Kenwood TM-255A Product Manual Download Page 1

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TM-D710A/E

Multi-communicator VHF/UHF FM Dual Bander

Getting Acquainted with APRS and EchoLink

Summary of Contents for TM-255A

Page 1: ...TM D710A E Multi communicator VHF UHF FM Dual Bander Getting Acquainted with APRS and EchoLink ...

Page 2: ...from Kenwood While the media on which the software is stored is possessed by the user the ownership of the software itself shall be reserved for Kenwood Kenwood does not warrant that quality and functions described in this document comply with each user s purpose of use of this document and unless specifically described in this document Kenwood shall be free from any responsibility for any defects...

Page 3: ...icensed user of the APRS trademark and protocols from APRS Engineering LLC APRS is a registered trademark of WB4APR Bob Bruninga TravelPlus for Repeaters is a registered trademark of American Radio Relay League Inc EchoLink is a registered trademark of Synergenics LLC SmartBeaconing is a trademark of HamHUD Nichetronix LLC Dayton Hamvention is a registered trademark of DARA Incorporation Pentium i...

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Page 5: ...Survey System 15 5 APRS SOFTWARE FOR YOUR PC 16 5 1 UI View 16 5 1 1 Introduction to UI View 16 5 1 2 Connecting a PC 17 5 1 3 Creating a CMD File for TM D710A E 17 5 2 Available APRS related Software 18 6 APRS IN ACTION 19 6 1 Let s Go Mobile 19 6 1 1 Summary 19 6 1 1 1 Automatic Reply Function19 6 1 1 2 Voice Announcement Mode19 6 1 1 3 Entering Characters19 6 1 2 Decay Algorithm Function 20 6 1...

Page 6: ...54 8 4 6 2 Adjusting Transmit Level 54 8 4 7 Connecting with a Station 55 8 4 8 Port Forwarding Router Configuration 55 8 4 9 Firewalls 55 8 4 9 1 Windows Firewall 55 8 4 9 2 Security Software Firewall 55 8 5 Setting Up a Node Station Link Station with TM D710A E 56 8 5 1 Connecting a PC 56 8 5 2 Configuring EchoLink Software for a Link Station 57 8 5 2 1 Finding your Position Latitude Longitude C...

Page 7: ...W TO UPDATE FIRMWARE 79 10 1 Firmware 79 10 2 Verifying Necessary Equipment 79 10 3 How to Verify Firmware Version 80 10 3 1 Checking the Transceiver Operation Panel 80 10 3 2 Checking with MCP 2A 80 10 3 3 Firmware Update for SmartBeaconing and Other Enhancements 81 10 4 How to Get Newest Firmware Software 81 10 5 How to Update 81 11 MISCELLANEOUS TOPICS 82 11 1 RC D710 Operation Panel APRS ready...

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Page 9: ...s And the networks are growing in size day by day Hams are using basic FM transceivers to communicate on a direct one on one basis with operators across the globe Besides hobby applications such a communications network also has tremendous capability to deliver a powerful tool to serve the general public in times of emergencies APRS Action Complementing these voice and data activities is the Autom...

Page 10: ...ore interesting as it evolves with new ideas as a result of those like you becoming involved Already APRS plots locations of amateur radio satellites and presents weather information such as hurricane data on screen APRS accurately tracks your traveling amateur radio friends You can send email directly to them or take advantage of EchoLink node numbers to make direct voice contact Combining the di...

Page 11: ...t only amateur radio functions but also data communication application programs such as APRS After the multi function TM D700 model was marketed we eliminated hardware parts related to packet communication and introduced the TM V708 as a standard model From the beginning this model was developed as a multi functional model therefore it was easy to update the design However it was difficult to cut ...

Page 12: ...ngs were endless In the future we will endeavor to develop more new features and turn the ideas into reality via version upgrades 1 3 Affinity with VoIP We closely studied EchoLink since this system has the greatest number of amateur radio operator users of any VoIP system currently in use Our studies indicated that a mobile station was the most convenient method for access to the EchoLink system ...

Page 13: ...ation events or nets The concept which dates back to the mid 1980s was to provide a single information resource channel where everything happening could be beaconed and where anyone could monitor to find out what was going on across all aspects of ham radio interests 2 1 2 Local Information Exchange A fundamental principal was that all relevant information is transmitted immediately to everyone in...

Page 14: ...ll of this while providing not only instantaneous operator to operator keyboard messaging capability for special events but also an always on Voice Alert backchannel between mobiles in simplex range There is even an APRS interface to the Winlink system called APRSLink so that mobiles can send and receive email without needing a PC Think of APRS as a signaling channel to reveal all amateur radio re...

