[aprssig] D710 standalone control head!

[Bob Bruninga]

>> kenwood announced that the new D710 control head 
>> will be sold separately too, since it can be used 
>> for APRS with any radio, not just the D710. 
>
> How do you mean it can be used separate TX and RX 
> audio of any other rig?  Does this mean... this 
> 710 head can be used to put [a d700 w/o control head]
> back in service? 

No, the stand-alone D710 control head used in -this mode- is not really a "control head" but a box with built in TNC and APRS display.  It only has audio input and GPS input and audio/PTT output.

Notice, this is why the GPS input is on the contorl head in the D710 and not on the radio (as it was on the D700)...

> How can this D710 control head be used for a 
> "stand alone APRS unit"?... do you mean this could 
> serve as a TNC with another radio/GPS system? 

Yes, in this stand-alone mode, it is a tnc with the same  APRS display as the D710 system.  But I guess you also lose the Mic as a keypad entry device too. So lets hope that John Hanson comes out with a keyboard interface some how too like he did for the D700.

Bob, WB4APR