I don't know whether the FT450 has a keypad or not.  It has a smallish
tuning knob and various menus.  I didn't consider buying it when I was
upgrading, because it seemed rather limited to me.

The FT950 has a keypad as well as two tuning knobs.  The keypad either
selects three frequency/mode combinations on each band (if a number is
pressed by itself) or the frequency, if the frequency you enter is preceded
and followed by the Enter key.  VFO A is controlled by a reasonably large
knob which is quite comfortable to use.  A smaller knob is used to tune VFO
B or to set a menu item to a particular value.  It is not detented, which is
a disadvantage for making reproducible menu settings.  The Select knob, to
the left of the VFO A knob, is used for several functions, including setting
receiver bandwidth, passband tuning, notch frequency and audio contouring.
This knob is also detented, unlike the VFO B knob.  I got the 950 set up so
that pushing the "custom switch" button puts me on menu item 72, and I can
click my way around from there to the other 117 menu items, if necessary.

Whereas the FT450 can speak its frequency from an internal voice chip, I
must use my computer to read a frequency I have tuned in if I didn't use the
keypad to get there.

I really like the receiver in the FT950; it has a lot of options.  Listening
to my brother, W6PR, using a 50-year-old DX100 transmitter on 15 meters from
Iowa, the AM mode sounded quite good.


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 Eric Clegg
> Sent: Monday, June 23, 2008 7:03 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: an antanna idea
> 
> Hi Bill,
> So far as I know you still can tune most Yaesu menu driven radios with a
> tuning knob.
> 
> You just have to use the menus to adjust other parameters that on older
> radios were done with knobs and switches.
> 
> Eric
> KU3I