Page 15: ...M there And there are 100 times more low density users surrounding these cities on all sides that really adds up to heavy QRM We recommend WIDE2 2 in the 8 per degree or more and surrounding areas 3 3 should be used only in the 5 per degree or less areas The grid size is 30 miles and each is averaged with all 8 of its surrounding adjacent grids The file is over 11 000 stations But the great news i...

Page 16: ...refresh rates for new and local information while minimizing the network impact of old and distant data Objects The Kenwood transceivers fully appreciate the value of APRS objects and display them prominently The object location is shown just like other stations either on the attached map display or on the front panel with distance and range These objects are what give APRS the local information v...

Page 17: ...mation and objects the new TM D710A E can automatically tune to nearby EchoLink IRLP or WinLink frequencies with the push of a single button If the packets for these local objects contain the frequency of these nodes then the TM D710A E TUNE button will QSY instantly if needed Voice Alert Voice alert is like a 3rd simultaneous radio channel on the Kenwood APRS transceivers It acts like an intercom...

Page 18: ... nets and enter this situational information into their APRS PCs All of this data would show everywhere on APRS AND through the miracle of wireless ham radio they do not have to be at the site They can be anywhere convenient just monitoring and managing the data Figure 2 4 APRS at Home or any Fixed Location REMEMBER If you are not using the full potential of APRS it is not the fault of the protoco...

Page 19: ...et your own position also from GPS Frequency The operating frequency will depend in what region of the world you are operating You can begin operating using the frequency configured for the data band as follows North America 144 390 MHz Europe 144 800 MHz Australia 145 175 MHz New Zealand 144 575 MHz Argentina 144 930 MHz Brazil 145 570 MHz Japan 144 640 MHz 3 2 Configuration Follow the explanatio...

Page 20: ...u 600 APRS BASIC SETTINGS MY CALLSIGN and configure your own callsign Example Register the callsign W6DJY Refer to Figure 3 3 Figure 3 3 Menu 600 MY CALLSIGN 3 2 3 BEACON TYPE Select Menu 600 APRS BASIC SETTINGS BEACON TYPE and configure the beacon type Select APRS format to send APRS Note Weather information and messages will be sent by APRS format regardless of beacon type setting Example Config...

Page 21: ...PS PORT with GPS Receiver 3 2 4 2 Entering Your Position Manually Select Menu 602 APRS GPS PORT and configure the GPS terminal settings Input OFF Figure 3 6 Menu 602 GPS PORT without GPS Receiver Select Menu 605 APRS MY POSITION and configure your own station s position Name Enter a familiar name for your location HOME or etc Latitude Enter the latitude value Longitude Enter the longitude value Ex...

Page 22: ...3 PREPARATIONS FOR USING APRS 12 CONTENTS TM D710A E 3 2 5 Setting the APRS Channel Example Configure a frequency of 144 390 MHz Refer to Figure 3 8 Figure 3 8 Operating Frequency ...

Page 23: ...75 42 MHz Spread spectrum SS technology is used over a bandwidth of 2 046 MHz to prevent interference among all the satellite signals on a common carrier frequency Due care must be taken when installing amateur radio equipment and antennas for use on the 430 MHz or 1200 MHz bands to prevent from interfering with GPS signals Figure 4 1 GPS IIR Satellite in Orbit 4 1 1 Position Determination Princip...

Page 24: ...mats such as degrees degrees and minutes and degrees minutes and seconds the GPS system and APRS have standardized on the degrees and decimal minutes format Just like it is important to use proper international phonetics when spelling on the air it is important in APRS as in any communications system to have a default standard for position All operators should be trained to use the DDD MM mm forma...

Page 25: ...ace built right into the panel You can watch APRS activity on the AvMap G5 screen without having a PC It can be also configured to navigate to your favorite APRS station 4 2 3 Other GPS Receivers The GPS receiver used must be based on NMEA 0183 format http www nmea org The following RS 232C singal levels are allowed for using the TM D710A E and RC D710 Low level 15 V to 0 5 V High level 3 0 V to 1...

Page 26: ...t to an Internet gateway In doing so APRS allows access to a much larger set of stations To start you will require a UI View32 registration number Registration No and a certification number for the APRS server Validation No Go to http www ui view org to download the latest version of UI View32 software to register and to obtain detailed setting and usage information Note The above URL link is subj...

