- #HOW OT MOD A KENWOOD TK 880 FOR HAM HOW TO#
- #HOW OT MOD A KENWOOD TK 880 FOR HAM UPDATE#
- #HOW OT MOD A KENWOOD TK 880 FOR HAM PRO#
- #HOW OT MOD A KENWOOD TK 880 FOR HAM LICENSE#
I have programming capabilities for all these radios, but the Kenwood TK-805D can be programmed from the front panel by moving a jumper inside the radio. I use LMR radios made by Midland, Maxon, Kenwood, Vertex & Johnson. I suppose there must be some limit on how high you can put your base antenna? That, most of all will limit your range, base-to-mobile, pretty much.īesides, it should be a legal use for GMRS, too. The indoor wire used for the remote was a lot cheaper than the equivalent length of Heliax. In the old days, a UHF base would often get put in a closet on the top floor of a building, and remote speaker/mike/squelch installed at the front desk, or wherever the dispatcher worked. Explained why I couldn't hear much, either.Ī commercial radio base on that band would use Heliax. My 6 Watts was only about a quarter of a Watt by the time it got through the junky coax. Carried the wattmeter up to the roof and hooked it between the long coax and the antenna. This stuff was really cheap.Īnyway, it would hardly get into or out of the repeater, with a ground plane on the roof. The word "type" meant that it only had about 25% shield coverage. The only coax handy was some old stuff marked "RG-8 ' type coax. First UHF radio I ever used on a local FM repeater was a tube-type GE "Progress Line" radio, only delivered about 6 or 7 Watts. Lower-performance "CB" coax may lose 90 percent of the signal over a 100 foot run. Good coax will lose only half your power (each way) per hundred feet. The shorter you can make the base-antenna coax the better. And the shadowed areas will be smaller, too.Ī good gain antenna on each end is a good idea. The higher the base antenna, the fewer shadows you'll have when you're behind higher terrain. If you have used 70cm radios in your "foothills" neighborhood, you already know what to expect. Flat terrain tends to offer better range than lumpy terrain.
#HOW OT MOD A KENWOOD TK 880 FOR HAM HOW TO#
Of course, I could be another interloper that lasts a few months and drops the 'hobby' completely.įound a couple local GMRS repeaters yesterday (via the myGMRS Android App) within 10 miles and in line of sight from my house so I'm kind of itching to get started on this (as in, learn how to access a repeater) and see what's out there.The FRS/GMRS frequencies are right next to the 70cm ham band.
#HOW OT MOD A KENWOOD TK 880 FOR HAM LICENSE#
Question is can I LEGALLY program in the HAM freq for Monitor only (no TX)? Not a big deal, just thought it would be interesting and possibly prompt me to get my license once I get a taste of HAM. I do not have a HAM license but know how and where to get it and am considering. Questions: I read in this thread that you're programming HAM frequencies into these radios. Figure I can have them both programmed identically from the vendor in the used market and/or get a cable and software. It's $15 more but I want to try and get it right 1st time, last time, with something reliable and durable.
#HOW OT MOD A KENWOOD TK 880 FOR HAM PRO#
Have considered the Wouxun KG-805 Pro GMRS posted here but thinking maybe the Kenwood HT might be a better choice - maybe you can give me the reasons. Forgive my ignorance on the topic (evident by other posts I've made - RCM has already been a big help BTW ). Looking at that same combo for my first venture into GMRS (880/830 or possibly the 863G). I guess it's safe to assume you like both these units. I'm just the kind of pest who'd take you up on that. " All I use are 880/380's so if you need anything give me a shout."
#HOW OT MOD A KENWOOD TK 880 FOR HAM UPDATE#
RCM, If you need, I do have firmware (Cant remember which one off the top of my head but it does update the radio options for version 2 units) for the 880, I can also explain how to enable FPP, but in all honesty its a bit difficult (I could never figure out how to do it.) All I use are 880/380's so if you need anything give me a shout.