Hi Jed, Of course I'm going to say yes... regarding Kenwood Radios doing what you wantever you might want to try.
You can make a repeater out of almost any two radios regardless of brands... it's just a measure of how creative you want to be. If we're talking only the 2 Meter Band here... Kenwood makes a really impressive radio, the TM-271a. I'm a Kenwood Business Radio Dealer so sad for me that I don't sell that model... :-( I still own a few 271a radios and use them all the time... 60 watts output and I haven't been able to kill it even in constant service. I have made more than one repeater and link packages out of the TM-271a. If you're talking non amateur applications Kenwood makes a really fine line of commerical radios of which I do sell. I've made repeaters and links out of almost every model kenwood mobile going back some years and even a lot of portables (hand-helds). Many Kenwoood Commerical Radios give you the option to purchase a flying pig-tail lead wire kit (under $20 typical) bringing out to a jack/plug the various desired functions you might want to use. Some of the newer Kenwood Radios have the multi function jack right on the back of the radio chassis. For commercial work I need the type acceptance radios for operation outside the amateur band(s). Regardless of where you buy a Kenwood Radio... as time allows I will try to help folks with information, parts and service. Heck we even try to help with pretty much any brand radio you might have around. And of course there is the magic of the Repeater Builder Group here as an A-#1 resource. You need a laugh... I'm still making Links and Repeaters out of old Midland Syntech Radios so you can see we're also into a measure of self abuse. Darn Syntech Radios last forever and I haven't yet been able to kill the PA in full power repeater operation. Depending on your budget, you can buy new and used radios off ebay, me and a bunch of other group members who sell equipment full and part time. Don't forget to ask Kevin and Scott if their converted commercial radios will work for your application. And don't forget they sell conversion kits if you want to "roll your own". The bottom has fallen out of the land mobile (two-way) radio industry and we're seeing major surplus equipment dumping on ebay and at flea markets. Just pick a radio you can easily deal with and go for it. Asking around the group helps out quite a bit... I really like the GE MVP, Master II and Mitrek mobile radios and they pop up on Ebay and used markets all the time. Programmable radio wise... many of the used Kenwood Mobiles Radios make great price "sleeper deals". I've made repeaters out of older tk-840 radios and other tk-series models. In some cases it's just add the flying cable lead and wire it up to your desired repeater controller of choice. The same goes for many other radio brands/models. Just don't buy a used car from anyone on this group and you'll be just fine. :-) cheers, skipp IWCE is almost here... > Jed Barton <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Hey Skipp, can i do the same with the Kenwoods? > Do they make ecent link radios? > On Feb 25, 2008, at 12:02 PM, skipp025 wrote: > > > > > Hi Jed, > > > > One might assume any newer generation of radio should be able to > > operate digital coded squelch "DCS" (aka "DPL"). > > > > I wouldn't know about any discriminator audio availability from > > that radio... I myself sell one of "the other brands" (Kenwood). > > > > Don't expect the radio to output full power 24/7. As with many > > mobile radios the heatsink will get warm/hot and with a bit of > > luck the power protection circuit will then greatly reduce or > > even cut off the rf output power. > > > > So for many repeater applications... it's more than prudent to > > run them on the low power setting and or place a fan/blower on > > the heat sink and hope it stays cool in lock to talk operation. > > > > Depending on the mass of the heatsink and the air movement past... > > it's quite possible to pull off a fair amount of full power > > operation before the protection circuit throws out the reduce > > power anchor. > > > > cheers, > > skipp > > > > > Jed Barton <jed@> wrote: > > > > > > Hey guys, alright i need some input here. > > > Thinking very seriously of getting few icom f221s and using them as > > > repeaters. My concern is with the audio quality. > > > Can these things do direct FM? > > > Also, is there a way of getting descriminator audio out of them on > > the > > > connecter? > > > Having these capabilities would be fantastic. > > > I know some of the older Icoms were phase modulated, but wonder if > > > these can do direct FM. > > > Thanks, > > > Jed > > > > > > > > > >