Making the Kenwood TS-2000X 38k4 packet ready
The TS-2000X comes from the factory ready for 9600 baud packet operations. Faster packet operations require some modification to the radio. Fortunatley, Symek developed a board that makes this possible.
I installed the Symek IFD board in my TS-2000X on January 21, 2005. Below are several pictures:
Here is the essence of the mod:
General commments:
1) The instructions are very good! Thanks to Ulf, all of the details and photographs in the instruction set were very helpful (available here: http://www.symek.com/down/ts2000-ifd.pdf )
2) I decided it was best for me to completely remove the 435 receiving board. I could not solder with the board "standing on end" and the ribbon cables were pulling out anyhow. It was not a big deal to fully remove the board. It was MUCH easier to solder the surface mount components this way.
3) I did solder the IFD DATA OUT to the 13-pin DIN connector "ACC2". Pin 6 is unused and is accessible from the back of the jack on the second row, so I am using it. I connected the shield to Pin 4 (ground).
There are images of this here:
4) I see "noise" on my scope from the output of the IFD board and have worked a few AO-51 passes at 9600 baud through the normal connector on the rig. So, that is good news--nothing appears to have been broken :)
5) The fact that my unit is the TS-2000X does not matter--the 1.2GHz module is out of site and not in the way in any manner.
6) The complete mod (from screws out to screws in) took me about 4 hours. I worked slow and steady...doing it again could go quite a bit faster.
7) It works GREAT at 38k4 on AO-51!
73,
Mark L. Hammond [N8MH]
Other photos of the install
