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TK-780 and 280 programming issues

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radioman2001

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I don't normally deal with Kenwood products but I am trying to add some new channels to an agencies radios. I have found that early versions of software KPG-49Dv3.01 is DOS based and will not work with anything other than a pure DOS enviroment and serial cables. I have V4.02 which is Windows based and does run under 7 pro, and I am using USB cables which the software recognizes. The issues are when I try to read either of the 2 types of radios listed I get"check model number", and then the radio resets. I have verified the model number numerous time, and I even tied other model numbers to see if I get different errors. The radio did have at one time LTR in it, is this a problem using the software version I have.
Is there a method required to put the radio into programming mode? I tried all combinations of buttons when turning on and that had no effect.
Is it possible to lock out cloning/programming by a previous person, and if so can I just write over the existing programming.
Any other suggestions as to why I am unable to read the radios.
Thanking in advance for any help.
 
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I deal a lot with the TK-480 on an "OLD" LTR system, same platform that you are using just different band. Half of the radios work with windows based software, the others are DOS based. I made myself a DOS bootup disk on a USB flash drive to boot my machine into DOS at startup. It works just fine that way. What version of radios are they using? If I remember right ver. 1 radios will only use DOS. While ver.2 could of used both DOS and Win, however if windows was used on a ver.2 radio then it would have to use Win from then on. I could be wrong about that as it has been a long time for that. Have you checked in your device manager to check the com port settings are correct? Are you using a known good cable? Do you have access to another cable that is know to be good and try it out? Are the contacts on the radio clean? Not just look clean but scrubbed with a pencil eraser or some kind of cleaner? I have never seen a lock out cloning/programming on this radios. You can have a read and write password on them, but if the radio is working with the software then the software should ask you for a password for the radio if there is one set. You could also try to reinstall your KPG-49 and see if that helps. The KPG-49 may be corrupted.
 

radioman2001

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Thanks for the reply, cables are new and device manger shows proper port number or I get "cannot communicate with radio check cables". Cables and port do seem to talk to the radio as I get "check model number" and radio does reset after error. Do I have to set model number before reading or does software read radio and assign propper radio model?
Are you saying that depending on the firmware version of the radio you can use only either DOS or windows? What versions level number are that and which software package for each, as the radio does show version in screen in startup? Can you answere about any special key combination to put in programming mode if this necessary. I have tried multiple radios of both portable and mobile flavor.
KPG-49 is also right from the factory style disk of a vendor.
I can boot computer in DOS, but don't have a serial cable or drivers for USB for DOS to try that route.
 

radioman2001

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Tried that, tried both VHF bandsplits. 136-162 and 146-174mhz with same error " Please check radio type" When I attempt to read radio the display shows "Program" fails and then resets. I also looked under battery and fouind radio is listed as a Ver 2.0. I also tried Test Mode and got the same error message
 
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kd4efm

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Can you take a photo of the radio tag, Something tells me the radio is setup for something else (passport or MPT or SJ160)
Have you tried to firmware update the radio and try reading it again?
 

radioman2001

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Well after some more research (spoke to previous radio shop now defunct) it turns out the radios were reflashed with SJI firmware. While I can deal with SJI software I would prefer to return them to standard Kenwood software, as SJI basically doesn't exist anymore so support from them is not expected,
Can the radios be reflashed back to Kenwood?

Big thanks to kayn1n32008 for some helpful information which led to the SJI discovery.
 

a417

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yes they can, I have done it frequently. You will have to get your hands on a stock firmware, and ignore the warning that you are flashing a firmware that does not match the current hardware...and you're good to go.
 
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