Applications and library for use with the Kenwood TM-D700a (and others?)
This may also work with the TM-D710A, which I assume uses a similar or identical protocol. I'd appreciate any reports of success or failure there.
It should also work on Windows, but again I have no way to test it.
There are two main scripts in this distribution; program.py and monitor.py.
program.py is for programming the memories. It reads from a CSV file in ARRL Repeater Travel Plus format. I certainly would not want to program 200 memories with the mic controls.
Usage: python program.py /dev/ttyUSB0 /home/jeff/repeaters.csv
monitor.py is the main user interface. It just displays the radio's basic status information in a terminal window. It doesn't actually control anything. But when used in conjunction with mic control, this is sufficient to operate the basic functions and turn a paperweight into a useful radio. I've been using it daily for a week.
Usage: python monitor.py /dev/ttyUSB0
control.py may be used to send raw commands to the radio and display the results.
Usage: python control.py /dev/ttyUSB0 'PS 1;PS 1;MON 1'
I bought a TM-D700a RF deck at a hamfest for $60 after the seller reported that the control head had been stolen out of his car. Kenwood doesn't sell it as a part. Supposedly the B2000 mobile control head is compatible, but it's over $300. This makes used control heads as rare as hen's teeth, for obvious reasons. I couldn't find any existing Linux compatible control software, and I enjoy coding in Python, so I wrote this.
- Python 2.7
- gevent
- pyserial
monitor.py: Simple curses app to display radio status. Together with mic control, it makes a headless radio useable.
program.py: Reads a .CSV file in ARRL Travel Plus for Repeaters format and programs it into the radio's memory channels.
control.py: Core radio comms framework built on gevent for performance. Also useful for sending commands to radio and monitoring it's status.