The KRS-D74 Radio Programming Software is designed to give you the ease and convenience of programming the memories and set menu options of your radio from your PC. Any memory channel with all its details can be sent to the radio with a simple keystroke.

Memory Channels Include:

• 1,000 Memory Channels
• 50 Limit Memories (25 pair)
• 1,500 DR Memories
• 6 Call Channels
• 13 VFO Channels
• 10 Weather Channels
• 100 GPS Memories

Other Menu Item Categories Include:

• Common
• Configuration
• GPS
• APRS1
• APRS2

The Radio Programmer Is for so Much More than Just Memory Management.

The programming process begins by first installing the program. Drivers for the cable are installed during this process.

Next, connect the RT Systems programming cable and give the operating system a minute to complete driver setup.

Make the connection between the radio and the computer. Complete Communications | Get data from radio. This “syncs” the radio and computer. Even if the radio is not yet set up with memory channels, there are details that the programmer needs to get from the radio.

Start setting up details for your radio in a “factory fresh” file (File|New) or in the file that was created when you did Communications | Get data from the radio. Begin by entering a receive frequency (that will be the frequency published for the repeater). When you press Enter or Tab to leave the Receive frequency field, the program will complete details for the channel. Then customize Name and Tone to match the details you have for that local repeater.

Use the links to external data sources (File | External data) built right into the programmer to access repeater details for your area or for a location you plan to visit. Then with just a few button clicks, you have a file with hundreds of entries and all you typed was your location (i.e., zip code or city).

Limit Memories

Limit Memories are used by the radio for Program Scan. Program the same details for Limit Memories as for regular memory channels.

DR Memories

The DR Channels are special memories of the radio used for quick manual D-Star setup from the radio’s face. D-Star channels do not have to be programmed here before being saved to memory. Program D-STAR repeater info to use with the near repeater feature of the radio when Latitude and Longitude are included for that repeater.

Call Channels

Home/Call channels are special memories accessed through one button recall on the radio. These channels are preprogrammed in the radio and while the frequency can be changed to another within the band, they cannot be left blank.

VFO Channels

The program makes available the same VFO’s as in the radio (usually one per band). Remember these are not real memory channels since the details are lost as soon as you tune the radio manually. There is no one button recall for these. You do not need to program into VFO before programming details into a memory channel. These channels are preprogrammed in the radio and while the frequency can be changed to another within the band, they cannot be left blank.

Weather Channels

Ten NOAA weather frequencies are preprogrammed in the American Version radio and cannot be changed. Use this screen to edit Name and Step for each of these.

GPS

GPS memories are saved weigh point locations used in GPS and APRS activities. Set option for GPS functionality. Remember, this screen has more options than those shown. Be sure to click on each of the Position, Object, Item and Weather tabs to set options for each of those D-PRS operations.

Common

Use this screen to customize many set menu features of the radio. Check boxes toggle features on or off, use drop down menus list all selections and blank boxes for personalized entry add to the ease of setting up your radio exactly like you want it.

The entries on the Settings screens are made for you to “Set and Forget”. Once settings are customized, you are prompted to save before exiting. The saved settings will be there every time you create a new frequency file.

Configuration

Setting screens are organized like the radio. The configuration screen of the settings file has the options you’ll find in the Configuration section of the radio.

GPS

Configure GPS function settings.

APRS1 / APRS2

With so many set menu items controlling this advanced function of the radio, the settings file has two screens to hold the check boxes, drop-down lists and edit boxes.

Memories and D-STAR Columns

The TH-D74 handles D-STAR and FM memories in Memories. It is here in the Programmer that the D-STAR specifics for each channel are found. The D-STAR columns become active once Operating Mode is set to DV or DR.

D-STAR Settings

Set “My Callsign” to your FCC issued callsign.

The list of Your Callsigns is just storage. The callsigns used during a transmission are programmed in the memory channel. This list is available to make a selection from when working with DR Memories; callsigns do not need to be entered here first for Memory Channels.

Tx messages, name/location/equipment details, etc., scroll on the radio receiving your call. Be sure to turn on the Tx-Message with the checkbox.

Source and Destination

The D-STAR Calculator automatically sets up the Talk, Echo, Info and Unlink channels for your “Source” repeater. The “Source” is the repeater you access to begin your adventures. Just like with analog repeaters, you must be able to hit the “Source” repeater.

Talk - the CQ channel for talking with others.

Echo - a test function that repeats your transmission back to you. Good for letting you know that you are, or are not, hitting the repeater.

Info - The function that triggers a status response from the repeater (i.e. linked to “where” ... not linked)

Unlink - Disconnects the current link of the repeater (where allowed). More widely used to disconnect a link you establish. Remember... if you link, it’s always polite to unlink (hang up the phone) when you’re done unless someone has joined you locally. Then you might leave it to them to unlink.

The calculator sets up the same channels for a DVAP hotspot. You enter your frequency only once.

Route/Link to Repeaters

Now that you identified your “Source”, let’s set up your Destination. In D-STAR you can Link to Repeaters or Route to Repeaters. To set up channels that link or route, use the drop down at the top of the first tree to select your function, then select your repeaters by checking a country, region, state, city or individual repeater. A counter below the list keeps track of how many you have selected.

Link to Reflectors

For even more fun, and a great way for a beginner to get started, Link to Reflectors. D-STAR reflectors are a special type of Internet connected gateway that rebroadcasts each signal to all the other linked nodes or repeaters. Remember... EVERYBODY is listening... but that’s what makes it fun. You have a whole world to talk to through your local repeater, “Source”, linked to a reflector. To set up a channel that links your repeater to a reflector, check the box for that reflector in the Link to Reflector tree.

Click Apply once to set up all these channels for the radio.

The resulting channels are set up and ready to go.

Your callsign, Rpt 1 Callsign and Rpt 2 Callsign are set automatically... No wondering which suffix goes where, or if it is positioned correctly. That is all done for you.

Name can be edited here to better identify the station. Name is what you see on the radio. It is not part of the D-STAR commands for use of the system. It may be all you have to identify the function of a channel. (Notice the frequency is the same for ALL these channels although they each do something different on the D-STAR network.) Make the Name something you understand.

The names are displayed automatically along with the frequency.

To Use these Settings for D-STAR Fun:

• Save and send the file to the radio.
• Listen on the talk channel.
• Be sure your call sign is registered on the system.
• Check repeater status on info channel.
• Check your connection to repeater on Echo channel.
• Link repeater to a connection of your choice.
• Talk on Talk channel.

Have Fun!

D-STAR Calculator for DR Memories

D-STAR Calculator for DR Memories lists repeaters worldwide for you to update or customize the list in the radio. Easily customize this list for places you plan to travel or places you want to work using a DR memory as your RPT2 repeater.

All repeater nodes are listed. Those the radio can use to transmit will be set automatically for “Repeater Use”.

Latitude and Longitude are included where that info is available from the source and the repeater is marked for use.

Click a country, region, state, city or individual repeater.

Use starting channel to replace or carefully add to your list.

No searching for data, it’s all right in the RT Systems Programmer.

The D-STAR calculator is updated automatically with the program. Just “Check for Updates” periodically to be sure you have the latest list.

Data management is the key to getting everything you can from your radio. RT Systems Programmers give you many ways to manage and organize frequencies and settings to help you enjoy your radio and activities.

Remember, the program for your radio is specific to this radio model. While cables may work for many models, the programmer must be customized so the radio thinks it is talking to a "twin" of itself. Review Hardware Requirements here for details on operating systems and radio to computer connections.

RT Systems works to keep radio programming organized so everything works the first time and every time.

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