Kenwood NX-5800-K UHF Radio - What does wide-band do?

[L3KDE]

I've got an NX-5800-K. It's the version that is 450-520MHz.

I bought the wide-band software but I don't want to activate it until I know what specifically I'm getting. With the wide-band software, can I use this radio on the ham bands?

 

[AF1UD]

Well the Ham Bands aren't in that range... You would need the K2 which is 380-470...

 

[jeepsandradios]

GMRS frequencies are wideband (The original one anyway)

 

[kd4efm]

Wide band D1 allows for 20/25 bandwidth, which is allowable in Canada. In the US, it's only allowed for GMRS and ham bands. (And marine band)
The 450 "K" will go down to 440, but no lower.
Do not use wide on part 95 frequency as that's no longer allowed.

 

[L3KDE]

Well the Ham Bands aren't in that range... You would need the K2 which is 380-470...

Right, that's what Im looking to clarify. Does the wide-band version of the software not extend it beyond 450-520mhz?

 

[L3KDE]

Wide band D1 allows for 20/25 bandwidth, which is allowable in Canada. In the US, it's only allowed for GMRS and ham bands. (And marine band)
The 450 "K" will go down to 440, but no lower.
Do not use wide on part 95 frequency as that's no longer allowed.

Gotchya, so the wideband software is for wide bandwidth FM, not widebanding. This is what I was missing. Good to know it will go down to 440Mhz.

Thank you!

 

[AF1UD]

Right, that's what Im looking to clarify. Does the wide-band version of the software not extend it beyond 450-520mhz?

The wideband software will work for any radios you tell it to program regardless of where in the spectrum it is programmed.

 

[L3KDE]

The wideband software will work for any radios you tell it to program regardless of where in the spectrum it is programmed.

That's not what I was asking, but I see the confusion. In the community people seem to use "widebanding" interchangably to mean two very different things.

Definition 1: Allowing a radio to transmit in a larger frequency span. For example, a radio normally only able to tx 460-500 will now be able to transmit 440-500.
Definition 2: Allowing a radio to transmit an FM signal with a wider 20 or 25khz signal.

I was trying to understand which definition "widebanding" meant in the commercial radio community. Now I know it is the second definition here. Thanks all.

 

[KG4INW]

Ah, we (parts of the LMR world that I work in) normally call your definition 1 "broadband" or in the case of stretching a radio more than stock limits, "out of band" so as not to be confused with your second definition.

 

[kd4efm]

WIDE BAND SOFTWARE, has to do with the audio bandwidth allowable to a regions emission standards.

Emission Designator - The RadioReference Wiki <-- reference this link

Nothing to do with frequency limits of a radio, like 450 to 520, one would hypothetically say "wide band will let me do 440 to 450 and to 520.
This is an incorrect statement. No matter what band.

Has to do with emission bandwidth on said channel. 12.5 Khz bandwidth give 2.5 khz of FM modulation. 20 Khz wide band give 4 Khz FM modulation, 25 Khz bandwidth give 5 Khz FM modulation.

In digital (NXDN) 12.5 Khz give you a baud rate of 9600 while 6.25 (VNFM) give you 4800 baud rate.

 

[Ov3rwatch]

The 450 "K" will go down to 440, but no lower.

Is there anything special that needs to happen to program it in the 440s? I need a P25 Capable radio to program into a commercial repeater in the 480 and 500 range and am eyeing up the NX-5800K over an XTS mobile as I would love to use it for HAM DMR too and drop my XPR. Having all 3 modes in one head is the dream setup but all my area repeaters are between 442 and 448 and I'd love to avoid dropping an extra $1200 on a k2 AND a K if I can avoid it. So if it can go down to 440 it would be perfect for my local DMR and Analog Repeaters.

 

[wd8chl]

Wide band D1 allows for 20/25 bandwidth, which is allowable in Canada. In the US, it's only allowed for GMRS and ham bands. (And marine band)
The 450 "K" will go down to 440, but no lower.
Do not use wide on part 95 frequency as that's no longer allowed.

Didn't you mean Part 90? 95 is GMRS, and WB is still legal there...or did I misunderstand?

 

[03msc]

Is there anything special that needs to happen to program it in the 440s? I need a P25 Capable radio to program into a commercial repeater in the 480 and 500 range and am eyeing up the NX-5800K over an XTS mobile as I would love to use it for HAM DMR too and drop my XPR. Having all 3 modes in one head is the dream setup but all my area repeaters are between 442 and 448 and I'd love to avoid dropping an extra $1200 on a k2 AND a K if I can avoid it. So if it can go down to 440 it would be perfect for my local DMR and Analog Repeaters.

