Amateur Radio and the Blind
Part 1: What difficulties does a blind person encounter with
Amateur Radio? What advantages and opportunities does
Amateur Radio offer the blind? In this series, we'll discuss
subjects you may have thought of only occasionally, but
you're certain to find interesting and informative.
By Butch Bussen, WAen/JR
Box 142,
Wallace, KS 67761
I've been an active Amateur RadioRadio for more knowledge and enter-
operator for the past 18 years. Liketainment.
most of you, I marvel at what tech-
nology has brought us. I've watched mySome Hills to Climb
ham shack fill with radio and computerMany of the problems I faced as a new
equipment as I try RTTY, AMTOR andham parallel those faced by visually
packet radio.handicapped people all through life. It's
Think back a few years: Who wouldhard to explain, but it's the little things
that
have dreamed so many of the technicalreally drive you crazy! For instance, it's
not
miracles we enjoy today would be possibleknowing when the cup of coffee you
so soon? Now, close your eyes for aordered has been placed in front of you,
moment and ask yourself: "How could Ior not knowing someone is holding out
make use of all of this marvelous tech-their new hand-held transceiver for you
to
nology if I couldn't see?" That's what thissee. Some people are thoughtful and
article series is about.understand a blind person's situation
Certainly there are other, possibly better,without being told. Then there are
those
solutions to the problems I'll be discussing.who come up to you and say, "Guess
who
This article isn't the end, only thethis is!"
beginning; it's the tip of the iceberg. It's
written to encourage those handicapped
hams who have wanted to try these com-
munications modes and for those hams
without handicaps who want to get some
idea of how they can help us. I'm ,Triting
about some of my experiences and the
solutions I found to some of the difficulties
I encountered.
Although I'm addressing visually handi-
capped hams here, let's not forget those
who are deaf or have impaired motor skills.
And, there are those who have combina-
tions of two or more of these handicaps.
Ye t , we can and do enjoy Amateur Radio!
Some Background
I've been totally blind since birth, yet I
can now enjoy many facets of our hobby
that a few short years ago would have been
unreachable. I've always loved technical
things, especially electronics. This is
probably because I always depended on
electronics for entertainment. I love the old
radio mysteries and used to listen to them
for hours; and I enjoy "watching" TV.
Most of the books and magazines I read
are either on record or tape, so it was only
natural that I looked toward Amateur25 years. How do you thank someone for
that kind of dedication? Henry reads selec-
tions from the various computer, elec-
tronics, and Amateur Radio magazines.
The Radio Digest is available from the
Associated Services for the Blind.' QST is
also available on floppy disk from the
Library of Congress.2
It's impossible for me to separate
Amateur Radio, computers and general
electronics from my daily life. They're all
tied together and I depend on them so
much. Amateur Radio is not just one of my
hobbies, it's a necessity.
My Introduction to Amateur Radio
I attended the School for the Blind in
or, "Do you know who I am?"Kansas City, Kansas, for 11 years. In my
That kind of thing really can put you onsenior year, I attended our local high
the spot! If you're not sure you will beschool. When I was in the seventh grade,
recognized, just say who you are. If I don'ta Kansas City ham volunteered to
teach a
recognize the voice right away, at least thatNovice license class. His name is
Elmer
way I'll know for sure who I'm talking to.Rose. Elmer showed up without fail
each
As I said, it's theweek that year until we all had passed our
tests. Jerry Foster, my sixth-grade teacher's
husband, was also involved in helping us.
Jerry's was the first ham station I saw. I
don't remember Jerry's or Elmer's call
sign, but I will always remember them. I
hope somehow they know their efforts were
not in vain. At least one of us out of that
class finally upgraded and continued on in
Amateur Radio. Jerry and Elmer, wherever
Two of the little
big obstacles things. blind peopleyou are, thank you!
face are not being able to drive a car andI never understood the logic of it,
but
not being able to read printed material.after we got our Novice tickets, we
were not
Amateur Radio has helped overcome theseallowed to assemble a station at school!
hurdles. I can visit anywhere in the worldThe school let us hold the Novice
instruc-
, through my radio. Many times I have hadtion classes, but antennas and radios
were
another hamâhundreds of miles awayâ"too ugly," so, no ham station. I came
locate a transistor substitute or an addresshome with my license and had no idea
I need.where to turn! I ran an ad on a local radio
I think reading is the thing I miss most.station and was contacted by a couple
of
Henry Kuhn, W2IRL1, of Buffalo, Newhams from Colby, Kansas. One of them
Yo r k , offers a magazine on audio tape. It's
called The Radio Digest. Henry has been
producing this monthly magazine for over'Notes appear on page 31.
