Kenwood: New to APRS - D710G setup

[KD8TZC]

Hi all, I received a new Kenwood D710G and I am looking to get started with APRS. I have read some background on what APRS is and my question is, is there some place that will show me the proper way to setup and operate the D710 for APRS.

 

[wd9ewk]

Hi all, I received a new Kenwood D710G and I am looking to get started with APRS. I have read some background on what APRS is and my question is, is there some place that will show me the proper way to setup and operate the D710 for APRS.

Kenwood has a nice PDF manual that goes into detail on using APRS with your TM-D710G. This will get you going on the terrestrial APRS network. If you have any interest in using APRS via orbiting digipeaters, AMSAT has some articles on how to do that on its Station and Operating Hints page.

73!

 

[Markb]

Here is some other good stuff as well:

APRS: Automatic Packet Reporting System

About 1/4 way down on the page, there is a link for the D710 setup. There is a ton of good information here.

Mark

 

[R8000]

There are also a couple of YouTube videos that explain some folk's APRS setup with that radio. I have 3 D710's, and I am very happy with them. I use them on APRS everyday. You will like the radio. Sure they are analog only, but for ease of use while driving, the layout of the control head is just so easy to make changes such as PL tones, etc.

You'll have it going in no time. Pretty much just set your callsign with SSID, and most defualt dettings will get you started. I tweaked mine just a little. Make sure you use smart beaconing.

Just remember, if you are looking to have your radio show up on aprs.fi, you will need to be within range of an Igate station. If you are not, you will not show up on the map.

Enjoy the rig !

 

[KD8TZC]

Thanks Patrick, Mark and R8000! I will take a look at those items. I got so used to my old Yaesu rig, that this one feels totally foreign to me. I liked on my Yaesu 8900 how I could program the six buttons around the screen for a particular setup so all frequencies, scans, etc would just come up. I thought I read that the D710 could do something like that too, but I have yet to get to it in the manuals (or figure out what they call it).

I'm still trying to figure out what I would use APRS for (I don't have much free time, so I can participate in any net events where this might be useful - eg SAG vehicle). Is there a way for it to beacon my frequency that I am currently on? I think I saw something where I can hard code this in, but is it possible for it to read what frequency that I have up on the B side of the radio and insert that frequency in the beacon?

 

[belvdr]

Thanks Patrick, Mark and R8000! I will take a look at those items. I got so used to my old Yaesu rig, that this one feels totally foreign to me. I liked on my Yaesu 8900 how I could program the six buttons around the screen for a particular setup so all frequencies, scans, etc would just come up. I thought I read that the D710 could do something like that too, but I have yet to get to it in the manuals (or figure out what they call it).

I'm still trying to figure out what I would use APRS for (I don't have much free time, so I can participate in any net events where this might be useful - eg SAG vehicle). Is there a way for it to beacon my frequency that I am currently on? I think I saw something where I can hard code this in, but is it possible for it to read what frequency that I have up on the B side of the radio and insert that frequency in the beacon?

I thought this was possible and I'm searching for a way to do it.

Another thing to do is have the APRS VFO transmit a 100Hz tone. Many folks have tone receive enabled so they don't have to listen to every squawk that comes across the frequency. You can then configure the radio to beep when it hears something new.

EDIT: Here's the link on how to set it up:

http://www.aprs.org/D7xx/d710-setup.txt

Specifically:

In the D710 USE STATUS 5! This is the only STATUS that will
automatically insert your band B voice Frequency in your APRS
packets. This is very important for maintainting commmunicatinos
with others around you! I suggest: "[frequency] & V-Alert..."
so others can also see you are monitoring Voice Alert also.

 

[KD8TZC]

I thought this was possible and I'm searching for a way to do it.

Another thing to do is have the APRS VFO transmit a 100Hz tone. Many folks have tone receive enabled so they don't have to listen to every squawk that comes across the frequency. You can then configure the radio to beep when it hears something new.

EDIT: Here's the link on how to set it up:

http://www.aprs.org/D7xx/d710-setup.txt

Specifically:

Thanks... is this the part you are talking about on how to transmit the frequency?

