It depends on buttons that have mu 

-----Original Message-----
From: For blind ham radio operators [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
On Behalf Of colin McDonald
Sent: Sunday, November 07, 2010 6:57 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
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
meanltiple functions.  Not like the old days when you could know what a
button is and it would work.  Hopefully you could find a way to use the rig
that was given to you.   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