I don't know how many of you are interested, but here is a bit more I've 
found out about the 990.  THe synthesizer gives a lot of info, It has a 
button for each receiver, the usual announcements memory freq and if you 
are split, it says so.  There is also a button to change what the meeter 
reads, alc, swr, voltage, current, and power.  The voice reads all of 
these.  Also, they finally got their act together and although I would 
prefer it to go even faster, it doesn't raise the pitch as the 590 does. 
A lot of keys to learn, just scratching the surface, and no reference to 
go by.  The manual is in pdf and exporting it to text is a real drag.  Is 
only somewhat helpful as you get stuff like press the       to go into 
memory and so forth.  The keys are little pictures I guess.  AS you rotate 
the transmit power control it speaks the setting, quite easy to set at 100 
watts for the amp.  The manual says the second is the same receiver as the 
590 and it is in fact as near as I can tell, even the way you set up the 
noise reduction and so forth.  Doing a compare on noise on 160 last night, 
I'd give the 990 d s p an edge, but the 590 was quite good as well.  More 
later as I learn this thing.  Oh yes, it also has 4 antenna jacks, and it 
tells you which one you've selected.
73
Butch
WA0VJR
Node 3148
Wallace, ks.