Kenwood Tones

[Seanm214]

I tried programming my baofeng to communicate with your typical TK-5720 mobile Kenwood radio or handheld TK- 2402 but I’m only receiving audio from the Kenwood radio and can’t transmit to my Kenwood from my Baofeng. I tried many ctcss tones and don’t know what any other problem could at this point. Does anybody know anything about this. Is it a problem with the Baofeng?

 

[mmckenna]

The tones are mostly pretty standard, so if everything matches, they should work.

Sounds like a programming issue. Check all your programming to make sure the radios match. If you can share the info, we can probably help sort it out.

 

[Seanm214]

The tones are mostly pretty standard, so if everything matches, they should work.

Sounds like a programming issue. Check all your programming to make sure the radios match. If you can share the info, we can probably help sort it out.

It is actually not actually my Kenwood radio it is a friends of mines radio but we were trying to figure it out. What kind of programming could possibly be keeping the issue unsolved? Does it definitely have to do with tones or could it be something else you think?Maybe my baofeng doesn’t have enough power to reach his repeater?

 

[chief21]

The Kenwood radio could be using a non-standard tone or even DCS on receive. Try to disable the squelch on the Kenwood temporarily (there should be a button for that) and see if you are able to receive anything from the other radio (using a simplex channel). As to reaching the repeater, does the repeater require a tone for access? Perhaps even a DCS tone?

 

[mmckenna]

It is actually not actually my Kenwood radio it is a friends of mines radio but we were trying to figure it out. What kind of programming could possibly be keeping the issue unsolved? Does it definitely have to do with tones or could it be something else you think?Maybe my baofeng doesn’t have enough power to reach his repeater?

Does your friend know how the Kenwood radio is programmed?

Are you using a simplex frequency for your testing, or are you trying to do this through a repeater?
As for what could be causing it...
Sounds like the CTCSS tone(s) are set incorrectly.
Or the Baofeng has the transmit frequency set incorrectly.
Or, if this is through a repeater, the Baofeng isn't making it to the repeater.

There could be a number of causes, but it's impossible to tell with the limited amount of information you have provided.

 

[KK6ZTE]

Typically in my experience with bottom end radios:

1.) The Baofeng has "scramble" aka beat shift enabled which prevents proper communication. ("Scrambler")

2.) The Baofeng PL deviation is off so bad the Kenwood won't decode (PL deviation)

3.) The Baofeng carrier frequency is so far off that PL on the Kenwood won't decode. (Freq error)

Have had all three to deal with--all at one school. One site was so bad I had to leave the good radios in CSQ so they could communicate with the garbage radios.

TK-5720 is a very high end P25 mobile, while the TK-2402 is an entry level analog portable. What are you trying to do? What are you licensed for?

 

[Seanm214]

Typically in my experience with bottom end radios:

1.) The Baofeng has "scramble" aka beat shift enabled which prevents proper communication. ("Scrambler")
Yes those are all very good points. I am properly licensed and I am just trying to

2.) The Baofeng PL deviation is off so bad the Kenwood won't decode (PL deviation)

3.) The Baofeng carrier frequency is so far off that PL on the Kenwood won't decode. (Freq error)

Have had all three to deal with--all at one school. One site was so bad I had to leave the good radios in CSQ so they could communicate with the garbage radios.

TK-5720 is a very high end P25 mobile, while the TK-2402 is an entry level analog portable. What are you trying to do? What are you licensed for?

Yes those are all very good points and I am properly licensed to communicate. I was just basically trying to clone the two radios but I can only listen to his transmission and he can’t hear mine. Since the baofeng has a poor PL deviation what should I try doing now? Should I try using my TYT-md 2017 instead does that have better PL deviation?

 

[buddrousa]

Buy a Commercial Radio and get a Radio Shop to program the radio and bench test it to make sure it is not interfering with other licensed users.

 

[Seanm214]

Buy a Commercial Radio and get a Radio Shop to program the radio and bench test it to make sure it is not interfering with other licensed users.

