The Radio Information Board

I picked up this combo on flebay a few days ago and am having issues getting it to communicate with the PC. I have the proper cable and software, an old 386 with dos, but it will not communicate.

I place the radio into programming mode from the front panel , set the software to the dual band splits, single control head option but it will not read.

The pc only has one comport , and I know it is set up properly as I was just programming some moto gear I have.

Ive tried the cable with the level converter i have with and without the 9v battery, and also tried it without the converter and still have no luck.

None of the radios have the Kenwood stickers on them , as they have a Futronics sticker on them with the associated model numbers.

Is there something I may be missing? Possibly some sort of mod done to prevent further programming that the original shop may have done?

Here is a link to the auction that has pics on it.

Any help would be appreciated. This is driving me crazy.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 3D1&_rdc=1

You shouldn't need to tell the software what the radio is. Just select read. In the setup for the software double check that it is actually set for the correct comm port. It can be on comm 1 or comm 2. What kind of level converter are you using? The common ones don't use a battery, they get power from the radio.

I have basically the same issue with an exact same setup I purchased from Ebay. When I power up the entire system, all I get are the entire display lit up with characters and I can not even read or write to the radio. I don't have any problems reading/writing to other TK630/730 setups that I have. If anyone has an answer please help!

Sounds like missing PROMS. They might have been pulled to deprogram the radios. Pull the covers off the radios and look for the large EPROM, it will be a 27C256 and have a label on it. Next to it should be a smaller 8 pin EEPROM. That contains the progamming information. If there is just an empty socket all you need to do is buy a couple of new EEPROMS and program the radio.

I just opened my TK730 and tried pulling the PROMS out. If the small ones containing the programming are missing the display will flash grp1 ch1. You can't read or write to it.

If the large EPROM is missing the radio will power on but the display will show all the characters and stay that way. It will appear to go into program mode when you power it on holding down the proper key but it won't work. You can't read or write to the radio. The large EPROM contains the firmware and without that it's brain dead. However it's a very easy fix.

Ok. I need the large EPROMs so what is the exact part number I need to do TK630/730 dual band with single control head, 160 channels?

27C256Q-JPWG,JPWJ,JPXJ,JPYJ,JPZJ

XJ,YJ,ZJ ARE IN STOCK
WHICH DO YOU NEED

Never mind. Found the part numbers on another post. Thanks for the help!

I have the same setup. The rss seems to ONLY run on com2. I had the same problem until I set the computer to use COM2.

Ok. I got my new EPROMs that fixed the all character flashing issue and allowed me to send over my programming. However, now all of my VHF High Band channels flash on the display like the VCO is out of lock. I tried changing the TK730 to SP Tune, but still get the same problem. Also, when I plug the SVR200U into radio 1 (the 630) it causes it to lock up in transmit once the AUX button is pushed, only way to get it off is to turn off the radios.

I have another 630/730 setup that I can just switch the 630's out, but my speaker is running off the same plug where I need to put the SVR200. Can I just swap the speaker out to the 730 port?

Are you putting in frequencies that are out of band for that radio?

No, all of the frequencies I am entering are in the 155.000 - 156.000 range.

Well shoot, I'm about out of ideas.

Is it completing the write portion of the programming? If that radio deck isn't powering on it will flash the display.

Try entering a bunch of frequencies in a wide range and see if it works on any of them. Enter whole numbers like 150.00, 151.00 etc. Perhaps you are entering a frequency that it won't take.

Do you have radio #1 and #2 properly picked?