Page 27: ...der under UI View32 You can then select TM 710 as the TNC type in the Comms Setup screen of UI View32 and start operating Note TM D700 CMD initialization file cannot be used for TM D710A E due to the incompatibility of the PC commands Modify the TM D700 CMD file using a text editor as above and save it as TM D710 CMD This is a sample TNC initialization file for use with the Kenwood TM D710A E SETU...

Page 28: ...ig macstuff MacAPRS Written by Mark Sproul KB2ICI and Keith Sproul WU2Z Runs on Macintosh computers using Operating System 7 or higher WinAPRS ftp ftp tapr org aprssig winstuff WinAPRS Written by Mark Sproul KB2ICI and Keith Sproul WU2Z Runs on Windows 95 or higher or on Windows 3 1 Win32s javAPRS ftp ftp tapr org aprssig javastuff Written by Steve Dimse K4HG Runs on JAVA APRSplus ftp ftp tapr org...

Page 29: ...e Decay Algorithm automatically extends the transmission interval to reduce traffic loading when the speed information from GPS indicates vehicle movement is slower than 1 knot One knot is equal to 1 8 km h or just over 1 mile per hour Essentially this indicates your vehicle is parked Proportional pathing makes sure that local information is refreshed frequently while at the same time minimizing n...

Page 30: ...tional Pathing to maintain a high update rate for local packets but divides that rate by two at each additional hop through the network as shown in the diagram below If the transmit rate is set to 1 minute then locally the packet will be seen every minute But this will only be seen every 2 minutes via the local digipeater It will only be seen once every 4 minutes via surrounding two hops This algo...

Page 31: ...istance traveled since last beacon transmission addressed by using Variable Rate Beaconing to change the transmission interval with speed and heading change since last beacon transmission referred to as Corner Pegging 6 1 5 1 Variable Rate Beaconing Transmission Interval Changes with Speed When your mobile station is moving at a speed less than LOW SPEED as set in the menu the position beacon repe...

Page 32: ...IGH SPEED 70 SLOW RATE 30 minutes FAST RATE 120 seconds Speed TX interval Time FAST RATE HIGH SPEED Speed 80 120 seconds 2 minutes 70 120 seconds 2 minutes 60 140 seconds 2 minutes and 20 seconds 50 168 seconds 2 minutes and 48 seconds 40 210 seconds 3 minutes and 30 seconds 30 280 seconds 4 minutes and 40 seconds 20 420 seconds 7 minutes 10 840 seconds 14 minutes 5 1680 seconds 28 minutes 0 1800 ...

Page 33: ...d on Corner Pegging is reduced as the constant TURN ANGLE becomes the controlling term in the equation A value for TURN SLOPE of 110 in units of 10 degrees per mph has been experimentally determined to be a good value for vehicles on typical roads Corner Pegging Formula TURN THRESHOLD TURN ANGLE 10 x TURN SLOPE SPEED The above formula is based on the reality of how a mobile station executes turns ...

Page 34: ...propriate beacon transmissions then you must re configure individual parameters so as to more closely match driving conditions Speed TURN SLOPE TURN SLOPE Speed Cut off after the decimal point 1 TURN ANGLE 2 TURN THRESHOLD 3 1 2 80 26 x10 3 28 31 70 26 x10 3 28 31 60 26 x10 4 28 32 50 26 x10 5 28 33 40 26 x10 6 28 34 30 26 x10 8 28 36 20 26 x10 13 28 41 10 26 x10 26 28 54 5 26 x10 52 28 80 2 26 x1...

Page 35: ...beacon transmission In addition to frequencies there are fields where you can send other settings such as Wide Narrow Tone CTCSS DCS Shift and Offset frequency simply by leaving one space between each value Therefore other information besides just a frequency can be sent QSY Information Format Insert one space after the frequency before entering Wide Narrow Tone CTCSS DCS and Shift Offset T079 An ...

Page 36: ...None Simplex 146 850MHz Voice frequency configured for 146 850 MHz Wide Tone None Minus Shift 600kHz Offset TM D710A s Auto Repeater Offset may work 444 750MHz TOFF Voice frequency configured for 444 750 MHz Wide Tone None Shift Offset default on UHF band 5MHz 146 850MHz T131 060 Voice frequency configured for 146 850 MHz Wide Tone 131 8Hz Shift 600kHz offset 146 850MHz T131 0600kHz Voice frequenc...

Page 37: ... to modify the voice frequency and also to configure Wide Narrow Tone CTCSS DCS and Shift Offset Figure 6 8 QSY Station List Screen 6 1 6 3 QSY Functions and EchoLink EchoLink system operators can configure their nodes to generate APRS objects that contain their QSY Frequency information These beacons can either be transmitted locally on the APRS channel or generated directly to the APRS IS for di...

