On 21 Dec 2022, at 12:36, Joshua KJ7LVZ <joshuajayg@...> wrote:

I don't see the need to put the radio in Echolink Sysop mode.  I have run several different external TNCs on my TM-V71A and only the data band keys while leaving the other side of the radio to do voice communication.  That's the handy thing about these radios, they can run packet and voice at (mostly) the same time.

I've setup a Raspberry Pi Zero as a fill-in digipeater with a handheld using the soundcard/Direwolf method.  It works great.  I used a cheap Sabrent sound card and one of the Pi GPIO pins for the PTT since Direwolf allows keying via GPIO.  There's no reason you can't build a similar setup with the Kenwood by making your own DIN cable to plug into the back of the radio.  Then if you can figure out how to get your weather data into a text file Direwolf will understand, you're set.  $10 Pi computer, $10 cable.  

Joshua