Firstly thank you all that gave me help in my recent dilemma of not being able to put my TK349s in to a non existing POC MODE! I have written some basic programming instructions put together from information given in those replies to my message to help other newbies like me in programming this radio.

Programming Kenwood TK-349(E)

The following instruction is about programming the Kenwood TK-349 UHF radio. First of all boot to pure DOS, these are old programs meant to be run in DOS not Windows or a DOS window. Some newer faster processors in later Windows machines capable of booting pure DOD will not run these programs right so you may have to find an old 286 or 386 MHz machine just for programming. 100+Mhz processor machines would/ will sometimes scramble data so go back to the slowest machine you have/had. Secondly you need to create a DOS boot disk. You can make a DOS boot disk in Windows 95 or 98 by using format with system files on a new 3 1/2 disk. Then copy your Kgp20D program over to the disk. Then, Boot your computer up with this disk in the ‘A’ drive and you should bypass all Windows and come up in pure DOS. When DOS is loaded type the name of the program at the DOS prompt to run it. Make sure you can read the radio first and not have the "check connection" error code. Only then can you will you be able to program the radio. If you get the "check connection" error code check your connections to the radio and make sure the plugs on the programming lead are connected and are seating all the way down in the ‘Mic’ sockets of the radio. Some plugs have wide enough ridges that they will not seat inside the microphone depression. If you still experience problem make sure your COMM port number in the program is set to match the one you are using on your machine. There’s a choice between COMM on the Kgp20D software one and two, two is normally selected by default and you would most likely be using COMMM 1, so select that if it is not already set. If it works Jolly good! You now should now be able to read and be program the radio it’s easy enough to do! NOTES: The TK-349 radios don’t need to be put into any sort of PC mode (such a mode doesn’t even exists for them). Just set up the software (KPG-20d), connect up the cable, and off you go. The TK-350/ 250 are one of the Kenwood series that need to be put into PC mode first. Confusing the models is 349 with a 259 or 359 is easy enough to do!

Make sure you select the right radio model in ‘Set-up radio’ before you begin! Otherwise you’ll end up writing a program, completely useless for the radio model you want to reprogram ☺ Although the Kpg20D is said to work better in Pure DOS mode, it is possible on occasions to use the program in a ‘command prompt’ DOS window. Being able to use the Kgp20D this way depends mainly on the Individual computer and its configuration. Any computer using a DOS based OS (Win dose not allow the Kgp20D software to control the COMM port properly, nor dose Win XP have a bootable DOS mode as it is not DOS based. Newer versions of Kgp20D are available for Win XP> but can be expensive and hard to find! Some people have also experimented with installing FREE DOS 7.0 as a type of permanent DOS based OS on old computers to reprogram radios using older (DOS based) software; this has been done with varying amounts of success again depending on the Individual computer and its configuration. When first creating new programs for radios- setting frequencies, programming buttons ect, be aware it takes time and patients to make sure that the options have al been set properly, you don’t want to program your TX button as an EMERGENCY CALL do you!! If you are new to reprogramming such radios, it is advised that you have a ‘Play’ with the software with no radio connected via the cable to explore its (Kgp20Ds’) functions and capabilities also to see what options the radio(s) can be set with. Make sure you select the right radio model in ‘Set-up radio’ before you begin! Otherwise you’ll end up writing a program and selecting options, completely useless for the radio model you want to reprogram ☺ It is also advised that you make a back up copy of the original parameters set on the radio in case errors are made whilst reprogramming or you want to set the radio(s) back to their ‘original’ parameters. Remember, with programmable radios the options and features that can be set for them is only limited to the radios capability. However in any case you’ll still be able to program a ton of useful functions. Good luck.