• To anyone looking to acquire commercial radio programming software:

    Please do not make requests for copies of radio programming software which is sold (or was sold) by the manufacturer for any monetary value. All requests will be deleted and a forum infraction issued. Making a request such as this is attempting to engage in software piracy and this forum cannot be involved or associated with this activity. The same goes for any private transaction via Private Message. Even if you attempt to engage in this activity in PM's we will still enforce the forum rules. Your PM's are not private and the administration has the right to read them if there's a hint to criminal activity.

    If you are having trouble legally obtaining software please state so. We do not want any hurt feelings when your vague post is mistaken for a free request. It is YOUR responsibility to properly word your request.

    To obtain Motorola software see the Sticky in the Motorola forum.

    The various other vendors often permit their dealers to sell the software online (i.e., Kenwood). Please use Google or some other search engine to find a dealer that sells the software. Typically each series or individual radio requires its own software package. Often the Kenwood software is less than $100 so don't be a cheapskate; just purchase it.

    For M/A Com/Harris/GE, etc: there are two software packages that program all current and past radios. One package is for conventional programming and the other for trunked programming. The trunked package is in upwards of $2,500. The conventional package is more reasonable though is still several hundred dollars. The benefit is you do not need multiple versions for each radio (unlike Motorola).

    This is a large and very visible forum. We cannot jeopardize the ability to provide the RadioReference services by allowing this activity to occur. Please respect this.

Kenwood TK7180/8180 Transmit Power

Status
Not open for further replies.

WatnNY

Database Admin
Database Admin
Joined
Dec 19, 2002
Messages
1,180
Location
Knoxville, TN
How do I make the low power transmit higher than 5 watts? Do I need to open up the unit and delicately turn a screw or is it done in the technical side of internal programming?

Thank you all for your help.

Mike
 

BirkenVogt

Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2005
Messages
370
Location
BirkenVogt
Connect via a programming cable and under the programming menu where it says read and write there is also a test mode.

Put it in test mode and then you have access to all the low level settings. This is done in real time through the programming cable. Tx low power or something like that. There is a slider and some numbers. Slide it up while measuring output.
 

WatnNY

Database Admin
Database Admin
Joined
Dec 19, 2002
Messages
1,180
Location
Knoxville, TN
Thank you so much for your help, BirkenVogt. The software had a warning about changing the parameters. Is there any real harm from changing the low power from 5 watts to say 20 watts?

Mike
 

BirkenVogt

Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2005
Messages
370
Location
BirkenVogt
The warning is so that you don't go in there and screw something up because the tuning settings are all essential to the operation of the radio and you can't set them back to default if you mess them up, they must be tuned individually.

Transmit power is sometimes a problem if you go too low (gets dirty) or too high (I don't think this is possible but going over rated power could damage the amp) but you are going for something in the middle which will be just fine.
 

WatnNY

Database Admin
Database Admin
Joined
Dec 19, 2002
Messages
1,180
Location
Knoxville, TN
Thanks again, BirkenVogt. Do I have to do this for each individual channel, or is the setting for the radio itself? And lastly, I want to make sure I'm in the "test mode" you're speaking about, all I need to do is click on test mode, then low power transmit. There's nothing special I need to do?

And I owe you a huge cup of coffee for all your help! :cool:

Mike
 

BirkenVogt

Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2005
Messages
370
Location
BirkenVogt
The settings in test mode are global and cover all channels. Some of them have wideband and narrowband versions but I don't think tx power is one of them.

Then each channel has its high or low relative power setting but that just goes back to the amount you programmed in test mode but you knew that already.
 

WatnNY

Database Admin
Database Admin
Joined
Dec 19, 2002
Messages
1,180
Location
Knoxville, TN
Thanks again BirkenVogt. I owe you a cup of coffee if I ever get to BirkenVogt! :cool:

Mike
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top