136.000 - 173.995

No, VHF radios typically cover the 136-174 Mhz band (as yours does). GMRS channels are in the 462.xxxx Mhz band, so you need a UHF radio (typically 400-470 Mhz coverage) to tune into them.

There are also dual band radios which will cover both frequency ranges in both the UHF and VHF bands. (an increasing number of Chinese radios have dual band)

Moved post to: http://www.airsoftcanada.com/showthread.php?t=43665

Thanks.

Okay, so I've recently picked up one Kenwood TK350 and two Kenwood TK350G's. The TK350G's are already preset to GMRS channels, but the TK350 was formerly used on Police channels.
So can anybody advise me on how to reset it to all channels or reprogram it to GMRS channels? I've looked around and according to Kenwood I need a KPG22 connector (which I have) and the right software would be KPG23D...but where the hell can I find the software?!

Anybody?

http://www.geocities.com/SiliconVall...Radio/Kenwood/

BTW, it's a DOS program so you may need an emulator to run it. DOS Box reported does.

...I love you...

*edit* SHIT this just got even more confusing...keep in mind I'm not a DOS person...
I can get the radio set to PROG but as soon as I get to the DOS I just can't get anything to follow like the readme says. I open up DOSBox and it keeps telling me that it's the wrong command...did I download the wrong DOSBox? (I grabbed the Windows/Win32 Installer version)
Drake? :|

Hey guys, I have a Kenwood TK-230 that I think operates in the 417-420Mhz range(not entirely sure), it used to be a public services radio.

I think it's 417-420 anyway, can anyone confirm this? Because i'd like to try and program it for GMRS/FRS channels if possible.

Not overly comfortable replying to a necro-post but here goes...

Sorry but your radio is only certified for VHF use, 138-174 MHz. Not sure why you are thinking it's UHF but even with the frequency ranges you specified, it does not cover FRS/GMRS anyway.

Also, without the KCT-1 programming key to allow field programming of frequencies, CTCSS, etc. you're pretty much screwed with that radio...it's really old and was meant for professional 2-way applications such as fire, police, etc. There are other, better radios out there...


'Fly

Why is this thread not stickied? Seriously, guys - this is A-1 info.

Copcarman, you need a UHF radio. Theres a bunch of cheap, programmable UHF radios on eBay all the time. I've been using Puxing (Chinese Kenwood clones) for two seasons now and they have worked wonderfully. You can pick one up for less than $80 shipped.

Actually, i'm sure it's a UHF because I use it to pick up fire/police on those freqs. I bought it primarily as a police scanner(without transmit codes), but was wondering if I could use it for other applications.

Thanks anyway

Police & Fire are NOT necessarily or exclusively using UHF frequencies so again, I would say that unless you can provide a more accurate part number/model number/fitted option number/etc. description to go on, the "Kenwood TK-230" is supposed to be a VHF radio. Besides, if memory serves, 417-420 MHz is not allocated to mobile services in Canada but rather fixed, point-to-point links.

That said, others have mentioned some popular choices but I personally would stick to IC-certified radio equipment (Yaesu/Vertex, Midland, Kenwood Canada, ICOM, Motorola etc.) or the commonly available blister-pack type of FRS/GMRS radios rather than un-certified offshore clones having dubious spectral purity at best. In fact, I'd love to put one of these "Wang Chun" (sic) brands on the bench at work and take some measurements with a spectrum analyzer. I probably won't be all that suprised with what I find... :rolleyes:

Good luck with your search,

'Fly...out

Where can I buy a nice HF radio and am I suppose to program it myself? If it comes preprogram can I reset it thats the part I dont understand and also a gmrs has 22 channels or less whatever but if I get a uhf with 16 channels and people use chan 22 on gmrs, am im in trouble? thanks

Channels are like frequency bookmarks. If you can't type in your frequency, then you are stuck with the stored one in your "channels".

Search this forum, you will find wonderfull thread full of informations on what is the best radio to use. You just bumped a very old thread.

Yes, the better ones are for you to program yourself.

Not much to reset. Think of programing as setting place markers for each frequency that matches frs/gmrs channels. They typically don't come preprogrammed in a sense that it has not saved specific frs/gmrs frequencies.

Ignore 22 Vs 16 channels. What you need to look at is how many channels you can save.

Setup a cheat sheet with all frs/gmrs channel frequencies so that you can key up any frequency other people want to use.

I always have a frequency cheat sheet since I've only saved/programed frs/gmrs base/main channels x-0. Included in my list are subtones or CTCSS as well as NOAA channels.

Anyone getting good results from dual band radios? Trying to find out how well the antenna that comes with these work on VHF and UHF at the same time.

I was told that the VHF version use an antenna tuned for VHF and the UHF tune specifically for UHF.