Page 38: ...ly only to senders with W6 as their callsign prefix Figure 6 9 Automatic Reply Message Configuration Screen 6 1 7 2 Message Speech Synthesis While in Voice Announcement mode any message text beginning with will be read aloud including callsigns provided the VGS 1 is installed and configured Menu 624 APRS VOICE must be configured On Example I am QRX Will return at 12 35 The callsign and message wil...

Page 39: ...reen of the TM D710A E or RC D710 The TM D710A E and RC D710 can display six different meteorological measurements rainfall air temperature wind direction wind velocity atmospheric pressure and humidity 6 2 1 Using Meteorological Equipment Select Menu 602 APRS GPS PORT and configure the GPS terminal settings Baud Rate 9600 bps same as weather equipment being used Input WEATHER Davis or WEATHER Pee...

Page 40: ...aud rate Menu 602 to 2400 bps Note Because the GPS receiver and the weather observation equipment use the same connector combined use is not possible 5 to 10 minutes after powering up the transceiver you will begin to acquire meteorological data from the weather observation equipment Meteorological data that is received from other stations is displayed in the Station List details on the second pag...

Page 41: ...ation information and connect to an APRS server via the Internet With this arrangement you can enjoy the basic features of APRS such as transmitting your own station position exchanging messages and dispatch or receipt of weather information Using TM D710A E or RC D710 you can transmit your own packet signals via amateur radio and use APRS IS to access IGate IGate acts as a two way interface betwe...

Page 42: ... TM D710A E Figure 7 1 APRS Network Conceptual Drawing IGate IGate IGate Client IGate IGate IGate Client IGate IGate IGate Tier 2 Server Tier 2 Server Tier 2 Server Tier 2 Server Core Server Core Server Core Server Tier 2 Server ...

Page 43: ...Leave one space blank after the address and begin entering the message text See an example below Figure 7 3 Entering Email Address and Message The message can be entered using the Tuning Control on the panel or the numeric keypad on the microphone When the message is completely entered it will be transmitted in an APRS message Email is transmitted via the IGate and the APRS server is connected to ...

Page 44: ...hese obsolete techniques RELAY WIDE TRACE and TRACEn N By 2004 it was decided it was time to abandon those many older inefficient paths and concentrate on only the fully traceable WIDEn N algorithm This universal upgrade of the APRS network to just the one simple and traceable WIDEn N concept was called the New N Paradigm Since its adoption most areas have seen many improvements in local area APRS...

Page 45: ...ipeater 7 4 3 UITRACE UITRACE functions similar to UIFLOOD with the difference that UITRACE reports the full relay path of digipeaters that were used to relay the message UITRACE is the most powerful and traceable digipeating function in APRS It is the basis of the New N paradigm discussed in 7 4 Digipeaters Therefore with UITRACE activated On when a digipeater receives a UI frame with a character...

Page 46: ...eneral use in routine operation UIDIGI UIDIGI OFF ALIAS WIDE1 1 This allows this mobile to become a first hop digipeater by simply configuring UIDIGI to On UIFLOOD UIFLOOD OFF ALIAS NONE SUBSTITUTION ID This is not used If this mobile is needed as a temporary digipeater then this field can be used in support of SSn N But if WIDEn N temporary support is needed then the UITRACE command can be used U...

Page 47: ...nd would reach all digipeaters in Maryland but someone in the far west or far southeast would need 5 hops But such a 5 hop path would cause QRM over 13 states However by using the state routing path of MD5 5 the sender s packets will go a full 5 hops in Maryland but will not go into any adjoining states In fact for the user in the center that only needs 3 hops it does not make any difference to us...

Page 48: ...s included for some areas that have still not updated to the universal New N Paradigm using traceable WIDEn N It allows the first hop to be via the RELAY path and then uses TRACEn N for subsequent hops Most of the USA is using the New N Paradigm But Europe has not yet fully coalesced into a single common system as of this writing 7 5 3 STATE SECTION REGION In contrast to WIDEn N which generates pa...

Page 49: ...sign A band for APRS Packet mode Since TM D710A E cannot transmit on 2 frequencies at the same time the transceiver transmits on the band on which a transmission request comes first If you wish to communicate between the internal TNC and a PC for Packet mode operation you will need another PG 5H programming cable kit in addition to the PG 5H cable kit that is used for EchoLink Sysop mode Figure 7 ...

