This is a follow-up to my messages several weeks ago.  While visiting my
brother, W6PR, in San Diego, we went to HRO and looked at the 480 and the
FT950.  I had about made up my mind already to buy the 950.  I did.  It
should arrive here in a few more days.  

Without a computer connected at times, it is going to be slow going.  But
Paul and I did a recorded front panel description (sort of) and we then
tried some things.  

One important point:  the radio produces a beep whenever a button is pushed,
but only if the command can be accepted in the current state.  There are two
different Clear buttons, which clear different parts of the interface.  We
really messed up SSB reception on 20 meters and had it in a mode where it
would squelch itself off two seconds after switching the receiver to AM
mode.  There are enough buttons and controls to keep me going for a long
time.  Hopefully, when I have it figured out, the rig will do what I want.
Ham Radio Deluxe has a demonstration mode for the FT2000, and although the
screen is very crowded with information, Window-'Eyes can read the displays.
There is a review of the FT950 in the March QST, but it should be consulted
in light of their previous reviews of the 9000, 2000, 2000D and 450.  At
least I'm moving my ham station into the 21st century!

Lloyd Rasmussen, W3IUU, Kensington, Maryland
Home:  http://lras.home.sprynet.com
Work:  http://www.loc.gov/nls
 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: For blind ham radio operators [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> On Behalf Of Steve Forst
> Sent: Monday, December 31, 2007 7:46 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Yaesu FT950
> 
> Lloyd,
> 
> Go for it.  If you can tinker with one at HRO, feel good about it and
> have
> the computer skills to  play around with the commands, it should be a
> blast.
> Yaesu makes some nice stuff and I think David in the UK  is running a 1000
> of some sort that he  seems to like a lot.   While I own and like Kenwood,
> I
> don't want to be married to them  for the rest of my life just because
> they are at the head of the class when it comes to voice synths.  There
> should be more than 1 way to skin a cat and I wish you good luck if you go
> this route.
> 
> 73, Steve KW3A
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Lloyd Rasmussen" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Sunday, December 30, 2007 8:47 PM
> Subject: Yaesu FT950
> 
> 
> >I have been thinking about the TS480 for the last 3.5 years, since it
> came
> > out.  But now that I'm beginning to consider going to HRO to look at
> one,
> > I'm thinking the unthinkable.  The FT950 looks to be a much more
> complete
> > and flexible rig.  Have any of you had your hands on one of these
> > transceivers?  The FT450 is a lower-end model which includes a voice
> > synthesizer option.  The 950 appears to be a FT2000 with only one
> > receiver.
> >
> > I have downloaded and read parts of the manual as well as the computer
> > control manual, which is going to be a necessity, at least for setup.  I
> > realize that there are very few beeps to confirm operations, and no
> > synthesizer is available.  There is an audio unit, but I think it's only
> > for
> > message playback/recording.  There is also a keypad available.According
> to
> > the computer control book, the rig can report back all the functions I
> can
> > think of, upon command.  I could probably write a PowerBasic program
> that
> > would send out the commands that dump status information back to a PC.
> > And
> > Ham Radio Deluxe should be able to control and interrogate it, although
> > the
> > latest build of HRD is a few months old.
> >
> > I don't want to hear about "Yaesu equipment isn't accessible and they
> > don't
> > care about blind hams."  It seems to me that this would be a fun rig to
> > work
> > with.  And before you suggest the TS2000, that's becoming an old rig by
> > now.
> >
> > Am I crazy for wanting to learn some new things and perhaps invent
> > something
> > as part of my 52-year hobby?