In the D710 USE STATUS 5! This is the only STATUS that will
automatically insert your band B voice Frequency in your APRS
packets. This is very important for maintainting commmunicatinos
with others around you! I suggest: "[frequency] & V-Alert..."
so others can also see you are monitoring Voice Alert also.

So am I to assume that I enter it EXACTLY as they have it above "[frequency] & V-Alert..."?

 

[belvdr]

Thanks... is this the part you are talking about on how to transmit the frequency?

So am I to assume that I enter it EXACTLY as they have it above "[frequency] & V-Alert..."?

Yes.

[frequency] inserts the frequency of VFO B. Include the brackets.

 

[6079smithw]

I have the D700, the 710s older brother and they are both great units. Have you decided on a GPS unit to use yet?

 

[KD8TZC]

Hi 6079, I have the D700G so it has the built in GPS. That limits where I can mount it though.

Belvdr... is "& V-Alert..." just plain text then or is that something I have to format properly?

 

[6079smithw]

Hi 6079, I have the D700G

Had I read your 1st post a bit more carefully, I would have seen that... must be age
Welcome to APRS, I'm sure you will enjoy it!
Frank KI7SY

 

[belvdr]

Hi 6079, I have the D700G so it has the built in GPS. That limits where I can mount it though.

Belvdr... is "& V-Alert..." just plain text then or is that something I have to format properly?

Just plain text.

 

[R8000]

Hi 6079, I have the D700G so it has the built in GPS. That limits where I can mount it though.

You would be suprised on how well GPS receives. None of my 710's have a very clear shot at the sky and I get a GPS fix every time.

 

[wrath]

If your coming from Yaesu you will be surprized how sensitive the GPS on the 710 is as well as how much simpler it is to use , i buy the nifty cheat sheet on my rigs if they have one ,i didn't buy one on the 710 the menu system is so simple & easy to use, it very much breaks things down into categories , beaconing APRS as in activating it is super simple ,as noted the radio is fantastic for mobile i cant think of much that takes more than two fingers to press buttons to do , the last two buttons on the display next to volume squelch can be reset in your menus to do just about anything ,watch the you tube videos they are thoroughly in depth ,when the radio is setup right you barely need to touch it as most things can be done on the mic keypad . I know many of us are involved in public service this will not be new to them but for anyone that's not: a great accessory especially for this style of Kenwood ( the knob on these mics are metal) so instead of using the old traditional eyesore microphone clip ,i recommend you look up something called "magnetic mic" , it makes placement of the Mic simple and universal wether you are driver or passenger and you will never have to take your eyes off the road to get the mic and more importantly to hang it up it will do it ! If your within about three inches in any direction and let go the mic hangs itself up . I got so spoiled using these damn things in vehicles and off road ATV that i installed them at home ( i have a few radios that are remoted to my nightstand ) and i use the "mag mic" on them i can get or hang up the mic no matter what position i am laying in with either arm there have to be videos on you tube by now (everything else is LOL ) . I continue to bug the company to make one for portables ,your HT would never get drop tested again (umm maybe thats a bad thing ) anyway have fun i own three 710's they are rock solid radios , and they let me cheat my scanner can go by GPS , i got rid of the stupid puck by just pluging into the Kenwood head and letting it share, on the one at home i have a davis weather station plugged in .a little time with the 710 and you wonder where it was the rest of your life! The key on the right side labeled PM allows you to to have different profiles that you asked about but i highly suggest don't play with that until you get familiar with the way you set up profile 1 the other 4 can wait , there's alot to love about these things and once you know your way around setting other profiles will be easy, i honestly hardly use the other profiles because it's so easy to use even though that was the feature that sold me on buying it .

Sent from my SM-T810 using Tapatalk

 

[KD8TZC]

So with the profiles, I could say press Profile 1, and then it sets side A and B the way I want them at a press of a button (e.g. set it to the APRS beacon frequency on A, and some other frequency I moinitor on B)?

 

[AK9R]

See the Programmable Memory (PM) section of the CD-ROM manual for a list of settings are saved by the PMs.

 

[KD8TZC]

Thanks W9BU... I need to find some time to read through all the manuals. I took a quick look at the APRS Setup document that was provided above and there are a number of things that have me confused (e.g. Call channel ... this almost sounds like a 3rd radio the way it is described in the document, Voice Alert, PM, etc).