I have had my 780XLT for two weeks as of today and the
computer interface makes it much more user friendly than it would
be without it.

        If you get one, it will be a lot more fun and less
frustrating if you can use the serial port.

        For something that wasn't designed specifically for blind
users, this scanner does all right.

        I have only had two functions that I haven't been able to
make work yet and I don't know if it is because I haven't put the
right touch on it yet or maybe there is something wrong, but my
gut feeling is that I am just not doing something right.

        For one thing, I haven't been able to get any trunking
activity out of it at all even though we have a couple of
Motorola public safety systems in our area that should work.

        You can also set the 780 to sort of a reverse CTCSS mode
in which you set a tone and tell the scanner to pass all signals
as long as they don't have that tone.  This is good for
frequencies that might have several users who are interesting to
listen to plus one who is as boring as watching paint dry.  You
can set the anti CTCSS feature to that guy and still hear all the
others.  I haven't gotten either one of those modes to work but
everything else works fine.

        Several of the functions use multiple layers of menu to
get to them which means that you really do need a way to read the
display to know where you are.  I would sure hate to fight that
battle with no feedback at all.  All the keys beep the same way.
It is the usual old story of you might realize that something is
wrong, but what?

        Some of you have the Braille and Speak which has a VT100
terminal mode.  You may be able to access the serial port with
one of those.  I don't have one so I can't vouch for what that
would be like, but I bet it works.

        When you make it output the contents of the display, it
is an all or nothing situation.  You have to listen very
carefully because there is enough output that it is easy to miss
whether some of the icons were on or off.  That is one thing that
should be easier to program around under Linux.

JEFFREY MICHAEL KENYON writes:
>How well can you use your 780? I tried translating the mnanuals and wasn't
>impressed with the BC245XLT.  I'll have to check and see if the BC250D has
>its manual on line yet and translate it.  I had heard some place that the
>780 wasn't user friendly for someone who is bldin.