I agree.  Anyway, I don't consider a radio accessible if I have to use a 
computer to run it and sighted people do not.  It isn't rocket science 
to make this stuff talk, they just don't give a damn.
73
Butch Bussen
wa0vjr
open Node 3148
Las Vegas


On Sun, 7 Nov 2010, 
John Miller wrote:

> The biggest problem with no speech is going beyond your privileges, I
> suppose if you have the top license class for your country and the radio
> isn't modified to transmit out of band, that's not a huge concern but I
> wouldn't want to risk it and that's very possible on HF unless there's a
> work around which there usually is I suppose, but I hate having to depend on
> someone else to help setup a radio or tying it to a computer.
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "colin McDonald" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Sunday, November 07, 2010 6:56 PM
> 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 mean
>> 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
>
>