Page 50: ...rectly from a personal computer register at the official EchoLink site and then download the software You must have a valid callsign to be able to complete the registration process Refer to the EchoLink site for details on how to validate your callsign After being validated you can connect to the EchoLink system by using the downloaded software Furthermore like the Mobile User and the Portable Use...

Page 51: ...al mobile and portable users can use the DTMF pad on their rigs to connect your EchoLink node to other nodes on the system For details refer to 8 5 Setting Up a Node Station Link Station with TM D710A E The TM D710A E connects to the sound card and serial port of your PC The sound card connection handles the transmitted and received audio and the serial port connection takes care of PTT control an...

Page 52: ...at your node s locally transmitted audio sounds clean Disconnect from the Test server then choose Tone Generator from EchoLink s Tools menu to produce a zero level tone into the TM D710A E Choose Adjust Sound Device Playback from the Tools menu While listening on a nearby receiver adjust the Playback Wave level so that the tone sounds full but not distorted 8 2 5 COS versus VOX If you are running ...

Page 53: ... on the left side of the screen Figure 8 2 EchoLink Home Page Input your current location information or the location where you would like to search for a node Figure 8 3 EchoLink Link Status Page Input the longitude and latitude data or the grid square locator of your current location if you have this data Or input your city name or the name of the largest city in your vicinity into City Select t...

Page 54: ...ncy of your transceiver for the node frequency If a tone access frequency e g 77 0 Hz is shown configure this frequency in order for the transceiver to send an encode tone Before transmitting carefully listen on the frequency and first verify whether anybody is already communicating with the node Note We recommend that you verify the state of nodes using the official EchoLink site via the Internet...

Page 55: ... the Tuning Control The name input screen will appear 4 Enter the EchoLink memory name Enter the callsign of the target station that you want to call via EchoLink and the name of the conference or the control command Conference rooms allow you to have roundtable QSOs 5 Press the Tuning Control The code input screen will appear 6 Enter the EchoLink code Enter the target station that you want to cal...

Page 56: ...icrophone are pressed then the DTMF code for the EchoLink Query by Call function is transmitted For example in the case of JA1YKX 0 7 51 21 10 93 52 92 will be added at the end automatically When only the EchoLink memory name is stored the DTMF code for the EchoLink Connect by Call function is transmitted For example in the case of JA1YKX C 51 21 10 93 52 92 C will be added at the beginning and wi...

Page 57: ...ersonal computer we recommend you make it possible to use EchoLink software in Single User mode as an advanced preparation 8 4 1 Downloading EchoLink Software Access the EchoLink site http www echolink org and click Download in the menu on the left side Figure 8 5 EchoLink Software Download Access Page Figure 8 6 Registering Prior to Downloading Software The Download EchoLink page will appear on y...

Page 58: ...ftware Click the icon of the file you downloaded called EchoLinkSetup_X_X_XXX exe X_X_XXX is the version number and then click the Run button Follow the procedure presented on screen When installation is finished InstallShield Completed will appear Then click the Finish button 8 4 3 Starting EchoLink Software Start EchoLink software by clicking the EchoLink icon which was created by the installati...

Page 59: ... dial up to an ISP Internet Service Provider select DSL cable ISDN or other above 56k and then click the Next button Figure 8 12 EchoLink Personal Information Window Continue configuration by entering your personal information and then clicking the Next button Note Do not forget the password that you entered in the Password edit box Because you will need the password for a later process in EchoLin...

Page 60: ...alidation of your callsign is necessary a validation advisory window will appear Click the OK button and proceed to the Validation procedure 8 4 4 Validation of EchoLink User s Callsign Begin the EchoLink Validation process by clicking Validation in the menu on the left side of the EchoLink home page Figure 8 15 EchoLink Validation Page ...

Page 61: ...small black circle to left of callsign This callsign becomes the validation object Enter your email address and click the Request Validation button Figure 8 17 Confirmation of Sending the Validation Procedure The message in Figure 8 15 will appear and the URL that has the Validation procedure for your callsign will be sent to the email address you enter Click the URL in the email that you receive ...

Page 62: ...nteers When the validation process is completed you will receive an email that contains the notice of approval of validation The email will indicate Validation approved for Typically the validation process usually completes within 24 hours 8 4 4 2 Fax Click Fax Send your amateur radio license by fax to the telephone number presented on the page In this case you will not receive a reply by fax When...

Page 63: ...ect to the Test Server and configure the correct receive volume Figure 8 21 Connecting to EchoLink Test Server There are two ways to connect to the Test Server as follows Select Connect to Test Server from the Station pulldown menu Select the ECHOTEST conference and click the Connect button upper left corner of screen Connecting to ECHOTEST will appear Once connected you will hear an announcement ...

