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Kenwood TK-890 to 8180 setup on motorcycle

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Hello, this is my first post at this forum. I am collecting all the bits needed to set up my motor escort bike. It’s a Honda ST-1300PA that is a retired Huntington Beach California Motor PD bike. While it has the proper lights and whistles, it no longer has its radio complement. My goal is to get it road ready so I can join the motor escort ranks here in Southern California.

What I have thus far, apart from the bike of course:
Kenwood TK-8180, power cable, mic and bracket
Kenwood TK-890 and bracket
TRAM 140MHz170MHz + 430MHz470MHz Dual Band NMO Antenna
Browning WSPBR1015 Enclosed Nmo 3/4 Hole Mount Antenna cable

What I yet need:
TK-890 to TK-8180 inter-connection diagram and remote Cable (part number and link to purchase one?)
TK-890 power cable
TK-890 mic
A good means to mount the TK-890 to the forks/handle bars.

I’ve googled this for a couple of days, and have not found a good diagram or instructions on how to do what I’m after.

Appreciate any helps

Thomas
Chino Hills Ca
 

hill

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Both radios are UHF and don't think you would need to use both of them. One or the other would work, since if you need to access repeaters they can both be programmed for this use.
 
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Its true they are both UHF radio transcievers, but cant the lower power TK-890 be configured to be a remote head for the 30W TK-8180?

Case in point, while at the Chino Planes of Fame air show today, i asked a Riverside motor cop to show me his rig on his BMW. Note the remote on the forks and trunk radio:
 

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hill

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No you can't use different type of radios for remote heads. Either use the tk-890 with an remote head or use the tk-8180 with remote head. Both have that capability, but require different cables to make it work.
 
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Ok so what I have is the KCH-11 remote head or front panel to a TK-890.

And the other radio I have is a KT-8180 30W transceiver which does not have a remote display, yes?

Pic1 is the KCH-11 and TK-890 pair (not mine)
Pic2 are my two radios: TK-890 and 8180 which are not compatible.
 

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kayn1n32008

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Its true they are both UHF radio transcievers, but cant the lower power TK-890 be configured to be a remote head for the 30W TK-8180?



Case in point, while at the Chino Planes of Fame air show today, i asked a Riverside motor cop to show me his rig on his BMW. Note the remote on the forks and trunk radio:



That looks like a XTL brick with the correct head remote mounted. Not anything like trying to mix and match a TK890 with a TK8180.


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Thank you and I know... now.. (found them on the Kenwood site).
I occasionally seem to learn by Braille. But I do learn.

I’m a friggin electrical engineer who designed naval displays and support simulation technology but I know next to nothing about this dark voodoo art called HAM and radios. I’m a bleedin noob gents. I do have a few operational BC601s, but that’s a whole different hobby space. Anywho...

So I’m gunna shelve this KCH-11 remote head, which goes to a TK-890H (110W) that I don’t have.

Ill keep the TK-8180 (30W) which is smaller and is still in the 450-470mhz range escorts use. I’ll either put it in the boot (trunk hood) or on a custom made bracket between the handle bars.

So what do I need to get this beastie to play nice with a Bluetooth rig for the helmet?

My bike
 

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kayn1n32008

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Thank you and I know... now.. (found them on the Kenwood site).

I occasionally seem to learn by Braille. But I do learn.



I’m a friggin electrical engineer who designed naval displays and support simulation technology but I know next to nothing about this dark voodoo art called HAM and radios. I’m a bleedin noob gents. I do have a few operational BC601s, but that’s a whole different hobby space. Anywho...



So I’m gunna shelve this KCH-11 remote head, which goes to a TK-890H (110W) that I don’t have.



Ill keep the TK-8180 (30W) which is smaller and is still in the 450-470mhz range escorts use. I’ll either put it in the boot (trunk hood) or on a custom made bracket between the handle bars.



So what do I need to get this beastie to play nice with a Bluetooth rig for the helmet?



My bike


https://www.sena.com/product/sr10/

A friend of mine uses this. You will need to buy the radio cable with out a plug and interface it to the DB-25 on the back of the radio. You will also have to program the radio to use the DB-25. I highly recommend the optional external push button PTT switch as well.



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w6hp

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You can also pick up a KRK-11 kit and remote the 8180 head to your handlebar area.

And your pic 1 is more than likely a TK-5710 VHF P25 with a KCH-15 head. The power button identifies it as a KCH-15, P25 head.

Try and find a CHP Harley to look at. The majority of them have a remote KCH-11 head coupled to a TK-690H3 in the radio box. Cables and a TK-890 deck are easy to source if you wanted the higher wattage.
 
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@Kayn
So the bike has a PPT momentary button switch on the left grip switch case. Not sure how that would get hooked up to the BT Sena, but maybe it will be clearer once i dig into it. And youre saying that it will require i make a custom cable to interconnect the Sena to the 8180’s 25-pin connector on the back, yes? I believe youre right, as other than power and mic, there arent any other interfaces to tie into. My Deputy Sheriff buddy uses the Sena, but to a small handheld radio he hides under rhe seat on his Triump.

@W6Hp,
Correct me if im wrong, but the TK-8180 doesnt have a remote display option. The KCH-10/11 Is the remote display for the large 110W TK-890H transceiver (that i dont have nor want at this point. Its big, draws alot of power and is overkill)
 

kayn1n32008

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@Kayn
So the bike has a PPT momentary button switch on the left grip switch case. Not sure how that would get hooked up to the BT Sena, but maybe it will be clearer once i dig into it. And youre saying that it will require i make a custom cable to interconnect the Sena to the 8180’s 25-pin connector on the back, yes? I believe youre right, as other than power and mic, there arent any other interfaces to tie into. My Deputy Sheriff buddy uses the Sena, but to a small handheld radio he hides under rhe seat on his Triump.