October 1987 27
Hammarlund HQ-110 receiver he wantedpractice machine and read the samplemy
receiver (no longer hooked to the
to sell; I finally convinced my Dad that Iquestions and answers to me on tape
so Iclothesline), and I heard a strong signal. It
just had to have it! I barely figured out howcould study the theory. He had to
learnbelonged to Ray Penington, WAOCTP,
to run the receiver. I had no idea how tohow to read and describe schematicwho
lived in Oakley. That's a town about
put up and tune an antenna, or how to tunediagrams to me. To a blind person,
every-40 miles east of me; Ray ran a drugstore
and operate a CW transmitter. No one elsething is point-to-point wiring. It is
done likethere. The next time I was in Oakley, I
in my family knew anything aboutthis: "The base of transistor Q1 goeswalked in,
asked for Ray, and introduced
electronics, and they weren't interested inthrough R2, a 47-kf2 resistor, to
ground.myself. He acted as if he had known me
it, so I was on my own. I listened a lot, butThe base also goes through a
0.001-1iFforever, and promised me this time I would
never got on the air. I never made one con-capacitor to the hot side of JI, the
audio-get on the air! It took less than 10 minutes
tact. My license expired, I sold the receiver,input jack." Explained that way,
the dia-for him to get my name and phone number
bought my first stereo and joined a recordgram can be written in Braille, or
put onand to offer the loan of a rig, a Heath
club. Novice tickets weren't renewable intape for review later. We blind people
learnHW-12.
those days.to read descriptions like that and put theBecause of my handicap and
the distance
picture together in our heads.I lived from an FCC field office, I was
The Ham Bug Keeps Bitingeligible to take the Conditional-class license
In 1966, I graduated from high schoolA Shocking Experiencetest. Roy Sanderson
(Sandy), WOEKL,
and enrolled at a local vocational technicalAt that time, I didn't have a
receiver togave me my test. He said he was sure I had
school to study electronics. I'd triedcopy CW, but some people I met in
Good-passed, but I wasn't convinced. In a couple
enrolling in a couple other schools inland gave me a Hallicrafters S-38C. I
spentweeks I got a letter from the FCC. I knew
Kansas, but they refused me, saying:a lot of hours listening to that receiver
(andit had to be bad newsâyou don't get a
"There is no future in a blind person study-I still have it). I strung a wire
out thelicense that quickly! Sure enough, no
ing electronics," and "We have no ideawindow for an antenna and tied it to
thelicense; I had forgotten to sign something.
how to teach you, anyway." One of theclothesline. It was steel wire and
reallyWell, at least they didn't say I had failed.
first things our vocational school class didworked fine. One damp and rainy
day,Finally, the license came!
was tour the KLOE TV and radio stationsMom wanted to know why she got
shockedThe next day, it was back to Oakley to
in Goodland, Kansas. That is where I metwhen she touched the clothesline. It
didn'tget the HW-12, an ac-operated power
John (Darel) Graves, WA0GBN. I told himtake me long to figure that one out:
Thesupply and portable dipole from Ray. I
I was interested in Amateur Radio, and heS-38 receiver is a 5-tube ac/dc
set!went home, ate dinner in record time and
said he would be glad to help. The ham bugput up the antenna. Ray had sent
every-
just would not go away!My First Real Rigthing, including the transmission line.
All
Darel loaned me an old paper-tape code-One Sunday afternoon I was listening toI
had to do was climb my tower, affix the
Where to go for Help
Lloyd Rasmussen, National Library Service for Blind. 1291manuals) are available
on tape.
Ta y l o r St, NW, Washington, DC 20011, tel 202-287-9324.IRTI. 26699 Snell La,
Los Altos Hills, CA 94022,
Check here for the location of your regional library. Manytel 415-948-8588.
Sells audio tape and other products of
books, magazines and journals, such as QST, are availableinterest.
free of charge.Irian Corp, 302, 177 Telegraph Rd, Bellingham. WA
National Braille Press. 88 St Stephens St. Boston, MA98226, tel 800-628-2828.
Sells a talking clock for $30 and
02115. tel 617-266-6160. Source for some Braille informa-talking watch for $50.
tion. Publications include The Second Beginner's Guide toSense-sations, 919
Walnut St, Philadelphia. PA 19107,
Personal Computers for the Blind and Visually Impaired andtel 215-627-0600. A
source for appliances and other aids for
Add-Ons: The Ultimate Guide to Peripherals for the Blindthe blind.
Computer User. Copies are available in Braille, audioStreet Electronics Inc,
1140 Mark Ave. Carpinteria. CA
cassette and printed form.93103, tel 805-684-4593. Comments: Manufactures the
Echo
Stanley Doran, Newsreel Club. 176 Braille Ave. Columbus.GP, Echo PC and Echo
Plus speech synthesizers.
