kenwood tk863g

[Mongerbl82]

I have one of them and for some reason this program is not running through dolls it's running through windows and I mean like I said I'm using Windows 10

 

[mmckenna]

I have an old very early 2000's era HP laptop that has a real DB-9 RS-232 port. It has Windows 95 on it. I downloaded a program called "Rufus" that is a DOS emulator. I put Rufus on a USB thumb drive. Laptop is set up to boot off the USB drive if it's plugged in.

That runs the laptop in -real- DOS mode, not the "DOS in a window" mode. On the thumb drive is the programming software. Just used it a few days ago to wipe some old radios for disposal. Uses the laptops DB-9 port for the old cables.

"DOS in a window" doesn't usually work with the older software. You may need to scrounge around for an old PC to make this work. Unless someone here's got a better idea. Maybe there's an easier way than what I use.

 

[Mongerbl82]

I have a laptop Dell running Windows 98 I might have to see if I can get the software to load up on there it's got the serial port and a USB

 

[mmckenna]

I have a laptop Dell running Windows 98 I might have to see if I can get the software to load up on there it's got the serial port and a USB

That's what I'd try.

 

[Mongerbl82]

Okay I just loaded it into my CD ROM drive on the laptop Windows 98 and it's not showing any files on the CD but on understand it's showing all the files

I just tried it on my Windows 98 laptop took me a bit to get the software installed but it's telling me the same thing it would not read or write programming told me to check the connection

And I've tried both of the com ports and neither one of them did anything I'm using a Serial port connection with the kpg46 programming cable

 

[mmckenna]

The correct programming cable for that radio would be the KPG-46 RS-232 cable. The KPG-46U is the USB version, but it may not like the software/drivers/DOS/other annoying PC things.

Make sure the speed/parity for the comm port is set to something reasonable. Usually the "default" setting works fine.

Kind of hard to troubleshoot without the right tools. Could be a problem with the radio, could be the programming cable, could be the software/DOS not getting along.

Again, one of the risks with these older radios. No idea how it was abused in its previous life.

 

[Mongerbl82]

Well like I said before with the radio when I key up with the mic after about 5 Seconds it starts beeping I just got the correct microphone and it still does that so it could be with the radio itself

And where would I check the speed and everything yet

 

[mmckenna]

And where would I check the speed and everything yet

Device Manager, comm port settings

 

[Mongerbl82]

Okay thank you

 

[mmckenna]

Well like I said before with the radio when I key up with the mic after about 5 Seconds it starts beeping I just got the correct microphone and it still does that so it could be with the radio itself

OK, so the microphone works. Sounds like its programmed for either an analog trunking system or time out timer. But the data, while using the microphone jack, uses different pins.

 

[Mongerbl82]

ok yeah I'm not sure what it's doing with the microphone because like I said I key up the red light of blink and after 5 Seconds it just starts beeping almost like there's no programming on the transmit side

All right the commsport setting is at the lowest in that is 9600 I believe it is and the data bytes are five stop bites is one

 

[mmckenna]

All right the commsport setting is at the lowest in that is 9600 I believe it is and the data bytes are five stop bites is one

9600 8 N 1 is usually default.

But the radio should read/write much faster than that. It should be able to do 115,200

If that does not work, you need to consider the programming cable is the issue, or the radio itself is the issue.

 

[Mongerbl82]

You know I didn't think it'd be this hard the program a radio I guess I'm just not used to kenwoods I have Motorola ht1000 and Vertex Standard vx160s HTS and they're easy the program I just need a mobile unit for my car that I can program myself

9600 8 N 1 is usually default.

But the radio should read/write much faster than that. It should be able to do 115,200

So do I wanted to read faster or slower

All right so if radio is the problem then work could that be possibly any thoughts Jack possibly or where?

