KENWOOD TH-D72 - APRS parameters

(last update 2011/sep/18)

The new KENWOOD TH-D72 handheld offers many APRS functions in a small unit. One proplem is, that users which are new to APRS often do not adequately configure their radio. That's why I offer you my settings. Important settings for a good working APRS network are in BOLD.

menu #	menu	command #	command	setting	comment
11	Battery	110	Battery Saver	0.03sec	Important! With other settings the chance is high to miss incoming packets because your radio is sleeping.
30	Basic Set	300	My Callsign	LX3PR-7	Change to your callsign. Use SSID -7 to identify a human portable message capable station.
		301	Beacon Type	APRS	We want to do APRS with the radio.
		302	APRS Lock	ON	Set this to on after having the right APRS frequency (144.800 for Europe).
31	Int. TNC1	310	Data Band	A-Band	APRS will function on the A-Band
		311	Data Speed	1200 bps	APRS data will be sent and received at 1200 baud
32	Int. TNC2	320	DCD Sense	D or RxD Band
		321	TX delay	150 ms
33	COM Port				settings are irrelevant for standard APRS
34	Waypoint				settings are irrelevant for standard APRS
35	PC Port				settings are irrelevant for standard APRS
36	My Position				Enter your position. This postition will be sent, when the internal GPS is switched off and BCON is pressed.
37	Beacon Info	370	Speed	ON	Your speed is sent in position reports. Set to OFF if you drive excessively fast.
		371	Altitude	ON	Your altitude is sent in position reports.
		372	Pos. Ambiguity	OFF	There is no reason to put errors in your position report.
38	Comment	381	Position Comment	Enroute	Choose a comment describing your current activity. Don't use EMERGENCY! unless there is a real emergency!
39	Status Text	390	Rate	OFF	Don't use a status text to keep your packets short. Use one if there is a special reason.
3A	QSY (FREQ)	3A0	QSY in status	OFF	Set to ON if you want to tell others on which VOICE frequency you are working on the B-Band.
		3A1	Tone/Narrow	OFF
		3A2	Shift/Offset	OFF
3B	Pkt.Filter	3B0	Position Limit	OFF	Set to ON if you want to limit data you receive
		3B1	Filter type		An ASTERIX (*) should be seen for all the options. Delete the ASTERIX with MHZ for the type of stations you do not want to display.
3C	Icon	3C0		Person	Choose an appropriate icon four your current activity. Don't use fancy icons when there is no special need to do so.
3D	TX Beacon	3D0	Method	SmartBeaconing
		3D1	Initial Interval	5 min
3E	Algorithm	3E0	Decay Algorithm	OFF	Doesn't make sense to set it to ON for low power portable.
		3E1	Prop. Pathing	OFF	Doesn't make sense to set it to ON for low power portable.
3F	SmartBcon1	3F0	Low/High Speed	3 - 50 km/h
		3F1	Slow Rate	15 min	When not moving you will TX a postition report every 15 minutes.
		3F2	Fast Rate	90 sec	When moving above 50 km/h you will TX a postion report every 90 seconds
3G	SmartBcon2	3G0	Turn Angle	28 deg
		3G1	Turn Slope	24(10deg/speed)
		3G2	Turn Time	30 sec	When taking turns, send a position report at most every 30 seconds.
3H	PacketPath	3H0	Type	*New-N
		3H1	WIDE1-1	On
		3H2	Total Hops	3
3I	Network	3I0	*APRS
3J	WX Station				settings are irrelevant for standard APRS
3K	Digipeat	3K0	Digipeat(MyCall)	OFF	Only use your radio as a digipeater when there is a special reason to do so.
3L	UIcheck				settings are irrelevant for standard APRS
3M	UIdigipeat				settings are irrelevant for standard APRS
3N	UIflood				settings are irrelevant for standard APRS
3O	UItrace				settings are irrelevant for standard APRS
3P	User Phrase				settings are irrelevant for standard APRS
3Q	Auto-Reply	3Q0	Reply	OFF	Your radio shouldn't reply to messages automatically. Read your messages and reply to them!
		3Q1	Reply To	*
3R	Reply MSG	3R0	Text	-
3S	Group Filter	3S0	Message	ALL,QST,CQ,KWD
		3S1	Bulletin (BLN)		Set up a filter for your special bulletins.
3T	Sound	3T0	RX Beep	Mine
		3T1	TX Beep	OFF
		3T2	Special Call
3U	Display	3U0	Display Area	Entire Always	Switch to something different if you don't like it.
		3U1	Interrupt Time	5 sec
		3U2	Cursor Control	Followed
3V	Units 1	3V0	Speed, Distance	km/h, km
		3V1	Altitude, Rain	m, mm
		3V2	Temperature	°C
3W	Units 2	3W0	Position	dd°mm,mm'
		3W1	Grid Format	Maidenhead Grid	Quite useful.
3X	NAVITRA GP				settings are irrelevant for standard APRS
3Y	NAVITRA MS				settings are irrelevant for standard APRS

Keep in mind that transmitting an excessive number of position or status reports (e.g. a report every 15 or 30 seconds for a fixed station), is an enormous load for the capacity of the APRS network and might lessen the pleasure of others. Please check your settings!

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