The NX-5xxx series (not the 5xxxS series) will do analog but two of three digital modes at a time.

Analog
Plus, choose 2 of these:
- P25
- DMR
- NXDN

Of course, license for the desired digital mode(s) is necessary (sans NXDN which it comes with).

Just making sure you were aware of that since your posts referenced "all 3 modes".

You can, of course, do a dual deck or tri deck setup of various bands (combination of 5700, 5800, 5900) and have different modes in each deck.

 

[N1YLJ]

What's the going rate now for a Wide Band license key these days?

 

[cavmedic]

What's the going rate now for a Wide Band license key these days?

a Metric shi* ton

 

[03msc]

What's the going rate now for a Wide Band license key these days?

@kd4efm can tell you for sure. I don't recall off hand.

 

[AM909]

The NX-5xxx series (not the 5xxxS series) will do analog but two of three digital modes at a time.

Analog
Plus, choose 2 of these:
- P25
- DMR
- NXDN

Of course, license for the desired digital mode(s) is necessary (sans NXDN which it comes with).

Available licenses include:

DIGITAL – P25 MODE
• Conventional Features (KWD-5100CV)
• Phase 1 Trunking Features (KWD-5100CV & 5101TR)
• Phase 2 Trunking Features (KWD-5100CV & 5101TR & 5102TR)
• Conventional OTAR (KWD-5103RK)
• Trunking OTAR (KWD-5103RK & 5106DT)
• Conventional Voting Scan (KWD-5105VT)
• Packet Data required for Trunked OTAR/GPS (KWD-5106DT)
• P25 ARC4 Encryption (KWD-5107EE)
• Link Layer Authentication (KWD-5100CV & KWD-5101TR & KWD-AE3x Encryption Board Required)

DIGITAL – DMR MODE
• DMR Tier 2 Conventional Features (KWD-5300CV)
• DMR Tier 3 Trunking Features (KWD-5300CV & KWD-5301TR)

(note the "layering")

I don't see a wideband entitlement for KPG-D1N, but if it's needed (and not automatic for the relevant freqs), I'm guessing @kd4efm knows the answer about that.

 

[cavmedic]

Available licenses include:

DIGITAL – P25 MODE
• Conventional Features (KWD-5100CV)
• Phase 1 Trunking Features (KWD-5100CV & 5101TR)
• Phase 2 Trunking Features (KWD-5100CV & 5101TR & 5102TR)
• Conventional OTAR (KWD-5103RK)
• Trunking OTAR (KWD-5103RK & 5106DT)
• Conventional Voting Scan (KWD-5105VT)
• Packet Data required for Trunked OTAR/GPS (KWD-5106DT)
• P25 ARC4 Encryption (KWD-5107EE)
• Link Layer Authentication (KWD-5100CV & KWD-5101TR & KWD-AE3x Encryption Board Required)

DIGITAL – DMR MODE
• DMR Tier 2 Conventional Features (KWD-5300CV)
• DMR Tier 3 Trunking Features (KWD-5300CV & KWD-5301TR)

(note the "layering")

I don't see a wideband entitlement for KPG-D1N, but if it's needed (and not automatic for the relevant freqs), I'm guessing @kd4efm knows the answer about that.

Not an entitlement like Motorola. It’s the software called D1W

 

[mmckenna]

I don't see a wideband entitlement for KPG-D1N, but if it's needed (and not automatic for the relevant freqs), I'm guessing @kd4efm knows the answer about that.

Yeah, it's not a feature, it's the software.

Keep in mind for the ham folks, below 150MHz, the 5200/5700 will do wide band. Kenwood is pretty good about this with all their commercial radios.

On UHF, however, the amateur allocation is secondary, and the radio will NOT do wide band on 70cm or GMRS.

 

[N1YLJ]

Yeah, it's not a feature, it's the software.

Keep in mind for the ham folks, below 150MHz, the 5200/5700 will do wide band. Kenwood is pretty good about this with all their commercial radios.

On UHF, however, the amateur allocation is secondary, and the radio will NOT do wide band on 70cm or GMRS.

Ok even with the Wideband D1W, it will not do wide band on the UHF Amateur allocation?