Our ARES group routinely uses crossband repeaters for our public service activities that involve back country terrain issues. Usually those are temporary installs, but we have one location where it would be convenient to be able to remotely re-configure the radio for different crossband frequency pairs. And it is a location we could readily install a node tied into our fixed mesh infrastructure.
Historically we have used FT-8800/8900 radios, but for this purpose, I'm wondering whether there might be a better choice. Aside from programming the radio, I'm not aware of the FT-8800/8900 radios being controllable per se via the serial connection. Anyone have a suggestion for a dualband (2m/70cm) crossband capable radio that can easily be remote controlled? We can easily use an IP/RS232 or IP/USB adapter to connect us to whatever cable interface the radio might have.
Thanks
Dave
Historically we have used FT-8800/8900 radios, but for this purpose, I'm wondering whether there might be a better choice. Aside from programming the radio, I'm not aware of the FT-8800/8900 radios being controllable per se via the serial connection. Anyone have a suggestion for a dualband (2m/70cm) crossband capable radio that can easily be remote controlled? We can easily use an IP/RS232 or IP/USB adapter to connect us to whatever cable interface the radio might have.
Thanks
Dave
I love Kenwood D700’s for their controllability.
You don’t even need a working head unit to control it via serial port.
The Kenwood V71’s and D710’s have similar controlability but I believe the 700 has more (could be mistaken I don’t have those other units in front of me)
You can essentially program every menu item via the serial port and most have direct commands to change without a complex step procedure.
Information is strewn across the web and really isn’t well centralized but here are some starter links for these units:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=k7CTzc3AfBs
http://www.qsl.net/k7jar/pages/D700Cmds.html
http://www.on7lds.net/auto/tmd700a.htm
https://github.com/LA3QMA/TM-V71_TM-D710-Kenwood