Page 64: ...el Menu Selection To transmit use the Transmit button on the EchoLink software screen or the Space key on your computer keyboard Press the Transmit button or Space key once to activate the transmit mode press it again to return to receive mode Figure 8 24 Adjusting Transmit Level While transmitting speak into the microphone using a normal level of voice After returning to receive your spoken audio...

Page 65: ... software allows connections to the conference server and EchoLink node stations that are using EchoLink Ver 2 or newer software without configuring port forwarding Previously it was necessary to open TCP 5200 UDP 5198 5199 ports However if the stations that you want to connect to are still using Ver 1 x EchoLink software then it will still be necessary for you to configure port forwarding at your...

Page 66: ...r detect This allows the EchoLink software to key and un key the TM D710A E s transmitter and to detect the presence of a signal received by the TM D710A E 8 5 1 Connecting a PC The Kenwood PG 5H is a package of two different cables Following the instructions in the TM D710A E Instruction Manual connect the cables to the two jacks on the back of the transceiver and to the serial port and sound car...

Page 67: ... Setup from the Tools pulldown menu to open the System Setup window Figure 8 27 System Setup Window In the My Station tab change the configuration in the Mode frame from Single User to Sysop That is select the Sysop radio button Click the Change Callsign button Figure 8 28 Callsign Change Confirmation A confirmation message appears that asks you to confirm that you want to change callsign Click th...

Page 68: ...alidate this new callsign as a link station Note As shown in the example below the link station callsign is treated as a different station even if the same callsign without the L has been validated previously In the case of W6DJY the EchoLink software differentiates between W6DJY single user W6DJY L link station and W6DJY R repeater station and different node numbers will be assigned Because of th...

Page 69: ...black circle to left of callsign This callsign becomes the validation object Enter your email address and click the Request Validation button In the same way as the validation you did for Single User mode the URL that has the Validation procedure for your callsign will be sent to the email address you enter Click the URL in the email that you receive The License Submission Page shown in Figure 8 3...

Page 70: ...display within 1 minute Figure 8 35 Password Verification Page This is the completion of the Validation procedure of a callsign for a link station Re start the EchoLink software Figure 8 36 EchoLink Startup Window Your link station callsign will be displayed at the top of the screen in the Title bar and stations connected to EchoLink are shown The software will already be connected as a link stati...

Page 71: ...ersion cable is being used the correct COM port number may be COM2 or larger Do not check the Invert Sense check box for the TM D710A E and TM V71A E transceivers This is to set the Output Logic of Squelch Control from the transceiver to Active High Refer to Step 3 of Parameter Settings in Section 8 5 4 Using MCP 2A to Configure TM D710A E It is not necessary to check the Squelch Crash Anti Trip c...

Page 72: ...tion Identification frame the type of station ID that will be automatically transmitted for identification purposes Choose the correct form of over the air legal ID for your local area The callsign entered here does not necessarily need to match the callsign used for your EchoLink login If the Spoken Voice radio button is selected the EchoLink software uses speech synthesis to announce the station...

Page 73: ...ill continue to be public via the server for some time Heed this warning This is the information that you can enter Lat Enter latitude Lon Enter longitude Freq Enter operational frequency PL if any Enter Tone frequency for access e g the CTCSS frequency configured in a TM D710A E Power W Select from the dropdown list the power closest to your transmit power HAAT ft Select from the dropdown list th...

Page 74: ... Therefore the Google Earth values convert to 33 degrees 50 43 minutes North and 118 degrees 13 72 minutes West In the RF Info tab in the Sysop Setup window enter as follows Lat 33 50 43 North Lon 118 13 72 West Up to this point basic settings for configuring a link station when using a TM D710A E have been discussed For more detailed configuration information refer to the Help files in the EchoLi...

Page 75: ...en EchoLink Sysop mode is On the transceiver cannot communicate with MCP 2A Programming Software Before using MCP 2A turn EchoLink Sysop mode Off 8 5 4 Using MCP 2A to Configure TM D710A E 1 Select Menu Aux from the Edit pulldown menu Confirm 1200 bps is configured for Data Speed bps Data Speed can also be confirmed using Menu 518 on the transceiver 2 Configure SQC Output Source for SQL in the dro...

Page 76: ...own menu Configure SQC Output Logic for High in the dropdown list so that a false Busy state is never detected even when the transceiver is turned OFF Figure 8 46 MCP 2A Data Terminal Window SQC Output Logic Note In the Sysop Setup window in EchoLink software do not check the Invert Sense checkbox in the RX Ctrl tab Refer to 8 5 2 Configuring EchoLink Software for a Link Station 5 Select Data Term...

