What's the big deal of attaching a dipole antenna?  It's a nice 
little receiver, perhaps not the best one ever built and I don't 
understand everyone's being so quick to bash it.
Pat, K9JAUAt 02:53 PM 7/6/2012, you wrote:
>This is why hd radio will never go anywhere! When you have to connect an =
>antenna to an hd radio, forget it.
>Trippy, ac8s
>   ----- Original Message -----=20
>   From: Anthony Vece=20
>   To: [log in to unmask]
>   Sent: Thursday, July 05, 2012 4:28 PM
>   Subject: Re: Quick Review of Insignia Hd Radio, Not Very Good
>
>
>   Wow!
>
>   Steve, I didn't know you were so positive.
>
>
>   73 De Anthony W2AJV
>
>
>
>   -----Original Message-----
>   From: For blind ham radio operators =
>[mailto:[log in to unmask]]
>   On Behalf Of Steve
>   Sent: Tuesday, July 03, 2012 10:35 PM
>   To: [log in to unmask]
>   Subject: Quick Review of Insignia Hd Radio, Not Very Good
>
>   For all the hoopla, and touting about its accessibility, I guess I was
>   expecting more than a piece of below-average junk.  Here are my quick
>   findings:
>
>   1.  As with most Am sections, the radio is completely deaf without
>   connecting its loop antenna.  I've only had the radio for a couple =
>hours,
>   and haven't figured out a way to attach the loop to the radio.  It has
>   enough wire that it could be placed on a wall.
>
>   2.  Similarly the Fm dipole is a must.  Interestingly, instead of the =
>F
>   connectors that most tuners use these days, this has a cable type =
>screw-on
>   connector.  Sensitivity is good, selectivity and immunity to overload =
>on
>   mine is only fair.
>
>   3.  Menu Accessibility:  It doesn't say this in the main radio manual =
>so
>   unless you look at the Quick-Start Guide for the Blind, you won't know =
>that
>   the Menu Mode is disabled when you are in accessibility mode.  You =
>enable
>   accessibility mode by pressing the power button, the lefthand button =
>on the
>   top with the Select Button which is the lower-left button on the front =
>of
>   the radio.
>
>   It appears that in this mode, you can set the time by holding the =
>display
>   button in for two seconds.  You can also set the alarm time for Alarm =
>1 and
>   Alarm 2.  You can press either alarm to be informed that it is on or =
>off.=20
>   What sighties can do is determine whether the alarm wakes you with =
>radio or
>   a tone, this doesn't seem to work in accessibility mode.  Sighted =
>people can
>   also access the menu and make all sorts of other adjustments such as =
>12 or
>   24-hour time, tuning modes like U.S. or International Am/Fm band =
>limits and
>   channel spacing,Lcd color and brightness, etc.  These are only =
>available in
>   the menu when the accessibility mode is turned off.
>
>   There is an option in the menu under the regular non-accessible mode =
>to see
>   what the hardware/software version of this radio is.  However, there =
>isn't a
>   Usb or some other port to update the software, so even if a new =
>version came
>   out, I don't know if there is a way to update it.  The manual doesn't =
>state
>   that this is possible.
>
>   Also, there is no way to control the radio's verbosity.  The buttons
>   typically give you way too much feedback.  For example, if you press =
>the
>   volume up button, it says something like Volume Up.  That type of =
>feedback
>   is nice when you are familiarizing yourself with the radio, but I =
>think
>   after a day or so it would be too verbose.  It would be nice to be =
>able to
>   set it to advanced mode, where it wouldn't continue to be so verbose.
>
>   Sound quality is better than a $29 off-the-shelf clock radio, but that =
>isn't
>   saying a whole lot for it.  Those of you who have had the Sony Dream
>   Machine, this doesn't compare to it as far as sound quality.  I think =
>the
>   manual is written incorrectly.  It claims it has 4 two-inch speakers, =
>but
>   without ripping off the front grill or voiding my right to return the =
>radio,
>   it looks more like it has two four-inch speakers.
>
>   I am not sure if I will keep this radio or not.  Since I don't need a =
>clock
>   radio with all sorts of other alarm options, it is one of those things =
>that
>   might be nice, but not sure it is worth the cost.  It can receive Hd
>   stations, but not the radio reading service subcarriers.  In =
>accessibility
>   mode, you can't bookmark songs, read the Hd display for data, or other
>   things that I would have thought would have been made available if the =
>IAAIS
>   was as involved with the design as they were.
>
>   Take my advice, I don't use it anyway.
>
>   Steve
>   Lansing, MI