TK-7180 for Echolink connection?

[Vern]

Local ham club wants to set up an Echolink internet connection to their VHF repeater and I offered a TK-7180H for the rf link. They want to use a SignaLink TNC to connect the TK to a member's home PC.
I'd rather not see them try to reinvent the wheel, so if anyone has accomplished a similar project, I'd appreciate some guidance in the radio's codeplug configuration and the wiring between the TK and the SignaLink. Not sure if there's an easy wiring setup between the DB25 on the TK and the RJ45 on the SignaLink or if it's easier to patch the TK's mic & speaker jack audio direct to the RJ45. Thanks!

 

[dispatch235]

Google brought up this: Also Tigertronics has info on the cables needed. Hope this helps

Required Pinout (SignaLink RJ45 to TK-7180 DB25)

• Pin 1 (PTT): Connects to Radio DB25 Pin 2 (External PTT).
• Pin 2 (Ground): Connects to Radio DB25 Pin 18 or 20 (GND).
• Pin 3 (TX Audio): Connects to Radio DB25 Pin 21 (External Microphone Input).
• Pin 4 (RX Audio): Connects to Radio DB25 Pin 17 (Filtered Audio Output) or Pin 19.
• Pin 5 (No Connection/NC)
• Pin 6-8: Not typically used for this configuration.

Radio Codeplug Configuration (KPG-89)

1. PTT: Ensure Pin 2 is programmed in the Kenwood software for PTT.
2. Audio In: Set the radio to accept input from the accessory port rather than the microphone jack.
3. Audio Out: Pin 17 (AFO) works best as a consistent source, while Pin 19 (DEO) provides raw detector output.

SignaLink Setup

• Jumpers: Configure the SignaLink's internal jumpers to match the RJ45 pinout listed above.
• Settings: Set the SignaLink VOX delay to minimum. Adjust TX/RX audio levels using the front panel knobs.

https://tigertronics.com/files/SignaLink%20USB%20Product%20Guide.pdf

 

[Vern]

Google brought up this: Also Tigertronics has info on the cables needed. Hope this helps

Required Pinout (SignaLink RJ45 to TK-7180 DB25)

• Pin 1 (PTT): Connects to Radio DB25 Pin 2 (External PTT).
• Pin 2 (Ground): Connects to Radio DB25 Pin 18 or 20 (GND).
• Pin 3 (TX Audio): Connects to Radio DB25 Pin 21 (External Microphone Input).
• Pin 4 (RX Audio): Connects to Radio DB25 Pin 17 (Filtered Audio Output) or Pin 19.
• Pin 5 (No Connection/NC)
• Pin 6-8: Not typically used for this configuration.

Radio Codeplug Configuration (KPG-89)

1. PTT: Ensure Pin 2 is programmed in the Kenwood software for PTT.
2. Audio In: Set the radio to accept input from the accessory port rather than the microphone jack.
3. Audio Out: Pin 17 (AFO) works best as a consistent source, while Pin 19 (DEO) provides raw detector output.

SignaLink Setup

• Jumpers: Configure the SignaLink's internal jumpers to match the RJ45 pinout listed above.
• Settings: Set the SignaLink VOX delay to minimum. Adjust TX/RX audio levels using the front panel knobs.

https://tigertronics.com/files/SignaLink%20USB%20Product%20Guide.pdf

Excellent! Thank you.

 

[nd5y]

Using a node radio on a repeater usually doesn't work so well. Most repeaters have hang time, idiot tones, IDs, sometimes other announcements. You don't want the EchoLink node putting all that crap on the network.

 

[DeoVindice]

Google brought up this: Also Tigertronics has info on the cables needed. Hope this helps

Required Pinout (SignaLink RJ45 to TK-7180 DB25)

• Pin 1 (PTT): Connects to Radio DB25 Pin 2 (External PTT).
• Pin 2 (Ground): Connects to Radio DB25 Pin 18 or 20 (GND).
• Pin 3 (TX Audio): Connects to Radio DB25 Pin 21 (External Microphone Input).
• Pin 4 (RX Audio): Connects to Radio DB25 Pin 17 (Filtered Audio Output) or Pin 19.
• Pin 5 (No Connection/NC)
• Pin 6-8: Not typically used for this configuration.

Radio Codeplug Configuration (KPG-89)

1. PTT: Ensure Pin 2 is programmed in the Kenwood software for PTT.
2. Audio In: Set the radio to accept input from the accessory port rather than the microphone jack.
3. Audio Out: Pin 17 (AFO) works best as a consistent source, while Pin 19 (DEO) provides raw detector output.

SignaLink Setup

• Jumpers: Configure the SignaLink's internal jumpers to match the RJ45 pinout listed above.
• Settings: Set the SignaLink VOX delay to minimum. Adjust TX/RX audio levels using the front panel knobs.

https://tigertronics.com/files/SignaLink%20USB%20Product%20Guide.pdf

Startech DB25-RJ45 adapters are great for interfacing with radios, and allow use of off-the-shelf CAT5 cables.