OH 43223, tel 614-279-0780. An audio tape newsletter.Stone Mountain Engineering
Co, PO Box 1573. Stone
Ed Potter, Playback. 1308 Evergreen Ave. Goldsboro. NCMountain, GA 30086, tel
404-879-0241; in Canada. Atlantic
27530, tel 919-734-9173. This is an audio tape newsletter ofHam Radio Ltd,
416-636-3636. Comments: Offers the
gineral interest that reviews various types of electronicOSYer, a DTMF keypad
that plugs into the Yaesu FT-757W(
equipment and includes many addresses and toll-freeand IC-735 transceivers to
permit direct entry of frequency.
telephone numbers.Price: $89.50 plus $2,50 shipping and handling. (See also S.
American Printing House for the Blind, 1839 FrankfortReyer, The DIGI-CAT." Apr
1987 QST, pp 40-43.)
Ave, Louisville, KY 40206 tel 502-895-2405. Sells tapeFranklin Research Center.
20th and Race St. Philadelphia,
recorders, appliances and books recorded on audio tapePA 19103, tel
215-448-1416. Offers a talking digital
and in Braille.multimeter ($450).
Bill Gary, Smith-Kettlewell Visual Sciences, 2232 WebsterAmerican Foundation
for the Blind, Consumer Products
St. San Francisco, CA 94115, tel 415-567-0667. Produces aDepartment, 15 West
16th St, New York, NY 10011,
quarterly electronics magazine in Braille called the Smith-tel 212-620-2000.
They sell many products especially
Kettlewell Technical File.adapted for the visually handicappedâgames. tools,
kitchen
Educational Tape Recording, 10234 S Kedzie Ave.appliances and more.
Evergremearko IL 60642-379 tel 312-499-3666. OffersTa l k i n g Computer
Products, Ronald (Butch) Bussen.
books on audio tape; several uter manuals are alsoBox 142, Wallace. KS 67761.
tel 913-891-3532. A source for
available.computer aids for the blind including speech synthesizers,
Recorded Periodicals, 919 Walnut St, 8th Floor, Philadel-the Laser 128 (an
Apple compatible computer), talking
phia. PA 19107, tel 215-627-4230. Several technical maga-software and items
produced by Computer Aids of Fort
zines are available on audio tape. You may rent these at aWayne, Indiana.
Talking Computer Products items, such as
cost of $20 a year. (I highly recommend The Radio Digest.)The Talking Checkbook
program, are also available.
Recordings for the Blind, 215 East 58th St, New York, NYComputer Aids, 124 West
Washington. Lower Arcade, Fort
10022, tel 212-751-0860. Several books (including computerWayne. IN 46802. tel
219-422-2424,
28 UST-.
center insulator, tie the ends of the dipoledid the pitch. I know several
articles haveproper frequency. WO stability is very
to tent stakes driven in the ground and thatbeen published describing such
devices (seeimportant; I want to beâand stayâwhere
was it. I connected everything togetherâthe bibliography), but this one is
the bestthe readout, keyboard or speech synthesizer
and I was on the air! Ray was my secondI've found so far. It's the most
sensitivesay I am. Stability is important because of
contact that afternoon. Over the years, weand stable. I use this same device
pluggedthe narrow bandwidth of these digital
spent hundreds of joyful hours on the air.into my SWR meter, and by listening
to themodes and also because I cannot read the
Ray is now a Silent Key, but I will neverpitch of the tones on forward and
reflectedmodem tuning lights or an oscilloscope dis-
forget him.power, I can get an idea of the SWR.play. If my radio drifts, it's
very difficult
The HW-12 didn't really need anyto chase the station I'm talking to up and
tuning. I had no idea what the antennaRadios and What to Look Fordown the band.
Things like that can drive
system SWR was. I wasn't even sure thatI've spent a small fortune trying to
keepyou nuts if you are trying to figure out what
it mattered, and I didn't have an SWRpace with technology, and have ownedis
wrong and there is no sighted ham
meter anyway. I had no way to tell whatquite a few different radios. After
thearound to give you a clue!
frequency I was on, but that didn't matterNCX-5, I bought a Yaesu FT-101. This
isFor AMTOR, TR (transmit/receive)
either, as the rig covers 3.8 to 4.0 MHz, soa nice radio, but I still had to
use a crystalswitching time is another factor to consider.
