[aprssig] Re: TM-D710A Control Program - New Goodies on D710

[William McKeehan]

What follows is simply my opinion and could be totally wrong...

I think Bob knows more about the 710 than he's telling here.

Looking at the screen shots from the configuration software, I see a lot of
the features that Bob wanted to see in a radio are there and they seem to be
using his terminology.

I have the impression from other threads that Bob does not like Smart
Beaconing and would suspect that this dislike is at least in part the reason
for it not appearing in the radio.

Sure would be nice for someone like Yaesu or Icom or anyone to come out with a
competing radio to the Kenwood that takes in put from the entire APRS
community.
-- 
William McKeehan
KI4HDU
Owner of 2 Kenwood TM-D700s

On Thu, August 2, 2007 1:31 pm, Steve Bragg wrote:
>Date: Wed, 01 Aug 2007 23:19:55 -0700
>From: "Stephen H. Smith" <wa8lmf2 at aol.com>
>Subject: [aprssig] To: TAPR APRS Mailing List <aprssig at lists.tapr.org>
>John Habbinga wrote:
>> http://www.kenwood.co.jp/j/products/amateur/mobile/image/M2A200.exe
>>
>> The help file has some interesting information.

>After installing the required Microsoft Dot-Net 2.0 sludgeware on a PC,
>I have installed the control program. [...]
>
>10) NO VISIBLE MENU SUPPORT FOR SMART BEACONING !!

I have to say I'm not surprised Kenwood did not decide to do SmartBeaconing in
the D710.  For one, they didn't contact me or anyone else connected with
HamHUD, which they would have had to do to use the protocol for a commercial
enterprise.

Second, while there are some TinyTraks being used in Japan, SmartBeaconing is
primarily popular in N/S America, Europe, and Australia.  While I know for
certain they were pestered about it at Dayton '07, the Kenwood designers
probably haven't seen what SmartBeaconing can do.   And if WB4APR is still
advising them, I trust he is being consistent with his public position on
this, which, as I understand it, is that 'PROPORTIONAL-PATHING' is superior to
SmartBeaconing.   ('P-P' is fine, it's just that SmartBeaconing's main goals
area somewhat different, more related to map display than digipeater
capacity.)

Third and finally, Kenwood is a giant multinational corporation.   It is
natural that companies that large become 'ingrown,' and react slowly to
innovations produced in their own markets.

If we want quick market response and innovation in ham radio, we'd better
leave that to the small and maneuverable companies like HamHUD, Argent Data,
Byonics, Coastal Chipworks, Elecraft, and Flex Radio (and many more).

My US$0.02.

73,

Steve Bragg KA9MVA
www.hamhud.net