TK-880 Strange problem?

[Mattkuhar]

I recently acquired 2 TK-880's online, I was trying to set 1 of them up last night, but ran into a strange issue.

It will take and transmit on any GMRS split i put into it, but when I try to load in the repeater at work (school system) it programs fine, but when I key up, the radio reboots and/or changes channel to the next channel in the radio.

The Split of the radio is 450-470 Mhz, and our repeater is RX: 469.675 TX: 464.675 with a PL set.

I know im programming it correctly, anybody have an idea whats going on with it? im gonna try the 2nd radio tonight when I get home and see what happens.



Thanks, Matt

 

[MSS-Dave]

Check your power supply, sounds like it is not providing enough current to the radio.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

 

[mmckenna]

If not the power supply, check your SWR. High SWR can sometimes cause issues.

 

[Mattkuhar]

Just stopped home for lunch with the 2nd radio, it works perfectly with the mobile antenna and battery (same setup i used on the other unit)

What would be suspect to cause it within the radio/firmware?

 

[mmckenna]

Could be a number of issues, but if the VCO settings have been tweaked by someone wanting to move it down into the 70cm amateur band, that might explain what you are seeing.

 

[Mattkuhar]

Could be a number of issues, but if the VCO settings have been tweaked by someone wanting to move it down into the 70cm amateur band, that might explain what you are seeing.

well, they both came from the same person, but that could still be a possibility. how would I go about checking that? I haven't messed with commercial radios too much.

 

[mmckenna]

Without a service monitor, you can't.
The radios will have a service menu you can access through the software. You'd need to put the radio on a monitor and see what it's doing.
You cannot take the settings from one radio and put them in another since the variables of individual component will make each radio different.

 

[Mattkuhar]

Hmmm, well, im gonna have to keep looking into this then, if I cant figure it out, ill likely wind up taking it to the local radio shop and see if they can fix it (and how much itll cost)

 

[riccom]

It sounds like a bug in the code plug for that radio.
I have had that happen once before, check the firmware and see if the two radios match.

Sent from my LGMS345 using Tapatalk

 

[Mattkuhar]

It sounds like a bug in the code plug for that radio.
I have had that happen once before, check the firmware and see if the two radios match.

Sent from my LGMS345 using Tapatalk

will give that a look as soon as i get home, was thinking it could be firmware related too, i blanked the codeplug and tried just that channel, with the same result. will get back to you about the firmware soon

 

[Mattkuhar]

playing with the radios now, both of them have a firmware checksum of E4B3, that means they are running the same firmware correct?

 

[N2AL]

It sounds like a bug in the code plug for that radio.
I have had that happen once before, check the firmware and see if the two radios match.

Sent from my LGMS345 using Tapatalk

I agree. Try programming the same code plug into the second radio and see if it occurs on the second radio which is functioning normally.

You may need to read the bad radio, save the file, then read the good radio and save that file. Once complete write the file from the bad radio to the good radio and see if you can replicate the error.

 

[Mattkuhar]

I agree. Try programming the same code plug into the second radio and see if it occurs on the second radio which is functioning normally.

You may need to read the bad radio, save the file, then read the good radio and save that file. Once complete write the file from the bad radio to the good radio and see if you can replicate the error.

ok, i feel like an idiot now. i swapped codeplugs around, issue followed, so i copied the good one over and set it up, problem no longer exists.

THANK YOU!!!

KC1CQO/WQUS933

 

[N2AL]

ok, i feel like an idiot now. i swapped codeplugs around, issue followed, so i copied the good one over and set it up, problem no longer exists.



THANK YOU!!!



KC1CQO/WQUS933

Glad I could help! I have used Kenwood radios for years, and that tip I suggested to you, I once learned the hard way too. Same thing happened to me about six years ago, and after running tests I narrowed it down to the code plug and saw that I had programmed something incorrectly in the settings.

73 and I am glad you have your radio operational!

 

[Mattkuhar]

Glad I could help! I have used Kenwood radios for years, and that tip I suggested to you, I once learned the hard way too. Same thing happened to me about six years ago, and after running tests I narrowed it down to the code plug and saw that I had programmed something incorrectly in the settings.

73 and I am glad you have your radio operational!

What really stumped me, was that every other split I was setting into it, worked fine, it was only the 1 split for work that had a fit lol.

Made sure to keep a backup of the known good codeplug for future use, just in case.

Next thing to do is get a dual band Ham rig into the truck, not much room at all in a 96 Jeep Grand Cherokee for radios.