[Kenwood] duelband mobiles with voice synth

[Dr. Gerald N. Johnson, electrical engineer]

I had a TW4000 about 20 years ago with a voice synthesizer. The same one
as used in the TS-440S. It would talk more than in the TS-440,
announcing "power on" with a strong Japanese accent to the English and
would announce frequencies as changed. I found it no benefit because the
audio there was so distorted that in my truck the Japanese was as
understandable as the English and I don't understand Japanese. Those
that are used to the imported talking watches would get along with the
voice better. My dad is using a VS-1 in his TS-440S and though only
without center vision he's getting along with it OK. It only talks when
he hits the proper button to get a frequency readout. That's not using
all the capability of the VS-1 as demonstrated by that TW-4000.

I've not tried any newer voice synthesizers but I hope they are better
and more useful.

Many of the modern computers with a radio attached are complex for a
sighted person to use, with a manual that weighs as much as the radio,
and with a complex collection of menus that take multiple simultaneous
button pushes to access. Or require touching a button and getting off it
for one effect, or holding it more than 1 second and less than ten for
another, or holding it longer for a third. All often dependent on some
menu setting. Some how I don't find all those menus ergonomic.

KDK used to make some synthesized single band VHF radios with concentric
knobs for the frequency entries, each with a zero stop. So one could
always count the clicks from 144.000. But they've nearly all died of old
age by now.

73, Jerry, K0CQ

-- 
Entire content copyright Dr. Gerald N. Johnson. Reproduction by
permission only.