 

[sallen07]

Using a node radio on a repeater usually doesn't work so well. Most repeaters have hang time, idiot tones, IDs, sometimes other announcements. You don't want the EchoLink node putting all that crap on the network.

Perhaps that's true in general, but one of the two most popular repeaters in our area uses a node radio to connect to Allstar and it works quite well.

 

[K9KLC]

Perhaps that's true in general, but one of the two most popular repeaters in our area uses a node radio to connect to Allstar and it works quite well.

Yep if set up properly they're fine. I can't comment as to echo link but we're doing the same around here and nothing except transmitted audio comes out.

 

[redbeard]

"Hi this is Earl, I'll be your net control for this eveni___ECHOLINK USER CONNECTED___eck in's come now" "Earl you were stepped on by the Echolink" "Grady are you on frequency? Can you go up to your shack and disable the link while we have the net?" "I can't get upstairs my lift chair battery died"

This should be done at the repeater site directly into the controller or via a pair of radios on a separate frequency with the link receiver on a separate port. Do it right or just park Echolink/Allstar on a simplex frequency.

 

[sallen07]

Do it right or just park Echolink/Allstar on a simplex frequency.

Or do it right and turn off the announcements during the net.

 

[K9KLC]

"Hi this is Earl, I'll be your net control for this eveni___ECHOLINK USER CONNECTED___eck in's come now" "Earl you were stepped on by the Echolink" "Grady are you on frequency? Can you go up to your shack and disable the link while we have the net?" "I can't get upstairs my lift chair battery died"

This should be done at the repeater site directly into the controller or via a pair of radios on a separate frequency with the link receiver on a separate port. Do it right or just park Echolink/Allstar on a simplex frequency.

Agreed. At the repeater is the correct way... this is just me but I have little use for echo link but I do see a use for linking radios. We've done it for years to connect sites prior to all this internet jazz and it always worked well.

 

[KK6ZTE]

Google brought up this: Also Tigertronics has info on the cables needed. Hope this helps

Required Pinout (SignaLink RJ45 to TK-7180 DB25)

• Pin 1 (PTT): Connects to Radio DB25 Pin 2 (External PTT).
• Pin 2 (Ground): Connects to Radio DB25 Pin 18 or 20 (GND).
• Pin 3 (TX Audio): Connects to Radio DB25 Pin 21 (External Microphone Input).
• Pin 4 (RX Audio): Connects to Radio DB25 Pin 17 (Filtered Audio Output) or Pin 19.
• Pin 5 (No Connection/NC)
• Pin 6-8: Not typically used for this configuration.

Radio Codeplug Configuration (KPG-89)

1. PTT: Ensure Pin 2 is programmed in the Kenwood software for PTT.
2. Audio In: Set the radio to accept input from the accessory port rather than the microphone jack.
3. Audio Out: Pin 17 (AFO) works best as a consistent source, while Pin 19 (DEO) provides raw detector output.

SignaLink Setup

• Jumpers: Configure the SignaLink's internal jumpers to match the RJ45 pinout listed above.
• Settings: Set the SignaLink VOX delay to minimum. Adjust TX/RX audio levels using the front panel knobs.

https://tigertronics.com/files/SignaLink%20USB%20Product%20Guide.pdf

Was this AI generated? I'm assuming so as the Kenwood interface is completely wrong. And now that wrong information is now the top result for that search!

PTT on the radio is not "pin 2 (external PTT)". Pin 2 is a serial data input. PTT input can very based on the Extended Function settings in KPG-89D. A lot of professional devices use pin 21, which is a GPIO pin. You'll need to set it to "External PTT (Voice)" in software


Radio ground is pin 18 (sorta correct above) but MIC ground is pin 25. Use pin 18.

TX audio is pin 6, not pin 21 (pin 21 is the GPIO used above for PTT). The input is called "MI2" and has some settings under extended functions that will need to be set. This input has a reference ground of pin 25. You want the Mic Line disconnected (front mic) when the External PTT (Voice) is keying the radio, but you want the MI2 line working as in the config below.



RX audio is surprisingly correct, pin 17 (referenced to pin 18 ground).

For posterity: the service manual has the correct pinout on page 47. Here's a link:

https://manuals.repeater-builder.com/Kenwood/tk/TK-7180/TK-7180.pdf

 

[dryfb]

Was this AI generated? I'm assuming so as the Kenwood interface is completely wrong. And now that wrong information is now the top result for that search!

It sounds exactly like what Co Pilot spits out at me anytime I ask it a radio question seeing if it'll pull up some RadioReference I hadn't seen yet lmao. AI struggles not to hallucinate when it comes to anything radio-related.

 

[wwhitby]

You may also want to add a fan blowing on the radio's heat sink. My son used to run an Echolink node, and without a fan, the mobile radio would get rather toasty during nets and long conversations.