[Antennas] Need Ideas - TS-480 Remote Via HT

Thu Dec 2 20:55:55 EST 2010

Along with the other good ideas you have received, and more to come I am
sure, here is some thing to give serious thought to.

160 Meters gives great simplex range, comparable to many non linked
repeaters.

Put 160 in the mobile, and link to it with the HT.

Can also link the HT to a Dual Band 2mtr/440 rig too, and get the advantage
of the better antenna and higher power of the mobile rig.

How to do this?? Read the following:

73 from Bill - WD8ARZ
Will post how to power the TS-480HX 200 watt rig from a separate battery
system in the next posting.
http://hflink.net/

============================
Did you know that the TH-D7A walkie talkie can remote control the
TMD-700A/TMD-710A dual bander, and the TMD-700A/TMD-710A can interface with
the TS-480 HF, allowing remote control of the 480 over HF by the TH-D7A. All
using Sky Command. Very Cool! Other radios can do the sky command codes, but
it is more awkward to use than a rig that is already compatible. Read on
about this bigger system using the TS-480. Hopefully the TH-D7A
replacement, TH-D72  will support this function too.

Love using the TS-480HX transceiver here in all of its capability. Rag chews
on the base or mobile, tuning shortwave and just plain loving the transmit
and receive audio of the long standing Kenwood tradition. The rig here is
ran just about 24/7 in digital ALE mode. http://hflink.net/

Great rig for digital! Excellent cooling package for hot mobile and summer
environments in the 480 series. TS-480HX 200 watt radio can be operated at
100 watts or less, at near full duty cycle for long periods of time (hours,
not minutes) due to extra cooling fan and design not available in most 100
watt radios. Both 480 versions have the same excellent heat sync and air
flow design for cooling. The HX has a second fan, so be careful with the
duty cycle of the SAT when doing high duty cycle operations.

For an external tuner, conceder the remote operations that can be employed.
Make a choice that includes reconfiguring the ATU 'before
putting RF on the relay contacts'. what memory combination to select for a
match BEFORE any RF is generated. This is available with the computer
interface of the AT-200PC that is available through W4RT. LDG AT-200PC
available through W4RT.
http://www.w4rt.com/LDG/AT-200PC.htm Great price too.

Can use the LDG AT-200Pro instead if not using a computer interface. the
auto tune and memory operation of the PC version is identical to the PRO.
LDG AT-200PRO
http://www.ldgelectronics.com/c/252/products/1/3/1

The 480 series of radios can be part of a bigger system. For Sky Command and
HF performance, consider the following package:

TS-480HX, Six Meters through 160 Meters, 200 Watts, remotable head, stand
alone package for base, mobile or portable operations to cover voice and CW
needs. Sky Command Compatible, meaning no computer required to interface to
other compatible gear. Unique power requirement of this radio easily met by
a power supply package. Additional applications of this radio include the
ability to access / use it over remotable control head from a few feet to
several hundred feet by cable. Computer accessible locally or remotely for
full operation of the radio for voice and digital modes, using local area
lan, the internet or direct plug in of computer / laptop. Access and control
of the radio over radio links using compatible dual band mobile and dual
band walkie talkie. Excellent cooling package for hot mobile and summer
environments when air conditioning is not available. TS-480HX 200 watt radio
can be operated at 100 watts or less at near full duty cycle for long
periods of time (hours, not minutes) due to extra cooling fan and design not
available in most 100 watt radios. Yes, it has a digital interface
connector for great audio isolation and fast keying. (I am not considering
the TS-590 as a replacement for the TS-480. The 480 has separate control
head and is much more of a mobile rig).
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/KenwoodTS-590/

TM-D700 / D710 Two meter and 440 FM mobile. 50 Watts with APRS and Sky
Command Compatible. Can cross band. Easy interface to the AvMap G5 for GPS
and Navigation Displays that includes APRS display / tracking. No Computer
required to interface these two items. D700 version even allows for a
keyboard to input text directly rather than use the menu for alpha / numeric
entry of the message.

