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How to: Kenwood TH-D72 + APRSIS32 iGate/Digipeater

Moleculo

Ham Radio Nerd
Apr 14, 2002
9,194
1,674
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One of my Twitter followers asked me to write instructions on getting the Kenwood TH-D72 going with APRSIS32 so you could have your own iGate/Digipeater. Here's how you do it:

First, I'm going to assume that you have already properly set up the TH-D72 for APRS tracking with your callsign and an SSID. Next, I'm assuming you've downloaded and installed APRSIS32.

The TH-D72 has the ability to digipeat without the aid of software. I used this built-in functionality for the digipeating step. First, go in the APRS Menu and scroll to the Digipeat menu. Turn "Digipeat(MyCall)" = "On". Next go to the UIdigipeat menu. Set "UIdigi" = "On". Now you need to put something in the "Aliases" option. This is the path that other stations will need to transmit as part of their beacon or message to hit your digipeater. If you don't have any digipeaters in your area or just want to add a fill-in digipeater, you would enter something like "WIDE1-1" here. If you are setting up a temporary, event digipeater, you could enter something like "TEMP" or "EVENT" or something like that. Now go to the UItrace menu. UItrace is the functionality that replaces the UI Frame string (WIDE, for example) by decrementing it's hops and retransmitting it with your callsign added. Turn "UItrace" = "On". Set "Alias" to be the same string you used in your "Aliases" option under the UIdigipeat menu, except leave off the hops count. So, if you entered "WIDE1-1" on the previous menu, just enter "WIDE" here.

That's it. Your TH-D72 is set up to digipeat. Now you need to configure the APRSIS/32 software. I'm assuming that you've already installed the USB drivers and your PC can communicate with the radio. After you've installed APRSIS32, you need to go to the General Configuration and put in a MyCall-ssid. I put in my callsign followed by -1. You need a password for your callsign to be able to connect to the APRSIS network. If you don't have one already, send an e-mail to APRSISCE-owner@yahoogroups.com containing your name and callsign to request a password. Put that password into the "Password" field in APRSIS32. Accept the changes and close the General Configuration screen.

Now you need to make sure that APRSIS32 is able to talk to your radio. Make sure the TNC is turned off on the rig, then using the USB cable, attach it to the computer. Start APRSIS32 and go to "Configure" then "Ports". Add a new port by selecting type "KWD710(APRS)". You will need to specify the proper serial port. Give the port a name like TH-D72 and continue. On the following Port Configuration screen, check the "RF to IS" and "IS to RF" boxes. Make sure the "Enabled" box is checked. Also check the "Xmit Enable" box. Accept the changes.

If everything is set properly, when you close the setup screen, APRSIS32 will connect to the TH-D72, and enable the APRS TNC. It will also connect to the APRS-IS network and you will start seeing stations appear in your area. To see what the radio is receiving on the map, make sure there is a check box in the "View"/"RF"/"All" menu item. If you want to only see what the radio is receiving, then uncheck "view"/"All".

BTW, this setup will also allow for message delivery, either from other stations through your iGate or from the APRS-IS network out to stations you are hearing.

Hope this helps!
 

THD72a and Aprsis32

Hi Moleculo , I followed your instructions and I can't seem to get my TH72 and APRSIS32 to work together.I get the satellites and the Aprs-is on the maps but the port I labelled TH72 keeps coming back "Open" and I get no response from the radio.
I am new at this and trying to figure it out maube it is some of the other settings ,baud rate?
any help would be appreciated..

Steve
VA3TPS
 
The scripts built in to APRSIS32 assume that the TNC is disabled when the probram starts. You need to press the TNC button until neither APRS12 nor PACKET is showing at the top of the screen, then start the program, otherwise the scripts won't work.

Also you need to make sure that the serial port and baud rate setting is correct. I think the baud rate needs to be 9600. (I don't connect my D72 to the PC but I did try it once just to see if it would work.)
 
Also you need to make sure that the serial port and baud rate setting is correct. I think the baud rate needs to be 9600.

I found that the serial baud rate didn't matter much as long as everything was configured the same. That means Windows and APRSIS32 both need to be on the same page or it won't work. I think the default was 9600, but I messed with it so many times that I can't remember.

Make sure you don't also have the Kenwood utility running. However, if you can get the Kenwood utility to talk to the radio, then APRSIS32 should be able to, as well.
 
Great Information!

Moleculo,

Thank you for both the review of the D72 and the extra information regarding DigiPeater use.

Kenwood should have hired you to write their manual! Your explanations are much clearer than the Kenwood manual (and I wish Kenwood had actually printed the manual).

I'll be on the lookout for anything else you care to write about the D72!
 
Moleculo,

Thank you for both the review of the D72 and the extra information regarding DigiPeater use.

Kenwood should have hired you to write their manual! Your explanations are much clearer than the Kenwood manual (and I wish Kenwood had actually printed the manual).

I'll be on the lookout for anything else you care to write about the D72!


Thanks, and feel free to post any questions. I'll do my best to help out.
 
Port Setup

Moleculo,

In the DigiPeater instructions you said:

"Now you need to make sure that APRSIS32 is able to talk to your radio. Make sure the TNC is turned off on the rig, then using the USB cable, attach it to the computer. Start APRSIS32 and go to "Configure" then "Ports". Add a new port by selecting type "KWD710(APRS)". You will need to specify the proper serial port. Give the port a name like TH-D72 and continue. On the following Port Configuration screen, check the "RF to IS" and "IS to RF" boxes. Make sure the "Enabled" box is checked. Also check the "Xmit Enable" box. Accept the changes. "

Could you be more explicit in how to set up the port? How did you configure the first dialog box - the one that says "Configure as a TCP/IP Port?"

Then, how did you configure the next dialog box?
 
Could you be more explicit in how to set up the port? How did you configure the first dialog box - the one that says "Configure as a TCP/IP Port?"

When it asks if you want to "Configure as a TCP/IP Port?", Select "No". We are configuring this as a COM port, not a network port. Then you'll get the next dialog where you choose the COM port, baud rate, etc.
 

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