You don't need a voice chip to make something accessible. A beep pattern 
here and there, or menus that don't rap around or beep at the low settings 
or defaults, that's all I need to be happy. Frequency is nice but I can live 
with out it and the IC-T90A even gives that in CW.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Chris Schulte" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, November 22, 2007 7:26 PM
Subject: Re: ReModern Radios and Accessibility


>I agree with you Colin, I had a yaesu ft2800m, and just recently gave a
> 1802m to a blind ham in Il.  He has the manual in pdf format, and since I
> had used the radio before, I was more then willing to help him with things
> that he wasn't familiar with.
>
> I also really don't see what's wrong with using a radio attached to a
> computer, I mean let's think about this, if you're in your shack, more 
> then
> likely, you're going to have a computer there anyway, so why not use what
> you can with what you have.
>
> Now I have been one of those that has shouted quite loudly about Icom not
> having the accessibility that they should, and I still maintain that
> something better can be done by a majority of radio manufacturers, but 
> what
> I have done is downloaded the manual on a radio if it's available before
> purchasing it, and if I read it and see that it can be worked out, then I
> usually don't have a problem buying it.  How many people here have hts and
> use them quite a bit?  Now out of that number, how many have "accessible"
> hts?  Other then the puxing, there's nothing with a voice chip in it in an
> ht, but we all use them.  So, let's really consider how we say things
> sometimes before we make blanket statements.
> Chris, w8cjs
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Colin McDonald" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Thursday, November 22, 2007 5:32 PM
> Subject: Re: ReModern Radios and Accessibility
>
>
>> well, I thought the ft101E was one of the most accessible radios, with 
>> the
>> acception that you had no voice readout of frequency and S meter, but a
>> good
>> ear will tell you what an approximate signal is, and if you use the 
>> method
>> of listening for the sqwak every 100KC, you could easily tune and get an
>> approximate idea of where you were on any given band.
>> Most of the older rigs were like that, many of them Yaesu's.
>> Most of the modern Yaesu's can be used by a blind person just fine....so
>> saying none of them are at all accessible is not correct.
>> I have an FT2800M downstairs that I use on a daily basis and it works and
>> functions just perfectly.  I have the manual in PDF format and when i 
>> want
>> to make a menu change i simply look in the manual, count clicks and 
>> button
>> presses, and away I go.
>> If i get stuck, a simple partial reset to get menus back to default 
>> starts
>> me out fresh again.
>> It has direct frequency entry on the mike and one touch hot keys for any
>> number of functions.
>> Now tell me that most of yaesu's radios don't have all of these features
>> and
>> more.
>> You guys wouldn't know because you hear yaesu and automatically discard
>> anything about them instead of trying some and finding out that they can
>> actually be made to work.  Are they accessible as they could be, of 
>> course
>> not, but most things in this sighted world aren't as accessible as we
>> would
>> like or as they could be, and we get over it and find ways of getting
>> around
>> them.
>> Sell phones only recently began to have the capability of screen readers,
>> yet it certainly didn't stop blind folks from having and using sell 
>> phones
>> as best they could....but as soon as something accessible comes out, all
>> of
>> a sudden any phone that can't support a screen reader becomes 
>> unaccessible
>> and unusable by blind people...similar situation with amateur radios I
>> think.
>> should we purposely use less accessible radios? naturally not. we go for
>> the
>> most accessible as we should. but saying that perfectly accessible, 
>> though
>> not as accessible as other radios, are unaccessible is bordering on
>> ignorance and a lack of desire to enhance ones world by finding ways
>> around
>> lesser accessibility.
>>
>> 73
>> Colin, V A6BKX
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Anthony Vece" <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>> Sent: Thursday, November 22, 2007 12:02 PM
>> Subject: Re: ReModern Radios and Accessibility
>>
>>
>>> Hi Eric;
>>>
>>> I wouldn't even consider Yaesu.
>>>
>>> There radios are not accessible and they have no intentions of making
>>> them
>>> accessible.
>>>
>>> 73 De Anthony W2AJV
>>> [log in to unmask]
>>> ECHOLINK NODE NUMBER: 74389
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>>> From: "Eric Clegg" <[log in to unmask]>
>>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>>> Sent: Thursday, November 22, 2007 1:37 PM
>>> Subject: ReModern Radios and Accessibility
>>>
>>>
>>> > Hello listers,
>>> > It seems that the more modern the rigs get the less accessible they
>>> > get.
>>> >
>>> > For instance the little Yaesu ft817nd has to be accessorized with one
>>> > of
>>> > two
>>> > keypads to make it workable. You still would have to get many of the
>> fine
>>> > options from w4rt to turn it into a real radio such as the two board
>>> > filters, a better battery pack and a host of other accessories.
>>> >
>>> > Also if you use the keypad fromJohn Hansen or Radio Mate from BHI of
>>> > England
>>> > you can't use the accessory jack on the back.
>>> >
>>> > I understand that the box for the k2 that reads out in CW is pretty
>>> > complete
>>> > in the information it has to give.
>>> >
>>> > With respect to the Elecraft k3 now is the time to urge the
>>> > manufacturer
>>> > to
>>> > make it accessible while it is the development stages. Not when 
>>> > they've
>>> > shipped a thousand of them.
>>> >
>>> > Their comments about a small market is just junk.
>>> >
>>> > As a blind person I'd be willing to pay at least $300 additional if 
>>> > the
>>> > rig
>>> > could be made completely accessible.
>>> >
>>> > If I were to get a rig right now I'd probably get a Kenwood TS480SAT
>> which
>>> > is quite accessible out of the box.
>>> >
>>> > Or a Ten-Tec Argonaut V which I would propose to control with a
>>> > computer
>>> > program such as the n4PY program.
>>> >
>>> > For my needs right now I only require 20 watts or so and easily turn
>> down
>>> > the power on a Kenwood.
>>> >
>>> > Have a happy Thanksgiving everyone.
>>> >
>>> > Best 73's,
>>> >
>>> > Eric
>>> > KU3I
>>> >
>>> >
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> -- 
>>> No virus found in this incoming message.
>>> Checked by AVG Free Edition.
>>> Version: 7.5.503 / Virus Database: 269.16.4/1145 - Release Date:
>> 11/22/2007 11:49 AM
>>>
>>>
>>
>