There is a cable for the Sena that has the Sena plug on one end and 4 wires on the other. PTT, RX audio, TX(mic) audio and Ground. You would need to solder it to a DB 25 in the right pins.

The existing PTT switch can likely be used. The Sena uses a simple 2 wire circuit with a 2 conductor 3.5mm plug. You can likely reuse the existing PTT switch on the bike with easy modifications.



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kayn1n32008

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@W6Hp,
Correct me if im wrong, but the TK-8180 doesnt have a remote display option. The KCH-10/11 Is the remote display for the large 110W TK-890H transceiver (that i dont have nor want at this point. Its big, draws alot of power and is overkill)


The KCH-10/KCH-11 are the kits to convert radios from dash mount to remote mount. They use the existing control head.

The kits contain a blank faceplate to go on the RF deck, with a connector for the remote cable, a blank to hold the control head and a mounting bracket for the control head
.
The TK-x90 mobiles have 2 different control head options, basic and advanced. The advanced requires an external speaker.

There are also options to have 2 control heads and also the option to connect 2 different band RF decks to one or 2 control heads.

The TK-x180 only allows one control head and one RF deck in the remote configuration.

The TK-x90 control heads are not compatible with the TK-x180 RF decks. And the TK-x90 RF decks ante not compatible with TK-x180 control heads.


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First of all, thank you everyone for helpin to edumacate this old engineer from the 1980s...

Ok let me see if I’ve got this right,
1. The TK-8180 does support the remote display, via the KRK-10 accessory kit:
Accessories | TK-7180H/7180/8180H/8180 | Land Mobile Radio | Communications | KENWOOD USA

2. I can or cannot use the KCH10/11 remote display head that I bought and connect it to one of the interface plates that comes with the KRK-10? (Assuming that the back end of the KCH can be swapped with the KRK cable cap)

3. The TK-8180’s back end 25-pin female D-connector interface can be wired up to a customized Sena-10 to radio cable. Thus making the transceiver BT enabled for wireless helmet comms gear. Then either one of these wires is run through the bike’s existing left side handle bar PTT switch or make use of a BT PTT switch. (But is the Sena-10 and it’s older BT firmware upgradable for current versions)?
 

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The KCH-10/KCH-11 are the kits to convert radios from dash mount to remote mount. They use the existing control head.

The kits contain a blank faceplate to go on the RF deck, with a connector for the remote cable, a blank to hold the control head and a mounting bracket for the control head
.
The TK-x90 mobiles have 2 different control head options, basic and advanced. The advanced requires an external speaker.

There are also options to have 2 control heads and also the option to connect 2 different band RF decks to one or 2 control heads.

The TK-x180 only allows one control head and one RF deck in the remote configuration.

The TK-x90 control heads are not compatible with the TK-x180 RF decks. And the TK-x90 RF decks ante not compatible with TK-x180 control heads.


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I can’t edit my posts?
I’ll make this new post, now that I believe KAYN answered my question, but I didn’t get it until after I posted

1. The KT-8180 display face plate comes off, and can be used as a remote display when attached to the KRK kit? If so, that’s perfect, and this accessory kit is all I need.
“The TK-x180 only allows one control head and one RF deck in the remote configuration.”

2. So the KCH-10/11 (TK-890 display head) that I have is of no value to my remote 8180 goal, yes?
“The TK-x90 control heads are not compatible with the TK-x180 RF decks. And the TK-x90 RF decks ante not compatible with TK-x180 control heads.”

3. I’ll need a custom cable to interconnect the Sena to 8180, and a wiring diagram.
Something akin to this, but taylored for the 8180
 

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w6hp

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Yeah, you lose the opportunity to edit after two hours I believe. Tried to edit mine from last night to correctly identify the KRK-10 and not the 11 as I posted but could not.

You are correct with what you just posted. Should be a nice setup.
 

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CHP Head

This is what the Harley's have with the exception of a few that still have the older Rangr setup.
 

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mmckenna

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1. The KT-8180 display face plate comes off, and can be used as a remote display when attached to the KRK kit? If so, that’s perfect, and this accessory kit is all I need.

Correct. With your TK-8180 (Not KT-8180), you can add the KRK-10 remote head kit.
It includes the separation kit that has the cable interface for the RF deck and the cable interface and bracket for the control head. It includes a 23 foot long separation cable.


2. So the KCH-10/11 (TK-890 display head) that I have is of no value to my remote 8180 goal, yes?

It has no value to you unless you have the RF deck, separation kit, separation cable, etc. Sell it on e-Bay. The TK-890 is an older radio and will be end-of-life'd next month. It does not include all the features the TK-8180 has. For what you are doing, the TK-8180 is a better choice.

3. I’ll need a custom cable to interconnect the Sena to 8180, and a wiring diagram.
Something akin to this, but taylored for the 8180

Yes. That diagram is for an amateur radio and will NOT be the same as the TK-8180.
The TK-8180 has a 25 pin (Female DB-25) connector on the rear that can be used to interface to the blue-tooth interface. The 25 pin connector has several programmable pins, so you may need to set up the radio via the programming software to work with the BlueTooth interface.


The NX-5000 radios do have a built in bluetooth interface, however the NX-5000 line is likely overkill for what you are doing. The NX-3000 line of mobiles has bluetooth, and is a cheaper radio.
However, if all you need it UHF analog, then stick with the TK-8180 you have and either do an aftermarket blue tooth interface (there are many) or do a wired headset.
 
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