Tk-790

joekansas · #1 (**permalink**) 06-20-2009, 11:25 PM

I went to a local auto salvage yard the other day for a part to fix a vehicle I was working on. While they were removing my part from the donor vehicle, I went tromping thru the junkyard.

Came upon a Chevy Colorado pickup with what looked to be a vhf antenna on top of the cab. Went over to investigate. Larsen antenna upon closer examination Looked inside there was still a radio mounted there on the transmission hump!

I open the door and set in the seat and lean over and there sets this Kenwood TK-790. I walk back in to the office and ask if they'd sell me that radio out in that truck- "Yeah, go get it..... there's a box of tools if you need them". I go take the antenna out of it's hole in the roof, remove the radio (with dtmf microphone) floor mount bracket, and the external speaker and carry it all back in the office and plop it down on the counter.

They look it over and ask if I'd give $10. Gladly. They think it is a CB.

After I get it home, I get a let down. When I connect it to power, it won't power on, at least nothing comes to life on the display. I was a bit disheartened at the thought of having to send it off to get it worked on.
But, I downloaded the manual for this thing, and on the very last page there is a description of a "Timed Power Off" function, which requires an "ignition sense" wire to be connected to the 9-pin connector on the radio.

So, a look at the connector shows a third, yellow wire. A small jumper to power, and viola- it powers up and all is well.

Thank goodness for the internet. It boggles my mind at what all I can find out on the internet with a bit of effort, searching, and a lot of reading (and a bit of downloading and printing!)

wcu02mpa · #2 (**permalink**) 06-20-2009, 11:47 PM

I recently bought a 790 and it is quite a radio. It has some of the best receive audio (except for an astro spectra I used to have) that I have ever heard. They are a snap to program and even if you sell it, they are bringing plenty of money on ebay. The best part is these program into the full 2-meter HAM band with no problem.

These radios are also chock full of features including narowband VHF and 160 channels.

Mike

joekansas · #3 (**permalink**) 06-21-2009, 11:06 PM

I can't quite make out from the manual if or how I can program a scan list from what is on the radio. Is that not possible in the field with just the radio- no computer?

N2ZPY · #4 (**permalink**) 06-22-2009, 08:42 AM

To add or delete from the scan rotation you use the D/A button. There is a little triangle (I think...I am not in front of my radio now) on the display. If it is there the channel will scan.

Kevin

DPapay · #5 (**permalink**) 06-22-2009, 09:19 AM

If memory serves me, I believe there should be a little arrow just above the second programmable button which tells you whether the channel is in the scan list, If the radio was programmed with a "Del/Add" button, then pressing that button would allow selectability.

joekansas · #6 (**permalink**) 06-22-2009, 04:05 PM

.....that's why you guys get the big bucks!! If I could read and comprehend I would have seen that in that manual I printed off.

I think I just had it in my head that someone doing the programming picked out what channels could be scanned and the end user had no choice in the matter.

It is scanning just fine, now. Thanks.

I've also got a Motorola Spectra that I got for a song and it took me a while to figure out the add/delete thing for programming the scan, also thanks to an online users manual I downloaded..........

These are both previously railroad radios and that's what I wanted to listen to, so no programming necessary. I would, although, like to program in some local law enforcement freq's to scan, also. I'll probably have to send the unit off for that and put them all in a certain bank to scan.

DPapay · #7 (**permalink**) 06-23-2009, 02:03 PM

Glad you got it Joe. I wish I made the big bucks!!! Interesting though, it looks like I just duplicated Kevins answer to you, going by the order and time of the responses. I swear though, for whatever reason, Kevins response was not showing on my screen, otherwise I would not have posted. Kevins response was sufficient.

joekansas · #8 (**permalink**) 06-23-2009, 03:47 PM

His post wasn't there. Yours was the first one I read that described how to do it.........

It is odd how this computer stuff work~ or doesn't~ depending on your point of view.

N2ZPY · #9 (**permalink**) 06-23-2009, 09:37 PM

Even though I have a Premium membership as a feed provider my first 3 posts need to be approved to make sure I am not a spammer or something like that. I did post first but by the time it was approved DP had responded.

One other thing I was going to mention on the scan rotation with the Kenwood radios is that if you are scanning and want to temp lock out a channel just hit the D/A button. It will take that channel out of the rotation until stop the scan and then restart it.

Enjoy that 790. I have a 690/790 setup that I put together for my truck. I use it for ham and the FD.

Kevin

PCSAR4x4652 · #10 (**permalink**) 07-26-2009, 03:26 AM

You can "program" the scan list from the rss. Each line asks for rx, tx, rx pl, tx pl, wide/narrow, then "add" with the option "add/del", and mode name. The "ADD" column is for including that mode in the scan list.
You can scan all 160 channels or just a few, unlike the Spectra that only gives you up to 16 channels.

ramal121 · #11 (**permalink**) 07-31-2009, 12:19 AM

There are two triangles above the mode name in the display. The right one is for channel add and the left one is for group add. If you press and hold D/A button for one second, you can toggle the left arrow and add or remove an entire group from the scan list, but only if the scan type is set to "multi" in the programming.