TH-D7AG Two meter and 440 FM Walkie Talkie. Data communicator is equipped
with a built-in TNC and APRS. Sky Command Compatible. Available in the used
market. About to be released new version is TH-72.
 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Kenwood_TH-D72/

AvMap G5 Navigator has built-in highly sensitive 20 channel Sirf 3 GPS
engine, has a ultra bright, non-glaring, 5 inch, TFT Touch Screen, and comes
with cable to interface to the Kenwood D700 / D710. See those APRS stations
on your display map!

End result is a selection of individual gear that operate totally as
separate units, Base, Mobile or Portable. However they can be configured to
give the HT remote control access to the dual band mobile leaving the HF rig
alone, or using the dual band mobile as an interface to the HF radio, the HT
has remote control and transmit / receive access. Due to Katrina, the FCC
granted legality for using Sky Command for such HT to HF operation.

As a bonus, in combination with the AvMap G5 Navigator, GPS information can
be fed to the D700 / D710 or the HT as needed. APRS info is sent to and from
the G5 making for a seamless interface that doesn't require a computer. It
is nice to have received APRS stations displayed on the 5" screen with out a
separate computer being used!

Why go with the individual pieces rather than say the an HF rig with two
meters and four forty?? Two reasons.

1) Flexibility to use each radio independent of the other, or together as a
system.

2) HF performance. Yep, it turns out HF rigs 'with out' two meters and four
forty perform better due to front end design. HF radios, even those that
include six meters, can have tighter filter front ends that have to be given
up to support the higher bands. (An exception is the RS-2000 series that
uses separate models for he higher bands).

Down load the TS-480HX/SAT In Depth Manual at the link below, and read it
right from Kenwood experts.
http://www.kenwood.com/i/products/info/amateur/software_download.html

Links:
=======================================

TM-D700 / D710
http://www.universal-radio.com/CATALOG/fm_txvrs/0710.html
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TM-D700/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TMD700A/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TMD710A/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TM-D710_TM-V71/

TM-D700 External Keyboard (now out of stock)
http://www.coastalchip.com/Kenkey.htm

TH-D7AG
http://www.universal-radio.com/CATALOG/ht/4211.html
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Kenwood_TH-D7/

TH-D72
http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/ht/3072.html
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Kenwood_TH-D72/

TS-480HX
http://www.universal-radio.com/CATALOG/hamhf/0480.html
http://www.kenwood.com/i/products/info/amateur/software_download.html
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TS-480/

Sky Command System:
http://www.universal-radio.com/CATALOG/ht/4211sky2.html
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/skycommand/

AvMap G5 Navigator
http://www.universal-radio.com/CATALOG/fm_txvrs/50630710.html
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Avmap_G5_APRS/

Link700 Support for TH-D7, TM-D700 , TM-G707, TH-F6/7, TS-480 and TS-2000
radios. Link700 is offered as shareware. It is totally functional, but has
"nag" screens when you perform certain operations. In order to remove the
nag screens, it is necessary to register Link700.
http://www.wa3hrl.com/link700/

Internet Remoting Toolkit - Attach the TS-480 Control Head miles away from
the body of the rig.
http://www.w4mq.com/toolkit/index.html

Remoterig from Microbit Sweden.
WWW remote control without any computer!
http://www.remoterig.com/en/ts480.htm

For the software with the D700, I like both the Kenwood and the Link 700.
The Link 700 has a great features when doing multiple radios. Such as
TM-D700 / TS-480HX & TH-D7AG. I can build a file that contains the memory
and menu settings of the D700 for example, and then copy it to a D7 file
format. Upload it to both radios and they then are the same, matching memory
locations etc.

Considering the D710 my self, but I have not heard if the Link700 will work
with the D710 and its changed communications protocol. Does any one else
know? I would hate to lose the cross sharing of memory files.

============================

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ken" <n4zed at comcast.net>
To: <antennas at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Thursday, December 02, 2010 7:19 PM
Subject: [Antennas] Need Ideas
>
>I have a friend that is a voluntary emergency worker. He wants to have some
>way to extend the range of his HT while working in the back country/
>mountains. The frequency is close to 2m, I will get that information when I
>start the calculations.
>
> The antenna must fit in a back pack when not in use and not be the only
> thing in there.
> Something easy and quick to set up/through up and take down.
>
> I would like to have a reliable homebrew for him.
>
> YAGI?
> Dipole?
>
> Ideas ??
> >
> Ken
> N4zed 