The business I work for just purchased a bunch of Kenwood TK-3400 radios to replace a bunch of TK-3300 radios that are beat up (broken antennas, missing belt clips, batteries held on by tape, etc.). I was tasked with programming the radios to match the frequency we are currently using as not all of the old radios need replacing. From what I’ve read and watched so far on those radios, the ProTalk series are capable of wireless cloning. I have tried cloning four of the older units and none of them will go into cloning mode. The new ones have no problem going into clone mode. The older radios were programmed before I started working for the company so I have no idea what frequency, QT, or DQT they are currently set on. Is there a way the cloning feature was disabled on the older radios or does anyone have any advice to get the new radios on the same page as the old without having to manually reprogram all of the units?
The TK-3400 will wirelessly clone to each other but will not clone to the TK-3300 or vice versa.
Further to what Rick has said, I am assuming you don’t have the TK3300 programming software or access to the list of frequencies and tones in the older radios?
If not, I have an easy suggestion for you. You can pick up very inexpensive frequency counters that will show you both the frequency and the tone on each channel. Pick one of those up, go through each channel and read the frequency and tone. Then program one TK3400 for the same frequencies and tones. If all works, wirelessly clone all the new ones to the first one. Done.
Otherwise, you will need to purchase both the TK3300 software and the TK3400 software. (TK3300 software is KPG-120D, and is around $75.)
Note that the programming software can also be used to disable the programming and the cloning feature so this is likely what has happened in your 3300s.
The TK series radios were a bit of a bubble-pack-type radio for businesses. They came preprogrammed with a list of possible business frequencies, and then the radios were programmed (through software, or through the keypad if that capability was not removed through the software) to the 4 or 16 channels a business was actually licenced for. Note that you cannot program it outside the default list of 90 possible frequencies it came with, from the keypad (assuming the programming capability was not removed through software.)
The reason I suggest an inexpensive frequency counter is that it is also useful for reading signal strength. If you have one radio with a bad antenna, one can find out right away by reading the signal strength. I use my Surecom SF-401 a lot. To read a frequency, hold the counter a foot or two away from the radio and push the PTT. The screen will show you the frequency and the tone within seconds. Then read the manual, and program one of the new ones with the matching frequency and tone. It will take a while to program all 4 or 16 channels this way. Test them all before you clone the rest.
Hope this suggestion helps.
If you read the frequencies and they are not on the list of 90 default frequencies that came with the TK3300, then you are out of luck. Someone programmed them outside the default frequencies using the programming software, and now you are stuck. If the frequency is not listed in the TK3400 manual as one of the 90 possible pre-programmed frequencies (page 15 of the manual), the only way is to buy the TK3400 programming software.
Just as an aside, all the above is something that your two way radio dealer should have done for you. All you needed to do was send a copy of your licence with a list of your frequencies to them and they would have programmed them all for you. Even if you didn’t have the licence handy, just by sending them one old radio and they could read it and match to all the new ones. It sounds like your company tried to cheap out a bit.
If all the above works, your company owes you (and us folks on this forum) a BIG coffee!
Hamfiles have it - [Link removed]
You just need the cable. Ebay is a good source.
Yes, I saw that too, but it was my understanding that Kenwood still charges for their software, making that an illegal download.
I’m not sure I see that site in that light. The files are donated by members and have been paid for. They’re not illegal cracks of the software. I’m running a mac, so can’t run those to read the wording. I expect the user agreements prevents copying, redistribution etc etc so it would come down to personal morals and beliefs, as the person running the site is easily identified and the lack of interest from the manufacturers in actually supplying the software for people to buy, and failure to take any action leads me to surmise they’re not bothered. After all, most of the Chinese manufacturers make it free anyway, it’s just that when your radios are expensive, a few extra quid for the software is a sell-up bonus for them.
I’m stuck on this one, usually siding with copyright protection, but in this case, you have bought the radio, so the manufacturer has already benefited - even if you bought second hand, because the second hand market relies on brand new product being shipped, putting the gear onto the market.
In this case, I think my morals may have slipped a little, and that site has been useful many times - and I’ve donated to keep it going happily.
LOL. Good point. Pretty low down on my list of things to worry about, I must say. Nor do I care what others do. I just find it somewhat amusing that some Hams feel they should be the airwave “cops” and do things like demand to see GMRS licences or berate people for using Part 90 radios for Part 95 operations … and yet would share software that others have paid for.
This is one of the reasons why I am glad to live in Canada where we never needed GMRS licences, or why I am glad they changed the rules in the U.S. to conform more to what we have in Canada.
Thankfully, there are still folks like yourself who really want to help people. Which brings me back to my main point … I think an inexpensive frequency counter is still a better idea than trying to find two different software programs when all he needs is to read the frequencies and tones from one of the old radios, and translate that to one of the new ones. It’s a bit of a pain to program the TK series from the keypad, but at least it is NOTHING like programming my DTR radios by hand.
My only fear is that the original radio dealer who programmed the 3300 radios, also programmed in a unique set of channels, as well as disabled the keypad programming and the wireless cloning. Then our OP is going to NEED the software for the TK3400.
The only problem with the frequency counter is if the system works split frequencies - I was getting annoyed today with trying to programme and extra radio for the system here, till I realised it uses an interface in the building for semi-duplex, and the repeater shift luckily was 4.8MHz up - my second guess!
Due to the legal restrictions of software licensing, we generally recommend that users purchase the software from Kenwood.
When a company requires the software to be purchased, it means the user is not usually purchasing the software itself, but a license to use it. Just because the user purchased the software for his or her own use does not give that user a license to freely distribute it to others. It’s the same thing as purchasing a song or movie and then giving it away to everyone else as a free download. It isn’t ethical.
I, too have marveled at the irony of this. Apparently some hams do seem to ignore the software licensing and other laws, yet are quick to pounce on those who ignore the rules of radio licensing. I do not understand their rationalization for this double standard.
Having said that, I think we’ve gone too far off-topic, and I think we’ve given the OP a couple of viable options, either purchase the software and cable from Kenwood or use a frequency counter. I’ll leave the thread open for awhile in case there are other appropriate options available.
Thanks everyone. Chickenhawk, you are correct when assuming the company tried to be cheap and program them ourselves. The TK-3300s were purchased from a brick and mortar store who programmed them with the software and DID disable the programming and clone function on the units. That store has since gone out of business so they bought the TK-3400s online. I have informed them they need to pony up and buy the software for both models to be able to set the 3400s up the way the 3300s are.
Glad we could help. Keep us updated as to how it goes.
Can anyone point me in the direction of where to buy the softwares and cable? From what I’ve found, Kenwood does not sell things directly from their website.
If you want to buy from Kenwood use their find a dealer page, enter where you are and then contact them. They don’t do direct sales, only through the dealer network.