Yeah that's true.  Seems like you almost have to have some speech feedback
these days.   

-----Original Message-----
From: For blind ham radio operators [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
On Behalf Of John Miller
Sent: Sunday, November 07, 2010 7:21 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: ft-897d

The biggest problem with no speech is going beyond your privileges, I
suppose if you have the top license class for your country and the radio
isn't modified to transmit out of band, that's not a huge concern but I
wouldn't want to risk it and that's very possible on HF unless there's a
work around which there usually is I suppose, but I hate having to depend on
someone else to help setup a radio or tying it to a computer.
----- Original Message -----
From: "colin McDonald" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, November 07, 2010 6:56 PM
Subject: Re: ft-897d


> two things.
> Firstly, I understand the attitude.  I agree with it.  There is little 
> to no reason that I know of why Yaesu can't put speech synth 
> capability into all their radios.  It's cheap, and exceedingly simple 
> considering icom and kenwood both do it on their cheapest radios.
> Secondly, just because a radio doesn't speak some functions does not 
> mean it is "unaccessible" to use as a blind person.
> Perhaps one doesn't have the audio feedback, but that does not mean 
> one cannot use the radio for what it is designed to do...IE talking on 
> and listening to others talk.
> we can all memorize menu sequences, button presses, panel layouts all 
> that stuff...we've all done it on one device or other weather it's a 
> microwave, or a sell phone or some other operating system or menu 
> driven device...we learn it and sometimes, if possible, get sighted 
> help to do initial set up...or at least, to get the initial panel 
> layout or help navigating until we remember what does what.
> We all tend to rely on audio feedback when it's availible to confirm 
> what we are doing or what button we've pressed or whatever.
> Once you figure out which buttons to press to perform the functions 
> you want, then they're going to keep doing that everytime you press 
> them...the radio isn't going to suddenly change on you and alter all 
> it's button functions.
> Map it out, play with it, memorize it and off you go.
> I mean we do this with the Kenwood and Icom HT's..we learn them and 
> use them.  Why can we not do this and be comfortable doing this on an HF
rig?
> Yes, I know other rigs offer speech and so on, but to say a radio is 
> unusable, or inaccessible just because it doesn't talk like other rigs 
> is kind of strange to me.
> My preference too is to have a radio with a speech synth.  But, that 
> doesn't mean I would totally dismiss out of hand a radio that doesn't.
> Especially if it was given to me.
> However, all that said, you could probably still trade it in on a 
> kenwood or icom rig that does offer speech.  You could potentially 
> trade it in on an Icom IC7000 that does offer speech and isn't a 
> terribly difficult radio to learn if you play with it long enough.
> The FT450 has great reviews.  it is small and has an excellent 
> receiver apparently.
> You could most definitely trade the 897 directly across for that rig 
> since it is retailed cheaper than the 897.
> I've played with an ft450 and for the five mins I spent with it, I got 
> the hang of it very quickly with little to no assistance.
> it's only HF plus 6 meters though.  There is a model with an antenna 
> tuner as well.
> 73
> Colin V A6BKX
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Butch Bussen" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Sunday, November 07, 2010 2:09 PM
> Subject: Re: ft-897d
>
>
>>I don't think we're saying they're not good radios, although even 
>>Yaesu  fans admit they have quality control problems, but the point 
>>I'm making  is  accessibility.  I don't care if it is the best radio 
>>ever made and it  only  costs two hundred dollars, if it isn't 
>>accessible to me, what good is it  to me?  I haven't seen the radio I 
>>won, but so far from what folks have  written, it won't do me much 
>>good which makes me sad as it covers 160  through 440 and has a lot of 
>>bang for the buck.  My main problem with  Yaesu is their attitude ow 
>>unwillingness to put in speech.  I guess the  450 has it, but none 
>>before have and the technology is cheap and been  around for years.  
>>My 440 I bought back in 85 had a speech option.  The  last Yaesu I 
>>owned, I think was a 980, not sure of the number, owned it  back in 
>>early 80s.  I owned it for a year and 6 months out of that year  it  
>>spent in the shop.  I just wish I'd won a radio that talked.
>> 73
>> Butch Bussen
>> wa0vjr
>> open Node 3148
>> Las Vegas