Hello Butch and list,

Since there have been a lot of questions about the IC-T90A, I have decided
to answer this post on list, and hopefully, put things into
perspective.  Let me say up front that I am a Kenwood man and this is the
first Icom product that we have purchased in nearly 30 years.  Nearly every
function on this hand held can be performed with one hand, if necessary;
for instance, the "3" key can be used to assist in inputting a frequency,
but held down for one second, will toggle between high and low power
level.  Inputting a frequency is extremely simple, just select VFO and
enter the frequency like this: 444 then using the dot or period key, enter
the dot or period and then enter 350 and you have 444.350.  There is a beep
every time you press a key and a long beep on the last digit when the
frequency is successfully entered and on the last digit when a memory
channel is successfully chosen. Remember, the VFO works independently of
any band switching. One of the features that I like in particular, is when
choosing a memory channel to write your information into, you can pick
whatever you want.  In other words, you can program a frequency into
channel 1 and then leave the rest blank and the program another frequency
into channel 16 and so on.  All of this can be done from the keypad.

Programming subaudible tones, squelch tones, etc. can be done very easily
with the tone search function.  This function allows you to listen to a
repeater's input, for instance, to program a subaudible tone and scan the
input until the scan finds the proper subaudible tone and updates the set
mode function.  The same thing can be done with squelch tone, etc. by
monitoring the repeater

The menus are not insurmountable.  You can get out of the menus at any time
by pressing the VFO or the "A" key.  It will be necessary in using the
menus to make a list of the available menu functions and a list of the
choices within a menu function and to make a note of which function that
you used last and which choice you made within that function.  The manual
is only barely helpful in .PDF form, however, if you highlight the manual
in the .PDF file, copy and paste it into a word processor document, the
manual becomes much more usable.

The CW readout feature is absolutely wonderful.  I can't tell you how much
I enjoy knowing where I am at all times in the spectrum.  I'm sure everyone
has their own favorite hand held and so on.  For me personally, the Icom
IC-T90A was the perfect choice.  I read the manual on this rig before we
made the purchase along with the manuals for one or two other rigs, and
after doing so, determined that this rig was certainly doable.

I certainly hope that I have not generated more questions than I have answered.

Thanks and 73,
Keith WA9DRO

At 05:13 PM 12/14/02 -0800, you wrote:
>I'd be interested in any info you can give on the new icom talkie.  Are
>the menus accessable as far as setting sub tones and the like.  We can
>take this off list if you want.
>73s
>Butch Bussen
>wa0vjr

Keith-WA9DRO
God gives His best to those who leave the choice with Him.
Hudson Taylor