Kenwood NX-5000 problems, lacks, suggestions and improvements

[03msc]

Wait, you are saying you've been through 3 dealers already? True dealers (as in, you can walk in their radio shops)? Or just sellers on eBay or something?

KD4EFM is a dealer (and a great one at that!) and has lots of experience with the NX5xxx line. You should listen to him.

Also, Kenwood is not on the forums as far as we know. Yes, some dealers are but that is not Kenwood.

 

[otobmark]

Radio Locks up constantly

I know it's being looked into but still I have to rant a little. My NX5300-K6 has been so far used on DMR for about a week. The radio locks up and sometimes randomly pressing buttons will cause it to reboot. Other times even the OFF switch doesn't work and I have to remove battery (didn't realize on off function was a soft one--in general I like a hard break electrical connection off). The lock up is occuring all the time. Sometimes I haven't heard traffic in awhile and I check radio and it's frozen-everything looks normal just no receive or transmit and channel selector doesn't work. If any button does try to work it is the menu button. At this point the radio is useless for any practical use. What I don't know is if this is entirely the latest firmware bug being talked about or if my radio is faulty. I also don't know if the DMR part is the issue since I've only used it that way. I had planned to put in P25 which is going to be my major use but that is on hold till NX platform is stable. Obviously not everyone is having this problem or the forum would be lit up about it.

 

[03msc]

I know it's being looked into but still I have to rant a little. My NX5300-K6 has been so far used on DMR for about a week. The radio locks up and sometimes randomly pressing buttons will cause it to reboot. Other times even the OFF switch doesn't work and I have to remove battery (didn't realize on off function was a soft one--in general I like a hard break electrical connection off). The lock up is occuring all the time. Sometimes I haven't heard traffic in awhile and I check radio and it's frozen-everything looks normal just no receive or transmit and channel selector doesn't work. If any button does try to work it is the menu button. At this point the radio is useless for any practical use. What I don't know is if this is entirely the latest firmware bug being talked about or if my radio is faulty. I also don't know if the DMR part is the issue since I've only used it that way. I had planned to put in P25 which is going to be my major use but that is on hold till NX platform is stable. Obviously not everyone is having this problem or the forum would be lit up about it.

Since others aren't having the issue (at least we assume, since, as you said, the forums aren't lit up with posts) could it be a bad flash of the firmware or DMR portion of the firmware?

Perhaps someone like mmckenna or KD4EFM can provide some insight into whether that could be the issue.

 

[mmckenna]

I'm not running DMR on any of mine, and I've not heard of any of our NX-5700's having that issue. I'm sure I'd have heard. I've had nothing to lead me to believe the NX-5000 line of radios is not a stable platform. Far too many of them in use with no complaints for that.

But, from what it sounds like, it sure does sound like corrupted codeplug or firmware. I'd try reloading the radio and see if that addresses it.

There was another user who had a TK-5710 that would do something similar. Reloading the codeplug fixed it.

 

[buddrousa]

Was it programmed with a factory KENWOOD PROGRAMMING CABLE or a cheap clone cable?

 

[RK3AAG]

I know it's being looked into but still I have to rant a little. My NX5300-K6 has been so far used on DMR for about a week. The radio locks up and sometimes randomly pressing buttons will cause it to reboot.

Same here and accordingly to my 1 year+ expirience, it happens in DMR only. No P25 affected.

This is NOT a FLASH or programming cable fault. In case of programming fail or packet drop, radio will not start and will ask for reprogramming.

This is firmware bug and AFAIK a lot of customers already complained about it. So, we have to wait for a new release. No other actions and discussions needed.

 

[03msc]

Evans KD4EFM -

Can you check with them and confirm that this is an issue that Kenwood is aware of and working to remedy?

 

[kd4efm]

Evans KD4EFM -

Can you check with them and confirm that this is an issue that Kenwood is aware of and working to remedy?

I have been on the phone yes they are working on it. No eta right now, it's in the lab being tested with 7 other emails I sent them.

E

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[otobmark]

Same here and accordingly to my 1 year+ expirience, it happens in DMR only. No P25 affected.
.

Is it your belief that if I use only zones without any DMR channels I'll be ok?
Or, is just the fact that my radio has DMR license in it cause the problem even if no DMR channels selected or landed?

To answer other poster I used Kenwood USB cable. No warnings. I'm unfortunately remote from my only computer with kpg-d1n for a week so I can't play with plugs till then. My radio has at present fpp, sd card and DMR activated in it. It's loaded with a few Fm and DMR channels. I knew I'd have to start from scratch on new plug once p25 was installed so only programmed up for my vacation destination repeaters so I could play-I mean "test" my new radio.

