

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

 

[JohnE]

welcome to our world