TK-730 Programming problem

[camsdad]

Greetings to all!
I have a TK-730 on the bench that I can not read using various speed computers. 25MHZ to 2Gig. Software is the Dos program KPG7D ver 2.01.
Using the Kenwood KPG-4 Programming cable.
I am able to put the control head in the Program mode. Clean power supply voltage at the plug is 13.8v.
All I get is Model type mismatch on the software screen display and error on the control head when I try to read the radio. I have tried to change model configuration within the software with no luck. Always Model Mismatch.
All I know about this radio is that it is a TK-730 S/N 70500117 with a remote display control head.
It currently has 11 channels programed into it that I would like to remove and or replace.
Any help is appriciated!
Thanks!
Camsdad

[ka7wnf]

When the head shows error press the button to the right of the one you pressed to enter programming mode. That will clear the error and allow you to read it. Hopefully. You don't need to select the model type, it should know when it reads. Just select read. PL

[camsdad]

Figured that one out.
It resets the error and redisplays program. Still won't read the radio.

[ka7wnf]

Have you tried writing a new file to it without reading first? Normally thats not recomended. Have you ever used the KPG4 cable on other radios? Have you ever programmed the 730 before? This is an odd one. PL

[camsdad]

Have you tried writing a new file to it without reading first? Normally thats not recomended. Have you ever used the KPG4 cable on other radios? Have you ever programmed the 730 before? This is an odd one. PL

No, to the writing a new file first question.
Yes, I have used the KPG4 more than I can count on other kenwood radios.
Can't recall if I ever programmed a TK-730 before. I may have. Its been awhile, at least 5 to 8 yrs.
I will have an opportunity within the next couple of days to try to read up to 3 other working TK-730 units in service.

camsdad

[ka7wnf]

Someone else here had nothing but trouble programming a 30 series. Turned out one of the EEPROMS was inserted incorrectly in the socket. One of the pins was bent and not in the socket.

[camsdad]

Yeah, I read the post and every post I could find on this unit.
I don't know what proms should be where on this unit but here is what I have here.
Control Head prom IC3 is a X24C16P / 227I
Main unit prom IC 109 is a X24C04P / 507I
Any others?
No bent legs and installed properly.

What do you think?

camsdad

[ka7wnf]

Bingo!! the eeproms have to be the same between head and radio. you have a 32 channel eeprom in the radio and a 160 channel in the head. make them both the same and write to the radio and it should work. you can borrow one from one of your other 730's. also make sure the resistors next to the proms are gone if using 160 channel and intact if using 32. they have to be the same between head and radio or the read/write will fail halfway through. PL

[ka7wnf]

Did you ever get the radio to work?

[camsdad]

No,

I still have not been able to read this radio.
I do now have the same 160ch eeproms in both the head and tranciever.
I'm wondering if the KRA-2 remote head kit is the wrong one for this radio?
I have been told that there are other models or versions of interface kits for this radio.

camsdad

[ka7wnf]

Are the chip resistors pulled off the head and radio for the 160 channel upgrade? You can also attach the control head right to the radio if you remove the KRK2 parts. PL

[Birken Vogt]

Is it a known good programming cable? I had a cable for a TK-790 fail, but slowly. Some radios it would reprogram, others it would not, others after a number of retries, until it finally quit altogether. So I would see if you could scare up a different cable and try it on the same radio.

Birken

[Meatball]

If you're getting model/type mismatch errors, then chances are your serial link to the radio is good.

Most of this has been said before, but here's what I'd check:

Make sure you have idential EEPROMS in the head and radio.
Make sure the firmware is correct. If I remember correctly, a single head radio EEPROM should be marked FAA.
If it has a dual-head personality in it, you might have to write a single head personality to it first before you read.
Check the radio bandsplit. There's a low-split and a high split on this radio.

You should be able to write to the radio without regard to what's in there already, since Kenwood is very lenient about just giving you the "Model Type Mismatch" error and letting you just select OK and program anyway.

I have also see the cables go bad. There's usually an RS-232 line driver inside the shell of the DB connector that can gradually become intermittent.

Have you tried playing swaptronics and trying a different head on this radio, or using this head with a different radio deck? You should at least be able to pin it down to the head or the deck.