tk-3180 k3 questions, need help?

[StMiLo]

ok, so now i'm looking for a program cable and software.

correct me if i'm wrong

i think i need the kpg-36um cable for 64bit system,
and i've looked and all i find is kpg-36 or kpg-36u (are these the same cables?)
some have USB
( Amazon.com : SECUDA High Quality USB Programming*Cable For Kenwood Radios TK-180 TK-981 TK-2180 TK-3260 Multi-pin 122-204 : Electronics Cable Adapters : Electronics )

and some are other plugs.
( Amazon.com: Kenwood Programming Cable KPG-36 TK-280 TK-380 TK-2140 TK-3140: Electronics )

the software i'm looking for is kpg-89d (standard) or kpg-96d (trunked)

can someone point me in the right direction or post a link on the exact items i need to program the radios. i've seen possible matches on ebay and amazon and these prices seem very cheap ($12.99 up to $49.99), so i'm wondering if these are the right ones. the other online retailers that sell these particular items seem quite expensive ($145 and up)

the only video on youtube that shows how to program these radios is very short, and i'm wondering if anyone knows how to program and could possibly explain a little better on how to do so. thanks

 

[N7AS]

TK-3180 Programing Cable

The cable I use is this one on eBay...

USB Programming Cable KPG 36U for Kenwood TK 3140 TK 3148 TK 3180 TK 2260 Radio | eBay

 

[StMiLo]

The cable I use is this one on eBay...

USB Programming Cable KPG 36U for Kenwood TK 3140 TK 3148 TK 3180 TK 2260 Radio | eBay

is this the seller you bought it from? because there are many of these types of cables with different prices and i don't want to get the wrong one.
so how does this work? does the software come with it? if not is kpg-89d the right software? how do you program this radio? can you help me out with more info?

 

[N7AS]

The link I posted is the one I purchased. I found the link from my receipt from PayPal. A USB driver CD is included with the cable. The software to get is KPG-89D.

 

[StMiLo]

ok, thats great and a big help. so how do you actually program these radios? i seen a youtube video but that doesn't seem to be much help? the radios i received have to be reprogrammed because they still have old info from the previous user. they actually don't work because they are not in the area they originated at.. do i have the wipe all the info (like factory reset) from these radios?

 

[N7AS]

When you get the cable, you have to install the USB driver. Then on your PC go to Control Panel > Device Manager > Ports (COM & LPT) Drop down the list and you should see Communications Port (COM4) or whatever. There may show COM1 on one line and should say another Port Maybe (COM6) or some other Port. That one probably is the Cable. The Cable must be plugged into the PC in order for it to show up.

Install the KPG-89D software and run it. On the top menu go to Setup > COM Port and clik on it. You should see a list of COM Ports. Select the ons for the cable and clik OK. Then with the cable connected to the Radio and turned on you can Read the radio. Before doing that on the top menu click on Model > Product Information and select TK-3180 (Portable K). Then Click on Program from the top menu and select Read Data from the Transciever. This will show what's programed int the radio. Just change the values in the colums for the channels you want to program. Don't forget to change or disable any CTCSS or DPC tones in those colums. When you are done Write the data back to the radio and don;t forget to save the file for later use.

 

[StMiLo]

The cable I use is this one on eBay...

i see you have a K4, what do you use your radio for?

 

[N7AS]

i see you have a K4, what do you use your radio for?

I use it mainly for Ham repeaters, commercial frequencies and Public Safety monitoring.

 

[StMiLo]

Click on Program from the top menu and select Read Data from the Transciever. This will show what's programed int the radio. Just change the values in the colums for the channels you want to program. Don't forget to change or disable any CTCSS or DPC tones in those colums. When you are done Write the data back to the radio and don;t forget to save the file for later use.

ok i finally got my cable and software. now its time to getter done..
when i clicked on read only 1 channel popped up, which was assuming the only channel we at work can use.
now my question is??? can i delete this channel completely and start fresh?
where do i get the RX/TX frequencies from
whats the QT/DQT Dec & QT/DQT Enc mean?
do i get to re-assign a channel name?
power? mine is set on HIGH
im assuming W/N means WIDE/Narrow?
Scan Add? yes or no?
Opt Signal? mine is set on FleetSync.... whats the other options?
whats MPT1327 (with firmware upgrade) all about?

i want to make these radios fully functional on all frequencies in the uhf spectrum 450-520 MHz if possible.

