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PKT-23 Programming cable

pfdradio

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Jan 5, 2007
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107
Location
Briar Park
I have the PKT-23 radios and the Software, but I cannot find the drivers for the USB cable. I don't know if there is a radio specific cable. I'm trying with a USB to micro USB and the computer recognizes the radio (It says PKT-23) but cannot find the driver.

I know you don't need the software to program these radios. I would like to use the software.
 

DLPE

Newbie
Joined
Jan 15, 2021
Messages
2
PM me your e-mail address and I'll send them to you. There is a specific set of USB drivers for that radio.
I'd need your e-mail address. With your low post count, you cannot send private messages on here, so you'll have to post it.
Hi I need the Drivers to can you send me them to?
I'd need your e-mail address. With your low post count, you cannot send private messages on here, so you'll have to post it.
Peterdyck90@gmail.com where can I find the post count
 

K0RE

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Aug 7, 2019
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Davenport, IA
My question for the day is, once you have the programming software & cables + necessary drivers, will you be able to program a PKT-23 to a specific business radio frequency and sub audible tone? I know that there are 99 pre-programmed frequencies already installed in these radios but those don't match our existing repeater frequency that we are licensed for.
 

mmckenna

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Hiding in a coffee shop.
I've only seen the 99 pre-programmed channel version here in the USA.

I've seen mention of a LMR version that can be programmed for 450-470MHz, but I've never actually seen one and it's very difficult to find info on it.

If you need to program your own channels, there's better options.
 

K0RE

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Aug 7, 2019
Messages
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Location
Davenport, IA
I did download the PKT-23 software and gave it a quick try, but all that will allow me to do is program the same 99 preset channels. In my case, I'm a recently retired merchant marine radio-electronics officer and a long time ham. I live in a non profit retirement village and have volunteered to maintain the existing, licensed, UHF repeater system that they use for house keeping, maintenance, and transportation. We have about 25 older Motorola CP200 radios plus the repeater. The facility administrator is wanting to try some smaller, lighter, radios that can be used on the existing repeater. I was hoping that the PKT-23's would be useable because they are so small and light and would be perfect for the housekeeping staff. So far it's been difficult to come up with definite information on just what I can get these Kenwood radios to do other than the preprogrammed 99 channels. I feel a little guilty because I kind of steered them toward the Kenwood stuff but now I can't seem to quite deliver. It would be nice to use the unlicensed 900 Mhz Motorola radios, but then that would make communications with the vans taking the residents to the doctor appointments very difficult unless we used two separate radio systems, but that would make the front desk ladies work a lot more difficult. These days there's so many possibilities and it's hard to come up with a definite solution because of the lack of information since I'm not a dealer for any brand. I have contacted a Kenwood dealer but haven't heard from them yet. Thanks for your reply.
 

K0RE

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An update:
I did get a reply from a dealer and believe that I have the solution. What is needed is the Kenwood KPG-172D software where you select the LMR version of the PKT-23 radio. That software was downloaded and I was able to put in the frequencies of our licensed repeater and PL tones. The next step will be to make sure we order the correct LMR version of the radio. Programming should be possible using a micro USB cable. Also available from the dealer was the USB driver software. The next step will be to try all of the stuff I have downloaded in my computer to actually program a radio. That will be tried when we get them.
 

K0RE

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Davenport, IA
I've done a little more research because I'm trying to figure out if there's a difference between a PKT-23 and a PKT-23K other than the first may have 4 channels and the latter 8. It's important that I can use the KPG-172D software to program the radios to use our existing licensed UHF repeater. Maybe any of the PKT-23 radios can be used after custom programming on a repeater, but so far I've gotten no definite answer.
 

K0RE

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Aug 7, 2019
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Davenport, IA
I've only seen the 99 pre-programmed channel version here in the USA.

I've seen mention of a LMR version that can be programmed for 450-470MHz, but I've never actually seen one and it's very difficult to find info on it.

If you need to program your own channels, there's better options.
I ended up with a viable solution for my programming problem. The retirement home management did purchase some Kenwood PKT-23's for staff use and had a dealer program them. In the mean time I did discover that I could load a previous version of the KPG-172D software and that would work fine. The newest version of that software will generate an immediate error when I try to program a frequency that isn't one of the 99 pre-programmed ones. An older version will stop and ask me if I want to 'over-write' my desired frequency. When I say 'yes', it does it and my problem was solved.
 

Blackjack556

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Joined
Jan 26, 2017
Messages
2
Location
New York, NY
Hi folks... been trying to get my PKT-23 (ebay) to do non preset frequencies. Any luck guys on the older version of the KPG-172D software? Thanks!
 

K0RE

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Aug 7, 2019
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Location
Davenport, IA
I detailed in previous posts my adventure in trying to program my (ebay) purchased PK-23 radios with the KPG-172D software. What finally worked was the older version 1.02 MPD SP1 released Jan 30, 2014. When that version was installed, I could then put in any frequency I wanted, including the local ham repeater frequencies, and the radio seems to work very well.
 
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