From: NFXQ96A@prodigy.com (MR CORY B MCDONALD)
Date: Sat, 31 Jan 1998 22:25:46, -0500
To: editor@qrz.com
Subject: Mars/Cap mod for Kenwood TM-V7A

   Remove the top and bottom covers and the detachable
face holder. Look at the p c board that is vertical behind
the front of the radio. There will be 2 small chip resistors
on the left side of the board. Carefully remove the one
with the number 0 . It will be the one closest to the left
near the grounding spring. You will probably have to scrape it off 
with a pair of needle nose pliers. After you remove it
the TX should be VHF TX 136.995 - 173.995. RX should
be 118-174. UHF TX should be 410-469.995 RX should be
300-470.

---------------------------------------------------------
From: "Bowyer, Mike J" 
To: editor@qrz.com
Subject: Expanding the Kenwood TM-V7: A & E versions

Original TM-V7A Mod from NFXQ96A@prodigy.com (MR CORY B MCDONALD)
Additional TM-V7E notes from bowyermj@state.gov (Mike Bowyer)


Original TM-V7A Mod:
--------------------

Remove the top and bottom covers. 

Look at the vertical p.c. board behind the front of the radio. There will be
2 small chip resistors on the left side of the board. 

Carefully remove the one with the number 0. It will be the one closest to
the left near the grounding spring. You will probably have to scrape it off
with a pair of needle nose pliers.

After you remove it the VFO ranges should be: 
VHF TX 136.995 - 173.995. RX should be 118-174. 
UHF TX should be 410-469.995 RX should be 300-470.



Additional TM-V7E notes:
------------------------

There is a row of five numbered links on the edge of the front panel board.
In my E version radio, 0, 2 & 3 were made as standard. I now have only one
link fitted in the number 4 position which enables the repeater function not
defaulted in European versions. I have removed all other links.

I can now also receive the AM Aircraft band (118-137MHz). It is possible to
change from AM to FM by pressing the MHz button for 1 second. Plus I have
discovered doing the same key press (MHz for 1s) in the UHF band gives a
800-999Mhz RX band. 

The European version has a 1750Hz tone-burst function, a modified band plan
for the auto-repeater shift function, adds a -7.6Mhz repeater shift and sets
the band limits to 144-146 & 430-440 - the AM Air band & 800Mhz bands are
disabled. All these European 'features' are lost when the radio is expanded.
(The repeater offsets are still programmable, but you must learn how to
whistle at 1750Hz). I think the only other difference between the A and E
versions is that the E version has an N type antenna connector fitted.

Making link number 5 causes the radio to power up in a Memory recall mode
(i.e., with channel numbers) and so is not overly useful! 

I'm not sure exactly what links 0, 1, 2, & 3 all do individually! Maybe
other configurations are possible: any information would be gratefully
received.

As for RF performance, the front-end (and PA) must be tweaked to use
frequencies other than the factory alligned defaults, with a little tweaking
out of band performance should come good (at the expense of regular 2m/70cm
performance).
 
The chip resistors are SMD zero ohm things - a wire link (or solder blob)
will do the same job. They can be carefully removed (for re-use) by using a
fine tipped iron, de-solder braid, and a pair of long nose pliers or
tweezers. The front board can be carefully detached from the rest of the
radio to make removing the links easier.  


Mike Bowyer.
bowyermj@state.gov 


I performed this mod and it works but you might want to add this footnote to 
the mod, DTSS will be disabled. I no longer can use DTSS after having 
performed this mod.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Here is something that's been on amateur radio mind's ok on the kenwood
tm-v7a while in crossband repeater mode you can put your tone's in you
remote to turn it off or to change frequencies without causing any
harmful interference to other user's on the repeater or simplex just by
turning off your tone off of your handie talkie (ht) and your remote
will hear your tone's and if you have'nt figured out how to do remote
thing just press the control button which is between the two band
selectors and press the power button on and there you go and then ca#
to turn it on to change freqs acd# to turn it on a000# once you number
your frequencies on your remote and remember them everything will be
ok. These are the things that the kenwood manual will not tell you.
~