 

[N7AS]

Yes, you can delete this channel, but if this is actually your authorized work frequency, write it down along with any other data in the other columns.

Where do you get the RX/TX frequencies from?
I thought you said that one channel already had your work frequency.

QT/DQT Dec is the the tone assigned to the RX. QT/DQT Enc is the tone assigned to the TX.

You can assign a channel name up to 12 characters.

W/N means Wide/Narrow. This depends upon the channel spacing of the frequency that is programed into that channel.

Scan ADD adds that channel to the Scan List.

Optional Signaling: Set to none. You probably won't need it.

MPT-1327 is used in the UK and Europe. Don't worry about it.

If you want to progran a channel to just monitor and not transmit, just progran the RX and leave the RX blank. If you are not sure about the QT/DQT tone frequency, just set to none. If you have a tone set that is not associated with that system, you will not be able to receive any signals on that frequency.

I hope this gives you a start.

 

[mmckenna]

ok i finally got my cable and software. now its time to getter done..
when i clicked on read only 1 channel popped up, which was assuming the only channel we at work can use.
now my question is??? can i delete this channel completely and start fresh?

Easier to just over write it.

where do i get the RX/TX frequencies from

What exactly do you mean? These frequencies are part of your FCC license(s). If you are looking to do RX only, you can use the database to find some frequencies to listen to.

whats the QT/DQT Dec & QT/DQT Enc mean?

Tone or digital squelch. Decode is for the receive side. Encode is for the transmit side. This is the same as PL, DPL, CTCSS, DCS, etc.

do i get to re-assign a channel name?

Sure, just type it in.

power? mine is set on HIGH

Low is usually around 1 watt, high is usually around 4 watts. What you are permitted to use depends on what the license says. 1 watt will help your battery last longer, but will obviously reduce your transmit range, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

im assuming W/N means WIDE/Narrow?

You assume correctly. Wide is no longer used on the business band for voice communications in the VHF High and UHF bands. Unless you are using the radio for Amateur or GMRS, set it to narrow. Not setting this correctly can lead to low audio or distorted audio.

Scan Add? yes or no?

Depends on if you want to scan that channel or not.

Opt Signal? mine is set on FleetSync.... whats the other options?

Depending on the age of your radio, FleetSync, MDC1200, Off, DTMF, these are all types of signaling used for sending short data burst between radios. It's often used for a "caller ID" type function, triggering remote repeaters, etc. Unless you actually need it, leave it off, it can just get annoying.

whats MPT1327 (with firmware upgrade) all about?

It's a trunking protocol. Very few companies use it in the USA. Not worth the upgrade if you don't need it. You would know if you need it, and honestly, if you have to ask, you don't need it.

i want to make these radios fully functional on all frequencies in the uhf spectrum 450-520 MHz if possible.

Big red flag here, at least in my mind. You do understand that you need a valid FCC license to transmit with these radios, right? You can't just program in whatever you want and start transmitting without running afoul of the law. Even your work frequencies require an FCC license, and since your employer holds that license, they are the only ones that can authorize new radios on THIER systems. That means that while you can program your own radios, YOU have the responsibility to get THEIR permission. They hold the FCC license, not you. The FCC is very clear about this.

Your radio will -not- hold "all frequencies in the uhf spectrum…", it just doesn't have enough memory for that. You would need to decide what you want to put in it. If you intend to transmit, you need a license for those frequencies. There isn't anything, however, that would stop you from programming in frequencies as receive only and using this like a scanner.