Thank you for your help

 

[kd4efm]

moral of the story, dont let friends use those B brand radios. EVER

 

[mmckenna]

Yes those are all very good points and I am properly licensed to communicate.

Properly licensed for what? Seriously, knowing what radio service you are operating under will help us give you an appropriate answer.
There's a lot of variations to how radios are set up depending on what radio service you are operating under. Unless you have the radio set up correctly, you're just going to keep chasing your tail on this one. Not giving us useful information will not let us give you useful solutions.

I was just basically trying to clone the two radios but I can only listen to his transmission and he can’t hear mine. Since the baofeng has a poor PL deviation what should I try doing now?

Give the Baofeng to an amateur radio operator. That's where they belong. Or:

Amazon.com : sledge hammer

Should I try using my TYT-md 2017 instead does that have better PL deviation?

PL Deviation isn't a function of one model/brand of radio. It's an alignment setting. A properly aligned radio won't have this issue.
The Baofeng's are usually not well aligned from the factory, and I'm not even sure it's something that can be adjusted. Either way, it's not worth it. They are junk radios and have no business being used in a commercial setting. I've had end users attempt to use them on systems I'm responsible for, and it doesn't work well. They sound like crap. You can try polishing that turd, but in the end you'll just have a shiny turd.

Since you didn't tell us anything about this system or what you are licensed for, not really sure how to aim you on this one.
If it is amateur radio stuff, then use whatever works, it doesn't matter. But do try to get something a little better than a Baofeng.

If it's commercial stuff, then you need a proper radio. Unless you are the name on the FCC license, you cannot legally add radios to someone else's radio system without explicit permission from the person who's name is on the FCC license. Zero exceptions to that rule.
Any radio you add to that system (with their permission) is required to meet the FCC certification rules for the rule part that the licensee is operating under. Again, zero exceptions to that rule.

If you have permission to add a radio to whatever system you are trying to use, then make sure you get a proper radio. If the Kenwood's work well, then get a Kenwood. There are plenty of inexpensive Kenwood radios that won't give you this level of headache, and they'll meet the FCC type certification requirements.

 

[Seanm214]

Properly licensed for what? Seriously, knowing what radio service you are operating under will help us give you an appropriate answer.
There's a lot of variations to how radios are set up depending on what radio service you are operating under. Unless you have the radio set up correctly, you're just going to keep chasing your tail on this one. Not giving us useful information will not let us give you useful solutions.



Give the Baofeng to an amateur radio operator. That's where they belong. Or:

Amazon.com : sledge hammer

PL Deviation isn't a function of one model/brand of radio. It's an alignment setting. A properly aligned radio won't have this issue.
The Baofeng's are usually not well aligned from the factory, and I'm not even sure it's something that can be adjusted. Either way, it's not worth it. They are junk radios and have no business being used in a commercial setting. I've had end users attempt to use them on systems I'm responsible for, and it doesn't work well. They sound like crap. You can try polishing that turd, but in the end you'll just have a shiny turd.

Since you didn't tell us anything about this system or what you are licensed for, not really sure how to aim you on this one.
If it is amateur radio stuff, then use whatever works, it doesn't matter. But do try to get something a little better than a Baofeng.

If it's commercial stuff, then you need a proper radio. Unless you are the name on the FCC license, you cannot legally add radios to someone else's radio system without explicit permission from the person who's name is on the FCC license. Zero exceptions to that rule.
Any radio you add to that system (with their permission) is required to meet the FCC certification rules for the rule part that the licensee is operating under. Again, zero exceptions to that rule.

If you have permission to add a radio to whatever system you are trying to use, then make sure you get a proper radio. If the Kenwood's work well, then get a Kenwood. There are plenty of inexpensive Kenwood radios that won't give you this level of headache, and they'll meet the FCC type certification requirements.

I was just trying to figure out if the baofeng was the problem and clearly it is. Sorry for not being more specific I was just trying to get a quick answer. I will try some other radios for amateur use. Thank you for your help.