TK-5710 / TK -5810 Dual Band Setup

[SJ26115]

I have a TK-5710H VHF radio with a KRK-14 basic control head. I just recently purchased a KRK-7DB dual band connection setup and a TK-5810H deck to make my system a dual band system. I have installed the KRK-7DB, the TK-5810 deck and connected all to the currently installed TK-5710 and KRK-14 control head.

The problem I am running into is I can't get the TK-5810 to program using the KPG-95DG software. I can only see the TK-5710 and read / write to it. I have read another thread about dual banding the 790/890 and some jumper reconfiguration, but not sure the same instructions will apply to the 5710/5810. I also read where both radios will need to have the same firmware version, which may also be a part of my problem. I know the 5710 is a version 1 firmware, and is also a version 1 hardware. Not sure what firmware version is on the 5810 since I cannot access it with the programming software, but hardware is version 2.

I have a service manual I downloaded for the TK-5710, but there is no reference in it for the installation of the dual BAND kit, only for the dual HEAD kit.

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[tornado229]

There are some resistor configurations to make it work with the 90 series radios. That being said the KRK-7DB was designed for the 90 series radios. I don't think that it is going to work with this series of radios. In KPG-44 it has options to set your model type to dual band. In KPG-95 there is no option to tell it that you have a dual band configuration.

 

[ramal121]

Should'a asked first before you bought. The only options available for a TK-5710 are single or dual remote heads, or a handheld control head. Dual band is NOT offered.

 

[SJ26115]

Should'a asked first before you bought. The only options available for a TK-5710 are single or dual remote heads, or a handheld control head. Dual band is NOT offered.

I called Kenwood today and talked with one of their tech support guys. He told me same thing - dual banding is not an option for the TK-5710/5810. However, all is not lost. All I have to do now is acquire another control head, cable, and head for the deck, and I will still be in business, albeit not how I originally wanted it.

Thanks for the reply ramal121!

Scott

 

[car5le]

We're getting some info from our Kenwood rep that that Kenwood will be introducing a new dual band line (mobile and portable) here in the near future. No firm dates yet.

 

[mmckenna]

We're getting some info from our Kenwood rep that that Kenwood will be introducing a new dual band line (mobile and portable) here in the near future. No firm dates yet.

I've been hearing that also, hopefully we'll hear something next year. With Kenwood working hard to win customers away from Motorola (and doing quite well), they'll need to be able to compete with the APX line, and some of the other tri-band radios.

I was at the IWCE show this year, and Kenwood was showing off a dual head configuration for the NX-x00 line of NexEdge radios. I was talking to one of the Kenwood guys, and he said it's only a minor change to make a dual band version out of it. That won't do you any good for the TK-5710/TK-5810, but it does mean there will be some other options down the road. The NX-X00 mobiles are on the same chassis used by some of the P25 radios.

 

[car5le]

That would be nice. A good quality, competitive radio to go up against "M" and Harris. Both are putting out good multi band radio, but the are too darn expensive! We've been using the 790/890 configuration for many years now. It has been a great product. It would be really nice to see Kenwood come out with something just as durable and reliable.

We did get to meet with the actual Kenwood engineers from Japan a little over a year ago. One of the suggestions we made was to make a control head that could accommodate multiple radios simply by plugging the radios into the back of the control head with CAT5/RJ45. That way you can buy one control head and then the radios that you actually need, with room for expansion as required. They seemed to like the idea. We shall see what they actually do...

 

[mrweather]

If Kenwood ever do release a dual-band configuration for these radios I'll be plunking down my money for the hardware.

 

[car5le]

If Kenwood ever do release a dual-band configuration for these radios I'll be plunking down my money for the hardware.

You and me both...