 

[StMiLo]

This is all new to me, I don't know anything about radios. But I am a quick learner. And this is all very useful information and I should be able to reprogram these radios with all your help. BTW just FYI this is for entertainment purposes not commercial/business. I know someone will say it. "these radios are not for entertainment purposes".... what can I do to use them for that purpose? If this isn't possible can I just delete the info on these radios and just sell them?

So anything with 450-520 MHz has to have a FCC License to be able to transmit?
Gmrs/Frs has frequencies that do not need licenses to operate right? Can't I just use those frequencies?

 

[mmckenna]

So anything with 450-520 MHz has to have a FCC License to be able to transmit?
Gmrs/Frs has frequencies that do not need licenses to operate right? Can't I just use those frequencies?

GMRS requires a license. It's not hard to get and gives you access to repeaters (if there are any in your area and the owner allows it) use of higher power (up to 50 watts) and better antennas. Last time I renewed my GMRS license it was $85 for 5 years. GMRS is great for family use.

FRS does not require a physical license, but it is referred to as "License by Rule", which translates into "you are allowed to use FRS as long as you follow all the rules".
The hitch here is that the FRS rules require the use of a radio that does not have a removable antenna. Since your radio has a removable antenna, that means it cannot be legally use for FRS. The FRS rules also require 1/2 watt (500milliwatts) or less TX power and not capable of being turned up, that also precludes this radio from legal use on FRS.

All business/Part 90 frequencies require an FCC license, without exception.

These radios should allow programming in the Amateur radio band (70cm band). An amateur radio license is really easy to get with a bit of studying, and gives you access to a lot of repeaters and a wide selection of different bands to choose from. A really good investment if you are interested in radios.

You can certainly sell them, but since you are expressing an interest in radios, and have already invested time and money in them, why not just study for your amateur license, or get your GMRS license and put them to good use?

 

[StMiLo]

GMRS requires a license. It's not hard to get and gives you access to repeaters (if there are any in your area and the owner allows it) use of higher power (up to 50 watts) and better antennas. Last time I renewed my GMRS license it was $85 for 5 years. GMRS is great for family use.

So just by having a GMRS license i can use repeaters in my area? How do I know if there are any repeaters in my area? And what does a repeater actually do? Is that like a dispatch unit or a scanner of some sort? I'm sure I can probably Google it to find out. Hahaha

FRS does not require a physical license, but it is referred to as "License by Rule", which translates into "you are allowed to use FRS as long as you follow all the rules".
The hitch here is that the FRS rules require the use of a radio that does not have a removable antenna. Since your radio has a removable antenna, that means it cannot be legally use for FRS. The FRS rules also require 1/2 watt (500milliwatts) or less TX power and not capable of being turned up, that also precludes this radio from legal use on FRS.

All business/Part 90 frequencies require an FCC license, without exception.

I'm assuming the business/part 90 frequencies are the 450-520MHz

These radios should allow programming in the Amateur radio band (70cm band). An amateur radio license is really easy to get with a bit of studying, and gives you access to a lot of repeaters and a wide selection of different bands to choose from. A really good investment if you are interested in radios.

Where can I get the material to study for this amateur radio license?

You can certainly sell them, but since you are expressing an interest in radios, and have already invested time and money in them, why not just study for your amateur license, or get your GMRS license and put them to good use?

This is not a bad idea at all. I know if/when all the cell phone technology go to hell, the frequencies with all radios will still be there, and the only people that will be able to communicate with one another will be HAM RADIO users.

Any who, I might consider this idea with an easier set of radios. These are obviously not made for what I want to use them for. So point me in the right direction to selling these radios that way I can buy me an easier set to work with... how or what do I need to do to reset these and start fresh. Do I just delete the channels or what?

 

[svfd17]

"This is not a bad idea at all. I know if/when all the cell phone technology go to hell, the frequencies with all radios will still be there, and the only people that will be able to communicate with one another will be HAM RADIO users. "

I'm pretty sure law enforcement, fire dept. and ems will have no issues communicating with each other as well...

