First, to Curtis, I have one in transit, but _Thank You So Much! Wayne, If 
you can get the1 Curtis forwarded, if it works well, for $350, whether or 
not that price includes shipping, you got a """Smokein""" great_ deal!
For any 706 original in most applications,
1,A, for a blind person who knows Morse code, get a Millenium Qsyer,/$50 
from John Hansen, through his company, coastalchip.com.
this device will give freq, mode, and some other readings depending on rig 
used with it.  There's good info concerning interfacing and operation of the 
qsyer with a number of rigs, and if you let him know what rig you plan to 
use with it, a cable to match that rig is included with your 
qsyer,/additional rig interface cables are, I believe, $5 each if purchased 
at time of qsyer's purchase, and $7 I think if purchased separately.}
1,B, for a blind person who doesn't yet know morse, {and maybe even if 
he/she _does know Morse,]
Get a ut-102 speech synth chip, (I know where one is from a person who 
contacted me day befor yesterday, for $65Shipped, which is a very good 
price.  If you get the rig, I'll get you two in contact/and I'm not making 
anything for the info!
This device, no longer handled by Icom, will, at the touch of a button on 
the rig, give spoken freq read-out, mode, and I believe, S-meter 
reading,[It'll have to be installed in the rig, by someone who's sighted and 
can follow directions.]
3, If you wish to program the rig via computer, (which makes the process 
faster, but it can be done strictly with the qsyer and ut102,)download and 
use the HRD,/Ham Radio Delux program,/Was freeware, may no longer be, but if 
there now is a charge, it's minimal, and the program is very useful!)
{I'm not sure which interconnecting cable you'll need between your computer 
and that rig, but that info will be listed in the rig's manual, on the sites 
mentioned below.}
4, There's free info on the icanworkthisthing.com site, and free info if 
you're a member of Handihams, on their site, concerning the 706 series of 
radios.
5, Join the IC-706 Yahoo group! good info and help is there.
6, concerning the 706original,
In most applications the conventional wisdom, and my observations indicate,
***On All Bands,
1, turn receiver attenuater off,
2, turn receiver preamp on,
3, turn speech compression on,
HTH, and keep us informed please!
Danny Dyer, WB4idu.