TCP/IP over Kenwood

[MarvinTheMartian]

Hi,

Does any Kenwood DMR or NXDN mobile/handheld radio support TCP/IP over usb? (no trunking)

I've seen a demonstration of Motorola's DMR radio being used as networking device, where two radios connected to computer each exposes ethernet over USB, and where it allows tcp/ip packet exchange. I don't have a better description, so I'll post a video here:

I am trying to setup two mobile radio stations about 40-45 km away from each other, on a licensed frequency, outside of mobile phone network coverage that would be able to exchange small chunks of data while in addition serving as a voice communications tool. I'm not looking for multimedia or intenet connectivity (although I do plan to arrange email forwarding over this link).

I'm partial to Kenwood, and would prefer to use their radios over Motorola.

Thanks!

 

[kd4efm]

this is called transparent mode, I did a test some years back using D-RATS (from the d-star days of file transfer) and was able to
send and receive files from upper New England to Florida over NXDN. (* over tcpip via the nxcore i run)

There are also a few people I know who are using the transparent mode with SCADA.

NO this is NOT a ETHERNET replacement as the data is less than the actual speed
9600 (12.5 narrow fm) is like 9150 in actual tests
4800 (6.25 ver narrow) is like 4120 in actual tests.

it's either instant send or buffered send (like store forward) and is encapsulated in the voice/data packets (hence F1W)

 

[MarvinTheMartian]

Hi kd4efm,

Thanks for the quick answer. I'm still a bit of a noob when it comes to radio's so please bare with me.

What I'm interested is more in putting connected devices (Raspberry Pi 4s on either side, running Linux) into a LAN, albeit a very, VERY slow one. There might be a third site at one point. Would that be possible to implement it as well? Mobile radio at all sites, listening to traffic that's intended for it (via ip address).

We plan to do some data exchange between apps running on these Raspberry's (we're working on a custom GIS), and we also want to allow exchange of email where size of each incoming or outgoing message is limited in size.

Would a 3000 series or 5000 series mobile radio allow for this kind of connectivity?

Also, could you please recommend a document on the subject that I can research in more detail?

Cheers!

 

[kd4efm]

Unfortunately no, there is no IP structure in the NXDN CAI, only in the repeaters with NXIP abilities and that ability is to be able to take the CAI
and transport it over IP in UDP packets.

This would be best suited with using Ubiquity Radio (or like devices) and making your own private WLAN. Where as there is 900 NLOS radios that will do up to 150Mb data rates and possibly be best for your project.

What I did with NXDN and the ham community was make a better means of communications over GMSK (used in D-Star) while Part 90 gear can be used for part 97, you are not supposed to use things like the d-star 1.2gig data radio for commercial use, that does use wireless ethernet
protocal.

Hope this helps some.

 

[MarvinTheMartian]

Thank you once again.

This information about IP structure in NXDN was crucial. I couldn't find this elsewhere!

I think we'll go the way of Motorola DMR mobile stations... These radios would serve for both voice and data, and the remote location is off-grid and powered by a small solar/wind + battery setup, with a backup 1kw generator. There's both monetary and power budget, and as I said, location is about 40 kilometres away. VHF mobile rig in an off-road vehicle already has reliable connection, so we know that it will work. And there will only be one antenna on location in this way. And our data needs are modest.

It would be really nice if one day kenwood would implement CAI to IP routing, transparent to attached devices (bluetooth PAN, usb or rj-45 ethernet). And some sort of built-in repeater on a single mobile radio, like Hytera's SFR mobiles... I've used professional Kenwood radios for a while in my previous workplace, and I loved them. I'm taking a ham radio test soon, and I'm looking at this awesome TS2000x rig... One just has to love Kenwood.

I guess you can't have it all. For remote deployments without trunking, there is no ideal solution.

• Kenwood uses NXDN which has higher data rate than DMR, but doesn't have CAI to IP, nor single frequency repeater like Hytera
  • Bonus for Kenwood, 2x 5000 series mobile radios can be combined on a single remote head for dual band support (VHF and UHF).
• Hytera has single frequency repeater, but used DMR which has lower data rate, and no IP
• Motorola has IP, but used DMR with lower data rate and no single freq. repeater.