Page 77: ...server the same as in Single User mode Adjust receive and transmit levels by using another transceiver in place of the headset used in Single User mode Adjust the modulation of TM D710A E to produce an adequate level from the computer to the test server Adjust the deviation of TM D710A E such that the signal received from the test server via the computer is adequate The Ctrl F10 keys on a PC can b...

Page 78: ...omputer meet the following that are necessary to use MCP 2A Table 9 1 MCP 2A Computer Specifications Table Note If using Windows Vista it is not necessary to install the run time environment specified above Otherwise if Microsoft NET Framework 2 0 or later is not installed download the software from the following URL and install it prior to installing MCP 2A http www microsoft com downloads detail...

Page 79: ... 0 or later since this newer version of Windows already contains the necessary environment software Figure 9 2 Windows Vista User Account Control Window 4 Click Start Program KENWOOD MCP 2A to start MCP 2A When MCP 2A starts the transceiver model is requested Select the correct transceiver model and click the OK button You can modify the model later if necessary Figure 9 3 MCP 2A Product Select Wi...

Page 80: ... the OK button select Read Data from the Transceiver from the Program pulldown menu and read the information from the target transceiver Note The basic method of using MCP 2A is to read the existing transceiver data into MCP 2A edit the configuration and then write the new configuration back to the transceiver Figure 9 5 MCP 2A Read Transceiver Advisory Message Figure 9 6 MCP 2A Program Menu Read ...

Page 81: ... memory channels Imports files that have been exported from ARRL s TravelPlus for Repeaters Imports files created by earlier versions of MCP series software see Note below Changes font sizes Indicates user name callsign 9 2 3 Functions Only Configurable by MCP 2A Selecting monitor method for EchoLink Sysop mode Switching SQC active conditions For packet transmission or EchoLink Sysop mode changing...

Page 82: ...html Table 9 2 MCP 2A Importable File Formats Table Only files created for K type U S A and Canada models can be imported into MCP 2A The referenced software can be downloaded from the following web site http www kenwoodusa com Support AMA_Radios Software Name and Extension Transceiver Model Remarks MCP 2000 2k0 TS 2000 TS 2000X TS B2000 Unable to read memory channels that cannot be received by us...

Page 83: ... 9 4 Importing hmk Files Created by Another MCP 2A To exchange a file with MCP 2A where the market code does not agree file exchange is possible via the hmk file type It is possible to import this file with MCP 2A To output MCP 2A channel data as a file that can be exchanged with another MCP 2A export hmk files by selecting Export HMK File from the File pulldown menu On the other hand to import a ...

Page 84: ...ition for the usual memory channels arranging the order of channels via a sorting feature can be done 9 5 2 2 Weather Train Channels It is possible to program train channels if using a J type Japan transceiver model or you can program weather channels if using a K type U S A and Canada transceiver model 9 5 2 3 EchoLink Memory Channels It is possible with TM V71A E and TM D710A E to configure even...

Page 85: ... cross band repeater function is only available on a K type U S A and Canada model 9 5 3 3 Transceiver Menu Password It is possible to configure the character string for the password This function is only possible to configure with the MCP 2A 9 5 3 4 Transceiver Menu 10MHz Mode Configure whether you will use the 10 MHz step variable function 9 5 3 5 Transceiver Menu TM D710A E This item can only b...

Page 86: ...lumn in the file Up to Version 2 01 Turn CTCSS On and configure CTCSS frequency for 100 0 Hz Version 3 00 and later Turn Tone On and configure Tone frequency for 100 0 Hz In the case that 67 0 100 0 is displayed in the CTCSS column in the file Up to Version 2 01 CTCSS status and CTCSS frequency are set at initial values Version 3 00 and later Turn Tone On and configure Tone frequency for 67 0 Hz 9...

Page 87: ...her than Normal for MCP 2A some of the displayed items may not fit within a window 9 5 5 3 Configuring the Names for PM or Memory Groups It is possible to configure the name for each memory with Memory Group Name or Programmable Memory Name in the Setup pulldown menu 9 5 5 4 Configuring User Names with MCP 2A It is possible to configure the user s name or callsign with Callsign Setting in the Setu...

Page 88: ...channel shortcut can be used as follows Furthermore if the following action is done the configuration window will open to allow configurations to be entered Double click Offset Tx Freq Plus Minus Shift Split T CT DCS sections on the Status bar see Figure 9 8 to edit the channel configurations The Channel Edit window will appear Figure 9 8 Memory Channel Shortcut 9 5 5 7 COM Port Shortcut Double cl...

