TK-7180H Question

[bigredtruck210]

Sorry to jump into this discussion with a new question, but so far this thread seems to be the closest to my problem. I bought a TK-7180H K on ebay for my volunteer fire department use. I have a TK-790, which I will also talk about in a minute, and am upgrading to the 7180 so I can issue the 790 to another company officer. The Kenwood specs online state that the 7180 is "user tone selectable", however I can't find that option for the key assignments in the KPG-89D programming software. I have the Kenwood programming cable, which reads and writes to the radio fine. But, we have many repeaters for various command frequencies here and I need to be able to switch repeaters on frequent occasions. I would rather not have to program each repeater in as a seperate channel. That's why I bought this one. One of our Cal Fire frequencies we use has around 18 repeaters around the region. Any ideas? Also, I bought the Kenwood cable for the TK-790 and it won't communicate with it. This is the fire service version radio with the extra "Cal Fire" board and I have the KPG 49FS software. Both these cables are the newer USB versions and I am using a laptop with Windows 7. Thanks for your help everyone.
Dave

 

[mikewazowski]

Sorry to jump into this discussion with a new question, but so far this thread seems to be the closest to my problem.

If you have a new question then please start a new thread.

Asking a new question in an existing thread of somebody else's is known as hijacking. I've split your question off into its own thread.

 

[evfd1625]

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You are looking for a key assignment called OST.

 

[bigredtruck210]

Thanks for the info, I'll look for it. As for the hijack, my apologies, I am new to forums and did not know. Won't happen again. I couldn't find the link to start a new thread. Thank you everyone for your patience.

 

[bigredtruck210]

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You are looking for a key assignment called OST.

As for the OST option, I have the blank mic with no keypad on it. Would the keypad mic give me the ability to directly select repeaters? Thanks.

 

[evfd1625]

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No but if they used the same frequency but different tones, you could use the ost option and list to change the tones from the front of your radio. I don't think the keypad Mic will allow you to do that.

 

[BirkenVogt]

I find OST is a more annoying than useful feature. It does not work like the (presumably) CDF option OST in the 90 series that you are used to. When you program the OST table in the radio, you have to leave the rx tone part of it blank or it will select that tone to decode when you select an operator selectable tone. Also when you push the TA button, the 7180 does not encode the rx tone like the CDF 90 series.

I find that if you need rx tone decode and to encode the rx tone on direct, it makes more sense with a 7180 to program multiples of the same channel with the different tones and the direct channel all next to each other in the program and simply select them that way. The radio has twice the channels available as the 790 so you can do this without running out of channels.

If you don't need rx decode I suppose that you can still use the OST function but the hypersensitive receiver on these things makes it hear co-channel stuff from all across the state.

 

[bigredtruck210]

I find OST is a more annoying than useful feature. It does not work like the (presumably) CDF option OST in the 90 series that you are used to. When you program the OST table in the radio, you have to leave the rx tone part of it blank or it will select that tone to decode when you select an operator selectable tone. Also when you push the TA button, the 7180 does not encode the rx tone like the CDF 90 series.

I find that if you need rx tone decode and to encode the rx tone on direct, it makes more sense with a 7180 to program multiples of the same channel with the different tones and the direct channel all next to each other in the program and simply select them that way. The radio has twice the channels available as the 790 so you can do this without running out of channels.

If you don't need rx decode I suppose that you can still use the OST function but the hypersensitive receiver on these things makes it hear co-channel stuff from all across the state.

Ah, I was afraid of that. Oh well. Also, I found a help text that said I also have to enable the "tactical feature set" for the OST to work. When I tried it said it's available only on the upgraded tranceiver. The help info I found said it must have firmware version 1.14 or greater. It has 1.18 now. I assume that is greater. In any case, yea, sounds like it just won't function like the CDF version 790. On the topic of the 790, any ideas why my USB cable won't sync with the 790? Is it just due to windows 7?

 

[BirkenVogt]

The TFS allows you to also make up your own new group on the fly from other channels in the radio, but the way OST works is just a hassle. I did not think that OST was only a feature of the TFS, though. It is available in other series of radios without the TFS. I will have to see about this if I remember.

For your application, which I assume is for local response, would it work to just program in one channel per tone of LNU west and east, Napa Co Fire, the CDF command channels and possibly the MNF? You could put them in different zones to lessen confusion. They are still a great radio when you do it like that.

 

[ramal121]

When you get a TK-X180 with the TFS option, it will mimic the FS TK-790, almost.

TFS will give you command zone programming. It also changes the OST to a single button UP/down, same as the 790. As BV stated, Kenwoods original way of OST is clunky, TFS is more like the 790. What it lacks is the decode QT feature like the 790. You would still need to select "none" as decode as it overwrites the default channel QT when invoked. A button set for squelch adjust would be a handy addition in this case. For NCF though, the only people I've heard bellyache about co-channel interference is sta 16 and 18, but they're up on a hill so it doesn't surprise me.

A bonus though over the 790, you can do front panel programming with a key-padded portable or mobile mic. I use this a lot on my TK-2180.

TFS firmware is an option firmware, which means $$$ to acquire. Because of this, they won't release the firmware to dealers. To get TFS, the radio needs to be be ordered that way or sent back to Kenwood for a re-flash.

 

[BirkenVogt]

TFS for the x180 series is much cheaper than on the x90 series, though. I don't know if that holds true for reflashing an existing one, though, but when you order it, it is cheap. Ramal, do you know for sure if it has to be sent back or can they send you the CD like they do for some other upgrades?

 

[ramal121]

I won't say with 100% certainty, but I had a FS 790 once with a problem and wanted to try a firmware refresh and tech support would not in any way, shape or form release it to me. I assume TFS is the same way.

Regular firmware upgrades for radios are provided free as a customer support thing and can be downloaded or obtained from tech support.

 

[Colton25]

How can I make the TF key assignments set as a second function? Is this possible? I don't see this being very beneficial if it's not possible because that relay limits your options with the 7180's key assignments.

When you get a TK-X180 with the TFS option, it will mimic the FS TK-790, almost.

TFS will give you command zone programming. It also changes the OST to a single button UP/down, same as the 790. As BV stated, Kenwoods original way of OST is clunky, TFS is more like the 790. What it lacks is the decode QT feature like the 790. You would still need to select "none" as decode as it overwrites the default channel QT when invoked. A button set for squelch adjust would be a handy addition in this case. For NCF though, the only people I've heard bellyache about co-channel interference is sta 16 and 18, but they're up on a hill so it doesn't surprise me.

A bonus though over the 790, you can do front panel programming with a key-padded portable or mobile mic. I use this a lot on my TK-2180.

TFS firmware is an option firmware, which means $$$ to acquire. Because of this, they won't release the firmware to dealers. To get TFS, the radio needs to be be ordered that way or sent back to Kenwood for a re-flash.