Kenwood Tk-8180 transmitting Issues

[BiggsPhoto]

I just put a new data file in my TK-8180 and now when I try to transmit it just flashes red, any thoughts on what the issue might be?

 

[mmckenna]

Which TK-8180 is it? There is a 400-470MHz version and a 450-512 version. If you programmed it for something too far outside the range of the radio, it'll lose VCO lock and not transmit.

If the channels are set up for RX only, that would cause it to bonk.

Some more info would help. Is it set up for conventional channels, or LTR trunking?

 

[BiggsPhoto]

Which TK-8180 is it? There is a 400-470MHz version and a 450-512 version. If you programmed it for something too far outside the range of the radio, it'll lose VCO lock and not transmit.

If the channels are set up for RX only, that would cause it to bonk.

Some more info would help. Is it set up for conventional channels, or LTR trunking?

Its the 450-520MHz version. I got this message that piped up prior to programming, I’m assuming I might need the latest firmware update.

 

[mmckenna]

Yeah, so what that means is the programming software version is newer than the radio firmware version. You've programmed features into the radio that the software allows, but the radio firmware will not support.

The fix is to contact your friendly neighborhood Kenwood dealer and get updated firmware.
If your radio is not the MPT model, the latest firmware is 1.22, released January 2013
If your radio IS the MPT model, the latest firmware is 3.35MPT, released January 2013

KPG-89DN is the non-MPT programming software, latest version is 1.61, released in November 2012
KPG-96DN is the MPT programming software, latest version is 3.30, released November 2012.
You can read the software version info under the "Help" tab, click on "About KPG-xxx".

To read the firmware version in your radio, you can go under the "Tools" menu and click on "Transceiver Information" and it'll tell you what you have.
Or, you can turn the radio off, hold the red up arrow key and power the radio on. It'll display the current firmware version.

To update firmware, you'll need the firmware file and the firmware programming file called "FPro.exe" that is on the disk your programming software came on. You'll point that at the new firmware file and select the comm port your radio is on. Turn the radio OFF, hold the "S" key and turn it back on, that will put the radio in firmware programming mode. You then send the firmware to the radio. It'll take a few minutes to dump in to the radio. When it's done, the radio screen will display the checksum value, that should match what's shown on the FPro screen.
It will not flush the programming out of your radio, but it's a -REALLY- good idea to always read the radio before you do this and save the file in a safe place.

Also, it looks like you have trunking set up. If your radio isn't in range of the system, isn't programmed correctly, or you don't have permission to access the system, it'll give you the flashing red light when trying to transmit on a trunking system that it can't reach.

Try it on a conventional channel and see if the red LED still flashes.

 

[BiggsPhoto]

Yeah, so what that means is the programming software version is newer than the radio firmware version. You've programmed features into the radio that the software allows, but the radio firmware will not support.

The fix is to contact your friendly neighborhood Kenwood dealer and get updated firmware.
If your radio is not the MPT model, the latest firmware is 1.22, released January 2013
If your radio IS the MPT model, the latest firmware is 3.35MPT, released January 2013

KPG-89DN is the non-MPT programming software, latest version is 1.61, released in November 2012
KPG-96DN is the MPT programming software, latest version is 3.30, released November 2012.
You can read the software version info under the "Help" tab, click on "About KPG-xxx".

To read the firmware version in your radio, you can go under the "Tools" menu and click on "Transceiver Information" and it'll tell you what you have.
Or, you can turn the radio off, hold the red up arrow key and power the radio on. It'll display the current firmware version.

To update firmware, you'll need the firmware file and the firmware programming file called "FPro.exe" that is on the disk your programming software came on. You'll point that at the new firmware file and select the comm port your radio is on. Turn the radio OFF, hold the "S" key and turn it back on, that will put the radio in firmware programming mode. You then send the firmware to the radio. It'll take a few minutes to dump in to the radio. When it's done, the radio screen will display the checksum value, that should match what's shown on the FPro screen.
It will not flush the programming out of your radio, but it's a -REALLY- good idea to always read the radio before you do this and save the file in a safe place.

Also, it looks like you have trunking set up. If your radio isn't in range of the system, isn't programmed correctly, or you don't have permission to access the system, it'll give you the flashing red light when trying to transmit on a trunking system that it can't reach.

Try it on a conventional channel and see if the red LED still flashes.

So I just updated the firmware, got the solid red on the conventional just not on the trunked channels.

 

[BiggsPhoto]

Yeah, so what that means is the programming software version is newer than the radio firmware version. You've programmed features into the radio that the software allows, but the radio firmware will not support.

The fix is to contact your friendly neighborhood Kenwood dealer and get updated firmware.
If your radio is not the MPT model, the latest firmware is 1.22, released January 2013
If your radio IS the MPT model, the latest firmware is 3.35MPT, released January 2013

KPG-89DN is the non-MPT programming software, latest version is 1.61, released in November 2012
KPG-96DN is the MPT programming software, latest version is 3.30, released November 2012.
You can read the software version info under the "Help" tab, click on "About KPG-xxx".

To read the firmware version in your radio, you can go under the "Tools" menu and click on "Transceiver Information" and it'll tell you what you have.
Or, you can turn the radio off, hold the red up arrow key and power the radio on. It'll display the current firmware version.

To update firmware, you'll need the firmware file and the firmware programming file called "FPro.exe" that is on the disk your programming software came on. You'll point that at the new firmware file and select the comm port your radio is on. Turn the radio OFF, hold the "S" key and turn it back on, that will put the radio in firmware programming mode. You then send the firmware to the radio. It'll take a few minutes to dump in to the radio. When it's done, the radio screen will display the checksum value, that should match what's shown on the FPro screen.
It will not flush the programming out of your radio, but it's a -REALLY- good idea to always read the radio before you do this and save the file in a safe place.

Also, it looks like you have trunking set up. If your radio isn't in range of the system, isn't programmed correctly, or you don't have permission to access the system, it'll give you the flashing red light when trying to transmit on a trunking system that it can't reach.

Try it on a conventional channel and see if the red LED still flashes.

I’m also not getting a tone when I PTT. Can’t figure that out. I’ve got all kinds of problems lol

 

[mmckenna]

So I just updated the firmware, got the solid red on the conventional just not on the trunked channels.

OK, so solid red is good, it at least thinks it's transmitting on the conventional channels. As for the LTR stuff, check with the system administrator to make sure you have all the correct info.