 

[RK3AAG]

Is it your belief that if I use only zones without any DMR channels I'll be ok?
Or, is just the fact that my radio has DMR license in it cause the problem even if no DMR channels selected or landed?

Who knows? I thinkg that it's related with DMR code run - when you are in DMR zone / when you scan. You can do more tests, but it's not a big deal. We have no cotrol over it. We only can wait and keep fingers crossed.

 

[APX8000]

I have a suggestion. How about adding RX only to P25 trunked systems and no system key? With all the problems with scanners handling of LSM distortion, Kenwood could really take a share of the market. BKRadio/Relm allows it. Harris allows it.


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[RK3AAG]

I have a suggestion. How about adding RX only to P25 trunked systems and no system key? With all the problems with scanners handling of LSM distortion, Kenwood could really take a share of the market. BKRadio/Relm allows it. Harris allows it.

P25 Phase 1 "no-affiliate" scan works just fine. But I don't have simulcasts systems to try in my neighborhood. And per rumor, it will not work for Phase 2 at all (but I haven't tested it personally).

 

[otobmark]

Well, anecdotal at best but I ran nx5300K6 only on a fm zone all day and no lockup or reboot. Same codeplug that locks up in DMR use. So, I'm thinking only has potential to lockup when DMR channels are selected or landed.

 

[RK3AAG]

Well, anecdotal at best but I ran nx5300K6 only on a fm zone all day and no lockup or reboot. Same codeplug that locks up in DMR use. So, I'm thinking only has potential to lockup when DMR channels are selected or landed.

This is what I supposed too.

 

[kd4efm]

The DMR lock up is being looked at from a gps issue, on the for DMR zone. I'm still working with kwd on this.

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[APX8000]

How can you program it to non affiliate scan without a .skf file? Unless you are suggesting programming just scanning all the frequencies with the NAC ?
I want to only monitor specific talkgroups.

My issue is this...Kenwood will not allow you to program anything trunked without the .skf file which they will only release to the system admin. Relm/BKRadio allows the user to program the system to RX only where you can follow talkgroups and not affiliate. Same with Harris who doesn't even require a system key.


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[kd4efm]

How can you program it to non affiliate scan without a .skf file? Unless you are suggesting programming just scanning all the frequencies with the NAC ?
I want to only monitor specific talkgroups.

My issue is this...Kenwood will not allow you to program anything trunked without the .skf file which they will only release to the system admin. Relm/BKRadio allows the user to program the system to RX only where you can follow talkgroups and not affiliate. Same with Harris who doesn't even require a system key.


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Kenwoods where not designed that way. Sorry, even as a dealer, we don't get free Willie nillie with skf keys not belonging to us. It harder on us because we can't demo the radios right away.

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[otobmark]

DMR Scan ignores group I.D.

Dmr scan lands and sticks on 1st detected (active) virtual channel even if talkgroup is wrong. Audio stays mute but scan does not continue. Using scan list mode. Priority 1 is selected, and respond is selected + talkback. Have not tested zone scan or analog scan but hoping this is limited to the buggy dmr that is being corrected by K. I think they need to start from scratch. I also miss the permit tone that indicates successful connect (handshake) with repeater. The LED seems to wait to turn red until successful handshake and of course you get fail tone eventually if no handshake. A quibble perhaps but I'm already talking when fail tone sounds. Do I need to shut up or is this helping?

 

[RK3AAG]

How can you program it to non affiliate scan without a .skf file? Unless you are suggesting programming just scanning all the frequencies with the NAC ?
I want to only monitor specific talkgroups.

My issue is this...Kenwood will not allow you to program anything trunked without the .skf file which they will only release to the system admin. Relm/BKRadio allows the user to program the system to RX only where you can follow talkgroups and not affiliate. Same with Harris who doesn't even require a system key.

Absolutely no other way. You must have USB dongle or SKF. Otherwise, trunking menus will be greyed out (enven when you have options purchased and activated).

What the problem with prorgramming just bunch of frequencies? Kenwood offers full zone scan. No problem with it.

 

[RK3AAG]

The DMR lock up is being looked at from a gps issue, on the for DMR zone. I'm still working with kwd on this.

No, this is not GPS related issue. I have never had GPS turned on and seen a few lock-ups even during 2 days of usage. GPS is NOT enabled in FPU, because it's not needed.