TK-880 Programming Issue

[kayn1n32008]

Did you see my response above that Firmware upgrades are different software from KPG-49D and KPG-49D has a problem with some USB programming cables? I have found the same situation with some other older model Kenwood radios.

While I haven't programmed TK-x80 mobiles, I programmed both a TK-280 and TK-380 that I owned at one time, with a USB cable. I never had any issues.

Kenwood windows based software isnt overly picky what cable you use, as long as the proper drivers are installed and you select the correct comport. Kenwood, I have found, is the least fussiest windows software when it comes to aftermarket USB cables.

This has held true for the many Kenwood radios I've used over the years. TK-x80, TK-x90, TK-x180, TK-x160 and NX-x00 portables. TK-x60g, TK-x180 and NX-x00 mobiles. I've only had to resort to a DB-9 serial cable once with some old version 1 hardware TK-390 portables that required DOS software. That same cable worked just fine with a random USB<->RS-232 adaptor to program other portables with windows software. I've owned both FTDI and Prolific based USB cables and never had issues.

 

[k2hz]

My response was to @wd8bdn to get more details about his problem. The fact that apparenly several retries were required wth the firmware flash raised the question of a cable problem. I have reflashed and programmed many 7180 and a few 780 radios from SJLN LTR-NET to original Kenwood firmware. I never encountered the SJ Passport firmware but it is similar. The only problem I had with 7180s is 2 had bad front panels as he apparenly encountered. The 780s had the USB cable issue to read the radio with KPG-49D and the SJLN software.

The SJLN180 software for x180s is very similar to the Kenwood KPG-89D but the SLN80 software for the x80s is really crude. I think the x80s have issues since they were originally programmed with DOS software and RS-232 cables so Windows and USB are not ideal. My overall experince with x80 radios has been that they a frustrating to work with.

That is why I asked what happened when he first attempted to read the radio with KPG-49D before the firmware reflash. It should have given the SJ software required error message if the cable was working properly. I also want to know if the radio is apparentlly working after the firmware update. I have encountered some ebay radios that had been flashed with firmware for a different Kenwood model so the firmware didn't match the expected programming software.

After years of dealing with all the driver and other issues with USB cables I now use all BlueMax49ers FTDI cables. They work perfectly excpept with KPG-29D (non "G" x60s -no problem with KPG-56D "G" radios), KPG-49D (x80s), and KPG-70D (x102). It is tempermental at best with these radios and the x102s refuse to connect at all. For all those radiios, the old cable with the battery always works perfectly.

 

[AM909]

Be sure you are not running both the KPG and FPRO at the same time – some of them don't play nice with each other.

When you go into firmware load mode ([A] + power-on), it should say "PROG 57600" and you can use the square button to toggle through speeds. Maybe try 19200? I think the radio retains this setting across a reboot, but don't know whether that affects the speed in programming mode or just firmware mode.

 

[wd8bdn]

Did you see my response above that Firmware upgrades are different software from KPG-49D and KPG-49D has a problem with some USB programming cables? I have found the same situation with some other older model Kenwood radios.

I'm sorry I didn't see some of the responses above. I'll go back through and look at them. Thanks for pointing them out.

 

[wd8bdn]

Did you see my response above that Firmware upgrades are different software from KPG-49D and KPG-49D has a problem with some USB programming cables? I have found the same situation with some other older model Kenwood radios.

Thank you to @k2hz @kayn1n32008 @AM909 and any others I may have missed for info and suggestions. From what I've wrung out so far is that the panel in question is bad. Put known good panel on suspect radio and programmed fine. Put suspect panel on known good radio and again was able to load firmware but programming gave 'com error'. Comports, baud rate and cable all check out AOK. I can live with the issue of a bad front panel as I see other here have had some of the same issues. I can decide which radio to install 'good' panel on. I guess my real issue is knowing how the loading of firmware differs from loading of programming. It doesn't solve my issue of a bad panel just increases my knowledge. I don't have sj software for the '880 series so I can't try anything with that. If anyone has it, well you know. Is there any way to resurrect a bad panel? Thank you again to everyone!

 

[k2hz]

I have repaired a bad 7180 panel but it was both a burned trace and a bad protective diode. It apparently happens if someone plugs something other than a mic into the connector and burns up the protetcive circuitry. In the case of a radio that was going to be RX only, I just removed the bad diode and jumpered around the burned trace. There was a second radio from the same lot with the same fault and I just replaced the front with a spare from a bad radio.

The firmware flash software is different from the programming software and seems to be more tolerant of cable and other issues.

When you got the radio, did it power up up and did you try to read it with KPG-49D and get the error message? If the software gave a com port error, rather than wrong software message, and it required several retries, with the suspect panel but the radio programmed OK with a good panel it is probably the circuit board on the panel. Each of the lines from the mic jack has a parallel capacitor and protective diode to ground. There may be visible damage to traces or components.

The programming software will give a com port error if the radio model does not match the software. The firmware program probably doesn't care what the current radio firmware is so is more tolerant of connection issues.

 

[wd8bdn]

I have repaired a bad 7180 panel but it was both a burned trace and a bad protective diode. It apparently happens if someone plugs something other than a mic into the connector and burns up the protetcive circuitry. In the case of a radio that was going to be RX only, I just removed the bad diode and jumpered around the burned trace. There was a second radio from the same lot with the same fault and I just replaced the front with a spare from a bad radio.

The firmware flash software is different from the programming software and seems to be more tolerant of cable and other issues.

When you got the radio, did it power up up and did you try to read it with KPG-49D and get the error message? If the software gave a com port error, rather than wrong software message, and it required several retries, with the suspect panel but the radio programmed OK with a good panel it is probably the circuit board on the panel. Each of the lines from the mic jack has a parallel capacitor and protective diode to ground. There may be visible damage to traces or components.

The programming software will give a com port error if the radio model does not match the software. The firmware program probably doesn't care what the current radio firmware is so is more tolerant of connection issues.

I haven't noticed any bad traces or burnt components on the panel board. I did use a wooden toothpick as a spudger to burnish mic socket contacts. I have enough of these radios to use them for test beds of sorts. I do get them cleaned and functioning with gmrs rptrs programmed so I can list them on eBay in good conscience.

When I 1st turned the radio on it gave me the typical 1.5205 then to the programmed 'app'. I don't remember now if I tried to read the sj programming or not. I may have been able to program it so as to get the firmware to update. Then ran an empty program to wipe mem clean which is where it stands now. Maybe that caused an issue but I have done that with other radios and not encountered any problems. As I recall that radio had a blank display when I 1st turned it on. I found that the flat cable was partially out of the connector. A piece of thin cardboard in and out of contacts to clean and then put cable back. Display came on normally. Thanks for jogging my memory.