 

[mmckenna]

You know I didn't think it'd be this hard the program a radio I guess I'm just not used to kenwoods I have Motorola ht1000 and Vertex Standard vx160s HTS and they're easy the program I just need a mobile unit for my car that I can program myself

So, forget some of what I said above. I was thinking this was DOS software, but it's not. Forgive my fuzzy memory, it's been a long day.
It should work fine on Windows 98. I'm not sure Windows 10 will do it, but sounds like you tried that.

When you set up the software, it asked for a serial number, did the number you entered start with 74K44….? The K44 part is important as that sets the market code for the software. If it's got a different letter, that may be part of your problem. Country/market code for the software needs to match the country/market code for the radio. If they don't, it'll complain.

Open the software and make sure you go under the Setup tab and set the comm port to what the computer is giving the cable.

If everything is working correctly, when the radio is powered up and you connect the cable and tell the software to read the radio, it should put the radio into programming mode. Might say that on the radio display. If the radio doesn't indicate something is happening, then the radio/computer are not talking.

I'm not 100% sure I'd trust an aftermarket cable that the seller claims will work. There are good after market cables out there, but there's also bad ones. One of the reasons at work I only use the OEM programming cables.

Kenwood radios are easy to program. It shouldn't be difficult if you have the right stuff, but I'm not sure you do at this point.

If easy windows programming is your goal, there's more modern radios. If this radio turns out to be a bust, return it if you can and get something newer. TK-8180's, TK-8160's, are all much newer and more capable.

 

[Mongerbl82]

Hi so I just looked at this CD and the number is 076 k44 is what it starts with

Hi and do you know where I can get a OEM cable at a reasonable price and if so please let me know I would rather have that anyway cuz the cable I'm using for programming is a unbranded cable it's a single for it but it has Kenwood and also a plug for Vertex Standard vx160 and 180

 

[mmckenna]

Hi so I just looked at this CD and the number is 076 k44 is what it starts with

OK, good, that's what you want. The K44 means it's North American market. Issue we see sometimes is people will pull the software off the internet and use the serial number from some overseas market and it won't talk to the radio.

Hi and do you know where I can get a OEM cable at a reasonable price and if so please let me know I would rather have that anyway cuz the cable I'm using for programming is a unbranded cable it's a single for it but it has Kenwood and also a plug for Vertex Standard vx160 and 180

You'd have to sniff around the net.
I use the Kenwood cables and haven't had an issue with any of them. Finding a dealer would be a good start.

There are very likely after market cables that will work just fine, I just don't have any first hand experience with them.

 

[Mongerbl82]

All right thank you I will look on eBay again and see if I can find anything I found a few but what I found is unbranded and 90% of them are USB and I want a Serial Port connection

 

[mmckenna]

All right thank you I will look on eBay again and see if I can find anything I found a few but what I found is unbranded and 90% of them are USB and I want a Serial Port connection

You'll likely have a hard time finding any new OEM serial cables. Might be some out there.

Maybe post a new thread in this Kenwood forum asking for input from others. There may be good/reliable after market cables that someone else has experience with.

But we still don't know if the issue is your cable or the radio itself. I seem to recall someone getting an older Kenwood radio set up for trunking, and the shop had removed a circuit board trace or component to keep the radio from being read. In the old days, before password protect, a shop may not want someone else being able to read the radio programming. Old trunking systems were not very secure and it was easy to add radios to the system without the system administrator knowing.
But that's getting into the point of opening up the radio and going through it with the service manual looking for modifications. That's a lot of work, and if you do find something fixing it becomes a bigger challenge.

 

[tweiss3]

BlueMax49er has the FTDI USB KPG-46 cable for sale. I've had excellent luck with his cables, but I don't have any experience with that radio/cable combo.

 

[Mongerbl82]

Found one on eBay for $85 and it's a USB OEM Kenwood

BlueMax49er has the FTDI USB KPG-46 cable for sale. I've had excellent luck with his cables, but I don't have any experience with that radio/cable combo.

My biggest problem I'm having with the cable I have now is that unable to read or write to the radio and I need one that is serial port