[Kenwood] TM-D710a GPS problem

[Gary]

I suggest you look closely at your D710 settings and compare them to those
discussed on this blog:
<
http://bubbazanetti.blogspot.com/2009/10/kenwood-tm-d710-garmin-nuvi-350-apr
s.html>
Copy & paste it if you have to but read it through and make sure your D710
settings match his. I did and it worked the first time out and every time
since. The GPS object will blink when the Nuvi's position data is being
recognized and used by the D710. Once you have it working you can go back
and tailor your settings to meet your preferences. If you're already doing
all this, menus 602 and 603 are correct, then I would suggest checking your
radio's firmware and ensure it's current. Mine works great from the start
but I also made sure both my radio and the Nuvi had the most recent firmware
installed in each.
Gary

-----Original Message-----
From: kenwood-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:kenwood-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Steven Schultheis
Sent: Tuesday, August 10, 2010 1:11 PM
To: kenwood at mailman.qth.net
Subject: [Kenwood] TM-D710a GPS problem

Hello All,

I'm wondering if any of you have any insights on my problem. I have a
TM-D710a that I bought new. I'm trying to run it with a Garmin Nuvi
350 GPS, connected by one of these Argent GTRANS cables:

http://tinyurl.com/244nvus

This "smart" cable translates Garmin's proprietary output format to
standard NMEA messages for the TM-D710a. It also translates 'Kenwood'
format waypoints, as output by the radio, into Garmin's waypoint
format for proper display on their GPS's screen.

When I connect my GPS to the TM-D710a and select 'gps' as input in
menu 602, I get no position information. Kenwood tech support told me
the "gps" legend towards the upper right corner of the display should
blink with each valid GPS packet received. It never does. Incoming
APRS messages are displayed with no 'arrow' in the position circle. If
I manually enter a location via menu 605 and set 'input' to 'off' on
menu 602 ,I do get the arrow and position information on received APRS
messages.

In menu 603, I have waypoint output enabled, and I _do_ get waypoints
displayed on my GPS. So output from the radio to the GPS is working.

I attached test leads from the GPS's 2.5mm cable to a serial connector
on my PC, opened a terminal program at 4800 baud, and saw this:

$GPGGA,191749,4302.3693,N,08928.0327,W,1,08,1.0,316.7,M,-34.3,M,,*77
$GPRMC,191749,A,4302.3693,N,08928.0327,W,0.1,184.0,090810,,*07
$GPGLL,4302.3693,N,08928.0327,W,191749,A*3C
$GPGGA,191751,4302.3693,N,08928.0327,W,1,08,1.0,316.7,M,-34.3,M,,*7E
$GPRMC,191751,A,4302.3693,N,08928.0327,W,0.1,162.0,090810,,*06
$GPGLL,4302.3693,N,08928.0327,W,191751,A*35
$GPGGA,191752,4302.3692,N,08928.0327,W,1,08,1.0,316.7,M,-34.3,M,,*7C
$GPRMC,191752,A,4302.3692,N,08928.0327,W,0.0,214.0,090810,,*07
$GPGLL,4302.3692,N,08928.0327,W,191752,A*37

[ ... etc ...]

So it seems that reasonable data is coming from the GPS/cable.

I borrowed a buddy's old GPS with RS-232 output and ran that into the
radio with the same result- no GPS data received. The old GPS (a
Magellan "Meridian Gold") has three software selectable NMEA 0183
format options: "V1.5 APA", "V1.5 XTE", or "V2.1 GSA." I'm not sure of
the differences (and I don't want to spend $350 for a copy of the NMEA
spec to find out), but in any event none of them work. I don't have
any other GPSs to try.

I'm beginning to suspect that the GPS input connector (or downstream
circuitry) is bad, although this seems unlikely with a brand new
radio. But I'm also reluctant to send it in for warranty repair until
I've exhausted my options. Since the radio is still under warranty,
I'm reluctant to rip it open and try to solve the problem myself. Even
if the connector itself is bad, I probably wouldn't be able to source
a replacement myself anyway.

If anyone has any insights or suggestions of things to try before I
send the radio to Kenwood, please let me know.

Thanks,

- Steve
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