Sent from my C570 using this tapatalk machinery

 

[mmckenna]

So just by having a GMRS license i can use repeaters in my area? How do I know if there are any repeaters in my area? And what does a repeater actually do? Is that like a dispatch unit or a scanner of some sort? I'm sure I can probably Google it to find out. Hahaha

GMRS repeaters in Illinois:
myGMRS.com - GMRS Repeater Directory

A repeater is usually located at a high point, like the top of a building, tower or mountain. From up high, it can hear the lower powered mobiles. It receives this signal and amplifies it. It then retransmits that signal over a much larger area. Working just radio to radio, you might get 2 or 3 miles of range. Running through a repeater, you might get 50 or more miles of range.
GMRS and Amateur repeaters are owned by either individuals or clubs, and that makes them private property, so using one requires the OK of the owner. Some will grant it to anyone who asks, or on websites, others don't allow others to use them. It's always a good idea to get permission first, if it is not expressly given by other means.

I'm assuming the business/part 90 frequencies are the 450-520MHz

Part 90 is the section of the FCC rules that applies to business and public safety radios systems. 450-520mHz is mostly Part 90 allocated frequencies. There are many other slices of spectrum, besides these, that are used for such purposes.

Where can I get the material to study for this amateur radio license?

All over the net. Look for a Technician Class Amateur radio license study guide. The other good place to look is at American Radio Relay League | ARRL - The national association for AMATEUR RADIO

This is not a bad idea at all. I know if/when all the cell phone technology go to hell, the frequencies with all radios will still be there, and the only people that will be able to communicate with one another will be HAM RADIO users.

Well, cell phone carriers are starting to make improvements, but the likelihood of the overall cellular phone system failing is still a good possibility. It's a good idea to have a fall back, but keep in mind that GMRS and Amateur repeaters fail, too.

Any who, I might consider this idea with an easier set of radios. These are obviously not made for what I want to use them for. So point me in the right direction to selling these radios that way I can buy me an easier set to work with... how or what do I need to do to reset these and start fresh. Do I just delete the channels or what?

e-Bay might be risky, but a good place to start. I think there is a for sale section on this website, too.
If you go GMRS, these might be good radios to start with. If you go with an Amateur license, you would be happier with a true amateur radio, as it will ultimately give you more flexibility.

There really isn't any reason to reset the radios. You can if you want, but it's not really necessary. You can delete all the channels, but you'll have to leave one in.

 

[StMiLo]

e-Bay might be risky, but a good place to start. I think there is a for sale section on this website, too.
If you go GMRS, these might be good radios to start with. If you go with an Amateur license, you would be happier with a true amateur radio, as it will ultimately give you more flexibility.

There really isn't any reason to reset the radios. You can if you want, but it's not really necessary. You can delete all the channels, but you'll have to leave one in.

i was looking at the software, it seems a little daunting as i looked through the drop down menus, i really don't know what does what. realizing this as well as other factors, i just want to put these up for sale. but i don't want the old information from the radio on there. is there a way that maybe you can help me possibly use default settings so i can just get rid of these. and with the money i can go get a license and buy a nice set to use on gmrs after i get the license. if you can, that would be just great..

 

[mmckenna]

I don't have any default TK-3180 files I could send you that you could use as a replacement. The easiest thing to do is to go through and delete everything you can from the frequency fields. You'll need to leave at least one in there, but you can make it a receive only. Just put something in there to make it happy. Doesn't really matter what.
Anyone who purchased the radios is going to want to reprogram them anyway. If they don't, putting a receive only channel in there would prevent them from causing any issues.

 

[StMiLo]

UP ON EBAY.

well i finally got around to reprogramming these radios. and i took off the frequency that i used for work and just added the 7 FRS GMRS frequencies just for reselling purposes. something that the receiving party can use to test the functionality of these devices. these are on ebay and i think i put them at a reasonable price to start the auction. i don't know though, this is my first rodeo with selling on ebay. we will see how this works.

Kenwood TK 3180K3 Kenwood TK 3180K VHF UHF Portable Transceivers | eBay

 

[StMiLo]

How do i get my Ebay listing on to the CLASSIFIEDS ad on here?