Page 89: ...is not installed download the software from the following URL and install it prior to installing MCP 2A http www microsoft com downloads details aspx FamilyID 0856eacb 4362 4b0d 8edd aab15c5e04f5 displaylang en Use the following procedure to determine if Microsoft NET Framework 2 0 or later is installed on your computer The example shown is for Windows XP Click Start Control Panel Add or Remove Pr...

Page 90: ... of the TNC Figure 10 1 Verifying Firmware Versions Note The firmware version number appears on left side of the display for TM V71A E The firmware version of the operation panel must be 1 12 or later to display the firmware version of the TNC microprocessor on the operation panel display 10 3 2 Checking with MCP 2A 1 Press TNC on TM D710A E or RC D710 to display APRSxx Skip this step for TM V71A ...

Page 91: ...e software Begin the procedure only after you understand the provided instructions Table 10 2 Firmware Update Summary Table Note During a routine update there are times when automatic resets are executed Therefore ensure you back up all values and channel data prior to beginning the firmware update To restore the backup data confirm all data is correct using on MCP 2A prior to writing data back to...

Page 92: ...E Excluding the situations of using RC D710 as an operation panel for TM V71A E and TM D710A E the optional PG 5J interface kit is necessary Note 1200 9600 bps data communications functionality is possible via the 6 pin mini DIN connector However this type of data operation cannot be guaranteed for these transceivers Furthermore when RC D710 is connected to equipment other than the above mentioned...

Page 93: ...G 5J Table No Name Input Output Function 1 PKD Output TNC data output 2Vp p 10kΩ 9600 bps 40mVp p 10kΩ 1200 bps 2 GND GND 3 PKS Output Data standby control signal output Open collector TX Low level RX High impedance 4 PR9 Input TNC data input both for 1200 bps and 9600 bps 350mVp p to 600mVp p 10kΩ 5 NC No connection 6 SQC Input Squelch control signal input 5V CMOS level SQL Open High level SQL Cl...

Page 94: ... MCP 2A and read the data from RC D710 4 Select Data Terminal from the Edit pulldown menu The configuration window for input output levels will open Figure 11 3 Data Terminal Window PKD PIN 1200bps 1200 bps output level PR9 PIN 1200bps 1200 bps input level PKD PIN 9600bps 9600 bps output level PR9 PIN 9600bps 9600 bps input level Input output terminals for 1200 bps and 9600 bps are the same Howeve...

Page 95: ...rations Note The baud rates refer to serial communication between transceiver and GPS and not to the AX 25 Packet communication between transceivers AvMap G5 has many of the normal Personal Navigator data fields that you would find in most world brand GPS units but AvMap developers have integrated the Kenwood sentence format to provide you a Tactical Mode No other standalone GPS system has this ex...

Page 96: ... or red triangle designator Recently added to the AvMap operating system is now full APRS icon represention The decoded APRS packet from the Kenwood TM D710A E in Kenwood waypoint format is processed by the AvMap G5 operating system When the mark is made on the screen it now can be one of over 100 standardized APRS icons along with the callsign Setup of the Kenwood transceiver with AvMap is very s...

Page 97: ...e TM D710A E GPS port of the operation panel and the 4 pin connection to the TMC port of the AvMap G5 In no time you will see APRS activity on your AvMap screen APRS activity is stored in the APRS subfolder of the contacts folder for easy reference so you can navigate to it or monitor a particular APRS callsign in Tactical Mode With the Kenwood TM D710A E and AvMap G5 there is no need to mess arou...

Page 98: ...7 5 3 STATE SECTION REGION 8 1 What is EchoLink 9 2 2 Useful Functions of MCP 2A 9 3 Importing Other MCP Files into MCP 2A 10 1 Firmware 10 2 Verifying Necessary Equipment 11 1 1 Models Supported for use with RC D710 and 11 4 AvMap 4 Revised the descriptions in Amateurs Building the New Global Communications Network 2 2 Ubiquitous Operation 2 4 Kenwood Contributions 3 1 What Do I Need to Configure...

Page 99: ...llowing people who helped compile this booklet WB4APR Mr Bob Bruninga K1RFD Mr Jonathan Taylor KA9MVA Mr Steve Bragg and W6GPS Mr Don Arnold Also we would like to thank all hams who support and maintain the APRS and EchoLink network in the world ...

Page 100: ...Revision 1 01 May 16 2008 ...

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