Kenwood KPG-59D Hex Edits for 6-meter and 10-meter Programming

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6-meter and 10-meter Programming
By Robert Meister WA1MIK

The Kenwood TK-190 and TK-6110 radios use the KPG-59D programming software. This software limits you to standard commercial frequencies between 29.7 and 37 MHz (low split) or between 35 and 50 MHz (high split) and will reject any attempt to enter frequencies outside these ranges. If you modify the DAT file such that the frequencies ARE outside the normal values, the software will let it pass through as-is. You just can't ENTER out-of-band frequencies with the program directly. Some people have developed a procedure where you enter frequencies in the legal range for the program and save the DAT file, then run another program to convert the frequencies to the ham band. I found this to be an inconvenient and unsatisfactory method of dealing with the programming software. There had to be a better way, and I believe I found it. It involves hex-editing the Kenwood programming software to allow out-of-band programming, so you program the radio the way everyone expects to do it, by entering frequencies in the 28-37 MHz range or the 35-54 MHz range once only, save the DAT file, and write the data to the radio. Job done.

All changes are made to C:\Program Files\Kenwood Fpu\KPG59D\KPG59D.exe Version 3.01 or 3.02. For older versions you will have to use your hex editor to search the file to find the location of the values shown below. Make a backup copy of the original file first. Also make a backup copy of the .DAT file associated with the radio or read it fresh with the stock program and save it, in case things go real bad. You never know when you might need it.

You can make the changes for 6-meters, 10-meters, or both. Just remember that there are TWO band splits for the TK-6110 and TK-190 radios: 29.7 to 37.0 MHz (-K, -K1 or -1) and 35.0 to 50.0 MHz (-K2 or -2).

Double-precision (8-byte) values were found at the locations shown in the table below. Once you view the table, the locations of interest (highlighted in red) become obvious. These are the bytes that actually restrict data entry to the commercial bands. The text strings, located with the hex editor, are cosmetic only and just make the program display its new capabilities without affecting how it works. I used Hex Workshop from BPSoft. Change the bytes shown in underlined red. The addresses shown are for the first byte of displayed data, which may not be the address of the byte(s) that you actually need to change. All addresses and data are hexadecimal but remember, the addresses shown are for the Version 3.01 or 3.02 files; they MAY be different for other versions.

If you have a different version, use a hex editor and search for the 8-byte double-precision floating-point value of 50.0 or 29.7 and change it to 54.0 or 28.0 respectively. There is only one location that contains each value. Then search for the ASCII text characters 50.0 and change those to 54.0. There are two places where each string needs to be modified; there's a third location that is a default test frequency. Similarly search for the ASCII text characters 29.7 and change those to 28.0. There are two places where each string needs to be modified; there's a third location that is a default test frequency.

Interesting Decimal Values:

File Name = KPG59D.exe, File Size = 569344 bytes

Address   ------ Hex Bytes ------ = Decimal Value
00029FCC: 1C 01 00 00 00 E8 62 40 =   151.2500000000
0003C180: 25 00 00 00 00 51 6A 40 =   210.5312500000
0005624B: CC CC CC CC CC 8D 8D 40 =   945.7250000000
00057EB8: 00 00 00 00 00 80 96 40 =  1440.0000000000
000581BB: FF 00 00 00 00 10 50 40 =    64.2500000000
0005857B: 00 00 00 00 00 20 8B 40 =   868.0000000000
000588E3: 00 00 00 00 00 50 8E 40 =   970.0000000000
00059768: 00 00 00 00 00 00 49 40 =    50.0000000000
00059770: 00 00 00 00 00 80 41 40 =    35.0000000000
00059778: 00 00 00 00 00 80 42 40 =    37.0000000000
00059780: 33 33 33 33 33 B3 3D 40 =    29.7000000000
00059AE8: 00 00 00 00 00 00 34 40 =    20.0000000000
0005CF68: 00 00 00 00 00 40 8F 40 =  1000.0000000000
0005CF70: 00 00 00 00 00 00 59 40 =   100.0000000000
0006DA10: 00 00 00 00 40 00 80 40 =   512.0312500000

The Modifications:

To allow 6-meter frequencies, make the following changes:

Modify the high end of the high-split range by changing 50.0 MHz to 54.0 MHz as follows:

Change:
00059768: 00 00 00 00 00 00 49 40 =    50.0000000000
to:
00059768: 00 00 00 00 00 00 4B 40 =    54.0000000000

Modify the text strings so they display the 35-50 MHz band-split as 35-54 MHz:

Change:
00068008: 33 35 2E 30 20 2D 20 35 30 2E 30 20 4D 48 7A 28 4B 32 29 = 35.0 - 50.0 MHz(K2)
to:
00068008: 33 35 2E 30 20 2D 20 35 34 2E 30 20 4D 48 7A 28 4B 32 29 = 35.0 - 54.0 MHz(K2)

Also modify a similar string here:

Change:
0007255D: 33 35 2E 30 2D 35 30 2E 30 20 4D 48 5A = 35.0-50.0 MHz
to:
0007255D: 33 35 2E 30 2D 35 34 2E 30 20 4D 48 5A = 35.0-54.0 MHz

To allow 10-meter frequencies, make the following changes:

Modify the low end of the low-split range by changing 29.7 MHz to 28.0 MHz as follows:

Change:
00059780: 33 33 33 33 33 B3 3D 40 =    29.7000000000
to:
00059780: 00 00 00 00 00 00 3C 40 =    28.0000000000

Modify the text strings so they display the 29.7-37 MHz band-split as 28-37 MHz:

Change:
0006801C: 32 39 2E 37 20 2D 20 33 37 2E 30 20 4D 48 7A 28 4B 29 = 29.7 - 37.0 MHz(K)
to:
0006801C: 32 38 2E 30 20 2D 20 33 37 2E 30 20 4D 48 7A 28 4B 29 = 28.0 - 37.0 MHz(K)

Also modify a similar string here:

Change:
00072547: 32 39 2E 37 2E 33 37 2D 30 20 4D 48 5A = 29.7-37.0 MHz
to:
00072547: 32 38 2E 30 2E 33 37 2D 30 20 4D 48 5A = 28.0-37.0 MHz

After making these changes, you will be able to enter TX and RX frequencies from 28.0 to 37.0 MHz (K1 or K band) or 35.0 to 54.0 MHz (K2 band) inclusive, in the Channel screens as well as the Test Frequency screens.

These same techniques may apply to other Kenwood programs. This was my first experience with Kenwood products.

Credits and Acknowledgements:

Thanks go out to Roger, Skipp, and John, who tested the modified program for me, as I didn't have a radio or programming cable available.

Contact Information:

The author can be contacted at: his-callsign [ at ] comcast [ dot ] net.

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This page created on 25-Mar-2017.

This web page, this web site, the information presented in and on its pages and in these modifications and conversions is © Copyrighted 1995 and (date of last update) by Kevin Custer W3KKC and multiple originating authors. All Rights Reserved, including that of paper and web publication elsewhere.