• 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.

TK-840 Programming.

Status
Not open for further replies.

photoguy2

Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2013
Messages
121
Hi,

I have programmed many different Motorola's, but this is my first Kenwood, so please bear with me ;-).

My question is should I get a USB or serial cable? From what I have been able to find with google, the radio must be programmed under dos. I am familiar with this, because most of the Motos I have done had to be done under dos. So then, why are most of the cables on ebay USB? Is the Kenwood KPG-25D software runable under a dos window in Windows unlike Moto RSS?

Thanks!

Matt
 
Joined
Nov 7, 2013
Messages
119
Usually a plain serial cable is more reliable in dos programs. But you can get usb to work, sometimes. Another obstacle is you only have two options in the software, com 1 and com 2. If you are comfortable reassigning ports on your devices you can go with a usb and it may work. But yes you can run the software in windows, but sometimes that can be iffy as well.

Oh and you find more usb cables because less to none computers come with a serial port anymore unless specified when ordering.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2
 
Last edited:

photoguy2

Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2013
Messages
121
Thanks. Plain old serial it is;-). I do enough Moto stuff that I have a dedicated dos set-up.

Matt
 

photoguy2

Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2013
Messages
121
Last question.

I went ahead and got a cable. Do the serial cables require a RIB? I looked, and I can not find any ribs on ebay, so I'm assuming no ;-).

Matt
 

cabletech

Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2012
Messages
871
Location
Puget Sound
No on the 'rib' as the cable has the interface in the db9 connector.

For the most part, Motorola is the only one that has to use a "rib" (radio interface box).
 

photoguy2

Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2013
Messages
121
No on the 'rib' as the cable has the interface in the db9 connector.

For the most part, Motorola is the only one that has to use a "rib" (radio interface box).

Sweet, thanks. I guess I'm just used to Motos where you need a RIB.

Thanks
 

photoguy2

Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2013
Messages
121
So. The cable does not work. It was a plain old serial. Unit was powered and on. Cable was fully plugged in on both ends, and I tried a HT1000 just to make sure there was not an issue with the port.

Any Ideas would be greatly appreciated. I've gone ahead and ordered a USB cable. The seller is less than 50 miles from me, so we shall see. I'm good with window, to re-assigning com ports and using dosbox are not an issue. I would also prefer to work on a laptop. I do not have a PS right now, so I actually had to carry a DOS desktop and monitor out to my car- not fun.

Matt
 
Last edited:
Joined
Nov 7, 2013
Messages
119
So you bought a programming cable from ebay for the radio of the serial variety and it didn't work?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2
 

photoguy2

Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2013
Messages
121
So you bought a programming cable from ebay for the radio of the serial variety and it didn't work?


Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2
Yep.

There is no special programming mode is there? I tried power plus (I think it was) group, which gave me the "program" message, but my impression was that was for FFP. I did try to read in that mode anyway, no luck.

This really just bugs me because I though I had this down. I've done probably 100 Motos, and never had an connection issue.

Matt
 
Joined
Nov 7, 2013
Messages
119
Okay, have you tried with the radio off to plug in the programming cable and then turn the radio on and then read the radio? And you made sure your using com 1? Just trying to think why it didnt work. I hate you had to drag a desktop out there.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2
 

photoguy2

Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2013
Messages
121
Okay, have you tried with the radio off to plug in the programming cable and then turn the radio on and then read the radio? And you made sure your using com 1? Just trying to think why it didnt work. I hate you had to drag a desktop out there.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2

Yep. Tried all the different power modes/cycles I could think of. When I went to the change com port menu, it said "no Com 2, changing to Com 1" or something like that. And this machine only has one serial.

I really need to get my PS back. Between carrying the box, the monitor, and running AC power for it, and then add to that I had a faulty power cable. I just ended up cutting off the kenwood plugs and crimping on Powerpoles. Now I don't have any inline fuses other than the cars SEO fuse, but I'll have to live with it for now, as I don't have any spare fuse holders around. Oh, and it was raining today. Oh, and I managed to solder both my index fingers yesterday. There was a lot of swearing this afternoon ;-)

Thanks for thinking ;-)

Matt
 
Last edited:

photoguy2

Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2013
Messages
121
The things we do for radio....

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2
Yah. If this was just A HAM install, I would have put it off until I got proper parts. But the 840 is actually for GMRS. Next week I am leaving for a week long trip to Death Valley CA, where there is no cell service, so my group uses GMRS for Car to Car as well as when hiking.

Nothing I can do until my new cable comes. Then I can tell if it is a bad cable, or my incompetence.

Matt
 

jstigler

Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2003
Messages
7
Location
DFW
Matt some of the older Kenwood's need to be put in the PC mode with a couple of keys and pwr up. Like you I don't do much Kenwood but the serial would be the way to go. I have a USB for the Wouxun.
I just did a TK-2402V with serial and it almost ate my lunch but I did win in the end.
Johnny
 

photoguy2

Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2013
Messages
121
Matt some of the older Kenwood's need to be put in the PC mode with a couple of keys and pwr up. Like you I don't do much Kenwood but the serial would be the way to go. I have a USB for the Wouxun.
I just did a TK-2402V with serial and it almost ate my lunch but I did win in the end.
Johnny
Do you have any more info on this PC mode? I tried serial, and It did not work. I want to try USB so I'm on a different machine. As for PC mode, my impression was that the 840 did not have that. On this link it says "START RADIO NORMALLY IF PROGRAMMING WITH PC & RIB"
Kenwood TK-840 - InterceptRadio.com Wiki

Thanks though,

Matt
 
Last edited:

westernme963

Member
Joined
Jul 10, 2011
Messages
28
I just programmed 3 tk840. Used USB serial with windows vista laptop. Ran the software through a does screen. Had to go in to hardware profiles and specifically select the port I was using as com1/2 even though there were no other com ports active it automatically selected itself as com7. Started the program with the cable active. Then powered up the radio. Then plugged it into the radio.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using Tapatalk 2
 

photoguy2

Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2013
Messages
121
I just programmed 3 tk840. Used USB serial with windows vista laptop. Ran the software through a does screen. Had to go in to hardware profiles and specifically select the port I was using as com1/2 even though there were no other com ports active it automatically selected itself as com7. Started the program with the cable active. Then powered up the radio. Then plugged it into the radio.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using Tapatalk 2
Thanks, As soon as I get my USB cable, I will try using that exact order.

Did you get this from trail and error? Or do you have a copy of the KPG25D manual?

Matt
 

photoguy2

Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2013
Messages
121
Great news! The new cable works great with dosbox.


Thanks everybody.

Matt

EDIT: I moved my questions to a new thread.
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top