My first digital stations, if you want to call it that, was a Ten Tec that had a frequency read out box that you plug into the multi pinned socket on the back of the radio.  Of course, you couldn't, as of that time, tap in a frequency and have it go there so you might always be slightly off frequency to the station you were working.  In short, you tuned by ear.  Now, I've heard guys yell at another guy to get on frequency.  It is kind of funny but sure is nice to tune in and zero beat, as it were, the guy you are talking to.  It is amazing how far off frequency we used to get working SSB back then.  Punching up a memory channel and punching in the digits to go to a specific frequency is really cool and I would sure hate to be without that feature now.

Phil.
K0NX