Excellent story, Mike!

On another note, I sure miss Kevin (K7RX) terribly.

He was a true embodiment of the ham radio spirit, and I try to emulate him 
in my behavior toard other hams, both sighted and blind, to the best of my 
ability every day.

Tom Behler: KB8TYJ

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mike Duke, K5XU" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, May 24, 2013 6:52 PM
Subject: Helping A Blind Ham with a Rig


> Tom's "Read the Manual" story reminds me of 2 experiences.
>
> Several people including the late Kevin Nathan, at least one other
> person on this list, and myself spent a considerable amount of time on
> the telephone with a new blind ham in my area, answering his questions
> about both the TS2000 and the TS480.
>
> I told this person about the local people that I knew who were using
> these rigs.
>
> A few days later, one of the TS2000 owners phoned me at work to ask if
> he could drop in for a visit.
>
> When he came into my office, the conversation (or should I say
> monologue) went something like this:
>
> Owner: "I'm really concerned about this new blind ham. You need to
> talk him out of buying a TS2000 because it's too complicated, and I
> can't operate it. He really needs to do some homework. You really
> aren't helping him by encouraging him to even consider that radio. Why
> would you think of doing that?
>
> Me: "Do you have the voice chip in your 2000?"
>
> Owner: "No, because I don't need it."
>
> Me: "Perhaps you should install one; it might help you too. Have you
> ever heard of Handi-Hams?"
>
> Owner: "Yes, but what's that got to do with it?"
>
> me: "Nothing, accept that they have boat loads of information which
> clearly identifies the TS2000 as one of the more accessible and blind
> user friendly rigs out there. He has done his homework. Now, here is
> your assignment. Go read what Handi-Hams says about it, then call me
> back and we'll continue this discussion."
>
> That was 3 years ago. the TS2000 owner and I had many subsequent
> conversations before he moved away, but no more on that subject.
>
> I probably came down a bit hard on him, but I had seen him behave like
> that before with other new people (who were not blind) to the point
> that some of them skipped out of the radio club. Right or wrong, that
> day I just wasn't going to put up with that behavior. BTW, he wasn't
> kidding when he said he couldn't operate the TS2000. He was always
> forgetting to switch from VHF to HF, thereby trying to check into nets
> on the wrong frequency, etc. His biggest problem, I think, was simply
> not paying attention.
>
> After doing his own homework, the new blind ham chose to buy a TS480,
> which he likes very much.
>
> Not long after he bought it, but before he got his antenna up, a ham
> who goes to church with him came by to look at it. When the guy saw
> it, he said: "You need to sell that thing right now and get something
> else!"
>
> Blind ham: "Why?"
>
> Ham from church: "Because it has entirely too many buttons on it. You
> can't see the labels, and I don't know what all those buttons do."
>
> My friend replied: "Come back in two weeks, and I'll show you.
>
>
> Mike Duke, K5XU
> American Council of Blind Radio Amateurs
>