Radio for APRS?

[NotAMog]

I'm thinking of getting a dedicated single band 2m radio to run APRS in the Tacoma. Kenwood, Yaesu, and iCom all have single band radios for about $150. I already have a Yaesu FTM-10R in the cab for audio use. I like the fact that it receives AM and FM stereo broadcast since I've removed the stock radio to install a switch panel in it's place. I also plan to put the APRS equipment in the camper and turn it on and off remotely from the cab by controlling the power through a relay. The PC for APRS will be in the cab with either a serial or audio line from the APRS radio. I was thinking of going with a mobile rig so I could use it as a back up radio if necessary.

The key is having a radio where you can cut the power and when it's restored the radio will come on and be in the same state where you left it. Since all newer radios are computer controlled to some extent I'm not sure which ones will come back after the power is removed. I have a spare HT that I could use but if you kill the power you need to press the on-off button to bring back when the power is restored.

The radios I was considering are -

iCom IC-2300H
Yaesu FT-1900R
Kenwood TM-281A

Does anyone know if these radios will work as described above?

Thanks,

[DaveK]

Bruce:

I am not aware of any units that do what you describe.

Have you thought about using a radio with a detachable control head? You could still mount the larger portion of the radio in the bed and find an out of the way place in the cab to mount the head. The heads are small and if space is a concern, this may solve your problem. Having the control head visible is both a way to have the back-up you mention (right at hand) and a convenient way to make any adjustments to the APRS radio you might need to make.

[michael]

I use a Kenwood TM-271 for my dedicated APRS radio and it will do what you describe -- if you leave the on/off switch "ON" when you cut power to the radio, the radio will come back on when you restore power. My TM-271 is mounted under the driver's seat and I use a simple toggle switch on the center console to turn on/off both the radio and the TNC. I don't know if the TM-281 preserved this capability, but it would be worth checking, perhaps at a local HRO.

A very nice characteristic of the TM-271 for APRS is that it has labeled solder pads on the motherboard that can easily be wired up as a data port connection. I connected a PS-2 connector to the pads and my TM-271 now has a data port that is normally only present on more expensive radios. The key is that the European model of the radio has a data port and Kenwood uses the same motherboard for both the US and the European radios. I can only guess that Kenwood didn't include the data port on the US version to maintain a price structure on their product line here. Again, I hope that this characteristic has been carried over to the TM-281. The TM-271 also serves as my backup 2m radio and I can use it for normal comms by simply changing the channel; changing the cabling is not necessary.

If it turns out that the TM-281 is not constructed similar to the TM-271, it might be worthwhile to look around for a used TM-271. It is a very heat-tolerant, simple to operate, and inexpensive radio that is nearly bulletproof.

Update:
I found a post on the RadioReference forum that says the data port tabs have been removed from the TM-281. As I'm certain the TM-271 power switch will work as you need it to, finding a used Tm-271 or a 'close out special' could be your best bet. Here are the TM-271/TM-281 differences I saw posted:
1. The display backlight is amber to match the microphone backlight
2. The pads on the board for digital data connections have been removed
3. The front panel buttons are more streamlined and the function button is different