The KRS-D74 Radio Programming Software is designed to make it easier to program your radio. Details of memory channels and other set menu options of your radio are in the program to access and study at your pace. No more “function key frustration” from trying to set options from the face of the radio.

Memory Channels Include:

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

Other Menu Item Categories Include:

• Common
• Common 2
• Configuration
• Configuration 2
• GPS
• Digital
• APRS1
• APRS2
• APRS3

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

The programming process begins by first installing the program then installing (and allowing) the drivers for the cable. Be sure to complete both of these steps.

Next, make all the connections between the radio and the computer and 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).

Save your file as you work. This is a computer, after all, and you would hate to lose your work should the system fail. Actually, create and save as many files as you want or need. You could have one file for home, a different one for the vacation house, another for the trip to your son’s house, another for the yearly 3K run and picnic where you help direct traffic and want the radio to be programmed with only the frequencies for that event. Remember, radio programming is an overwrite process. Everything in the radio is replaced by everything in the file.

Limit Memories

Limit Memories are used by the radio for Program Scan. Program the same details for Limit Memories as for regular memory channels. Many of the Limit Memories are preprogrammed in the radio and while the frequency can be changed to another within the band, they cannot be left blank.

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.

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

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

Ten NOAA weather frequencies are preprogrammed in the radio and cannot be changed. Use this screen to edit Name, set Skip conditions and add a weather channel to a bank along with other memories.

GPS Memories

Once stored in the radio during GPS operations, these channels are read from the radio with the other details.

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.

Use these screens 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.

Common and Common 2

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.

Configuration and Configuration 2

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

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.

Digital

Set options for TX/RX and GPS Data Tx operations.

APRS 1,2 and 3

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

RT Systems Programmers interface with three sources of data to make it easy for you to find repeater information. Some of these sources even include information for repeaters outside the US. Your existing subscription to a service (where required) works in the programmer.

• RepeaterBook Search – This database contains domestic and international repeater listings. It is free to use from within the programmer.


• RFinder Web Search – It has both domestic and international repeater listings. RFinder offers the best search abilities with single location or routing options. A subscription through RFinder is required to access this data.


• Frequency Lists – This list is built into the programmer and can be accessed without an internet connection. The list includes common frequencies as those for Weather, GMRS, FRS, Marine Channels, MURS and several others. Entries are easily made into a programming file from the information found in the list.

Repeater Book Search

An Internet connection is required for this search.

Location – Enter City, State, Country (if not in the US).

Radius – Enter how many miles (up to 90 maximum) around this location.

Select Bands – This is not terribly important since it can be done on the next screen; however, you might want to limit the selection to reduce the number of repeaters in the results. Uncheck All Bands to make the individual bands active.

Click OK.

RFinder Search

An internet connection and subscription to the service are required for this search.

Enter the User E-mail and Password that you established when you purchased your subscription from RFinder.

Location - Search around a specific city. Enter City, State and Country (if not US). Enter Radius up to 90 miles.

Route - Search along the route of a trip you’re planning. Enter the Start and End cities, a width (remember to limit this since you can’t hear repeaters that are too far away), and waypoints (other cities along the way). The search will travel along major interstate highways between the two cities. If the result is not along the route you plan to take, enter other waypoints on your route.

Map Route – Use this option to see the route the search will take. Close the map to return to the search screen.

Click OK.

The information is returned on a screen that is not yet ready for radio programming, this screen lets you examine the data to see if the results are about what you expected. You might find that you spelled the city name wrong which resulted in nothing being returned; or that you want to pull repeaters from further away; or you want to get repeaters for different bands.



Select what the radio uses as the Name display. You can select the Callsign (default), City, State, Region, Repeater Notes or Sponsor. Notice that each of these categories is a column of information in the grid. You will see those names at the top of the screen. You are selecting the information in that column for the Programmer to set up for the Name field. NOTE: The radio will truncate (cut off) the information in the field at the maximum number of characters it can use for the Alpha/numeric display. You might end up with only the first four or six characters of the information in the column. Consider this when selecting the information.

Select what the Programmer will use in the Comment field. This information does not go to the radio but can be very helpful for identifying a channel as you work with it on the spreadsheet. You can print this information along with other details for the channels to have it on hand as you travel. Again, select Callsign, City, State, Region, Repeater Notes or Sponsor.

Resulting File

After clicking Create File for (Your radio) the programmer creates the file that you use to program your radio. Notice that all the Tones are set up with the tone frequencies. All done automatically.

What a list and all you did was enter a location!

Hardware Requirements