TM-V71: Cross Band Repeat Operations

The Kenwood mobiles, TM-V71A and TM-D710/D710G (American versions only of each) have crossband repeat functionality. This functionality can be set up to work with two radios for simplex operations or through local repeaters (just think of the range that would get you... although setup is a little more complicated).

Basically, the radio takes a signal received in one band and transmits it through a frequency in the other band.

• This is done through two memory channels (one for each band).
• To begin experimentation, set both to simplex. (Get two other radios and set one each to those same simplex frequencies. Be sure they are both on simplex. You want no offsets at this point.
• Once programmed in the radio, be sure Menu Item 403 is set to Cross (I leave A-Tx and B-Tx for you to experiment with). Cross is the default so you should not have to make a menu item change here. 
• This option is found in the programmer under Settings | Radio Menu Settings (first column) Repeater Operation | Mode.  You might want to check here to be sure you don't reset this option when you send the file to the radio. 
• Set the radio so one side of the display is on one of these channels and the other channel is displayed on the other side of the display. (Right or left does NOT matter)
• Turn the radio off
• Press and hold the [TONE] button on the front of the radio (immediately to the right of the [F] key) while you turn the radio on.
• The Lock symbol will appear at the lower right of the display and the PTT indication will blink on whichever side you left it on the last time you used the radio (it does not matter where it is, just that it is blinking).
• The radio is now ready to receive on one displayed frequency and transmit out on the other. Try it with the two other radios you have there. You will find that the function works regardless of which frequency is used for transmission.

Now, for repeaters...

If you want to use the radio to crossband repeat for two repeaters, this should work... although, you may need to experiment a little with the "in" and "out" frequencies on the radio being used to talk to the mobile radio. Begin as follows:

• Set up two channels with repeater functionality. Be sure to set Tone as needed to use each repeater.
• Set the radio so one side of the display is on one of these channels and the other channel is displayed on the other side of the display (again, right or left does NOT matter)
• So, now, when you are "out and about", you can access say the 2M repeater. The transmission will be heard by the mobile radio and repeated to the 440MHz repeater which will handle that signal as usual. Then is someone contacts that 440MHz repeater, you will hear it back through your radio and through the 2M repeater you are accessing.

What a great way to overcome the limitation of a single band radio to be able to talk with friends on a different band or to work with a small radio to make the short trip to your mobile radio which gets your signal out to everyone in your area.