I was "legal" anywhere the rig would go.calibrator to determine my operating
fre-Though this is important to a -sighted
But, you know hamsâwe always wantquency, and I used an audio device
tiedperson, I feel it is even more so for me as
more. There were all those otheracross the plate-current meter for tuning.I
have enough things to keep track of.
bands and I needed my own radio.I could get the drive adjustment close just
by peaking the receiver noise.VHF and Up
When the all-solid-state radios appeared
For operation on 6 meters and above, we
how do I tune theon the market, I knew I had to have one!
must be more selective. A lot of this equip-
It's so neat to change bands at the flip of
ment, though digital, has just up and down
radio?a switch, and no transmitter tuning is
frequency control keys. Not many such rigs
required! If you remember the old rigs, try
have provision for keyboard entry of the
and imagine the fun I had trying to tune
operating frequency. Blind hams should try
my old E. F. Johnson Viking One on 160
Finally, I bought a National NCX-300.and spend some time with a particular radio
meters!
This is a 5-band version of the NCX-3 tri-at the store or at a friend's house
before
The solid-state transceivers still left me
band transceiver. But now, I had realdeciding on what they're going to buy. For
with the problem of getting to a specific fre-
problems. How could I tell what frequencyinstance, I bought an IC-551 6-meter
trans-
quency or telling me where I was. I had a
I was on? This transceiver can cover entireceiver a few years ago. I kept it
only about
Ten-Tec transceiver equipped with the
amateur bands! The rig has tuning andsix months because it was so difficult for
optional speech synthesizer. The synthe-
loading controls! How do I tune the radio?me to operate. There is no provision
for a
sizer helped a lot, but it was difficult to find
I had to get someone to read the manualfrequency entry keyboard or speech
an exact frequency as I had to turn the dial
to me so I would know what to do with allsynthesizer. Every time you power it
up,
a bit, listen to the readout, and then turn
those "extra" knobs.'it comes on tuned to the bottom of the
the knob again. What a sighted person can
band. The problem is that its WO "tunes
see at a glance, I have to listen to. My next
Receiver/Transceiver Tuningforever." There is no mechanical stop for
rig, an IC-701, was equipped with the
reference, and if I got lost, I had to power
Until the days of microprocessor-optional RM-2, which allows direct key-
controlled radios, determining mydown and start over. All I could do was
board entry of the operating frequency. I
operating frequency was a problem I nevercount the turns of the knob. If! got
down
still could not read the display, but I could
solved. The best solution I ever came upat least key in my operating frequency.
Theto 50.000 MHz and moved slightly below,
with was to use a crystal calibrator, findthe rig went to 53.999 MHz.
keys on the RM-2 are laid out like those
the beat notes and count the turns of theof a Touch Tone® telephone, so it's
easy
WO knob. If I lost count, I went clear toto use.
the top or bottom of the band and startedGary McDuffie, AGON, recorded the
counting all over. At least I had an idea'701 manual on audio tape and did a
lotthe keypad and
where I wasâsort of. Once I called an SSBof work on the radio for me,
including
CQ on 3.770, before this was part of thesome modifications. I used the '701
forsynthesizer are helpful.
US phone band. When I finally discoveredquite a while and traded it in for a
Yaesu
where I was, I dreaded getting the mail forFT-980. I liked this rig a lot, but
I missed
a month fearing someone hig heard me!the IC-701's keypad layout; the '980 key-
pad is unlike a Touch Tone pad or calcu-I've owned radios with thumbwheel
Transmitter Tuninglator key pad. Also, the FT-980 has noswitches. There is
usually no way to mark
Tuning a tube-type transmitter is criti-provision for a speech synthesizer. I
reallysuch switches; they just keep going round
cal, and I've tried several approaches. Ithink the keypad and synthesizer are
help-and round. So, if you forget what fre-
found I could take a standard broadcastful. If I had to pick one or the other,
Iquency you're on, you'll need sighted help.
radio, key the transmitter and find awould choose the keypad, but a
synthesizerIf a radio has frequency-controlling keys,
heterodyne. By listening to this, I couldmakes it easy to tell exactly where
you are.be sure you can enter the operating fre-
adjust the drive, plate and load controls.It just goes to show you: There is no
endquency directly. There was a 10-meter FM
Then, I got a little E. F. Johnson monitorto a wish list! Enter Kenwood's
TS-940Sradio I wanted, but the frequency con-
from Ray. In the AM position, I could hend '440 (I now own a '440). They
havetrolling keys were just up/down keys. I
and peak the audio humarom my transkeyboard entry, an optional speech syn-could
not enter the exact operating fre-
mitter to get maximum output.thesizer and CW announcement of thequency I
wanted. Some hand-held trans-
Then I really came up in the world! Amode you've selected.ceivers are also set
up this way. The
ham in California sent me a transistorKeyboard frequency entry, a
speechpresence of a speech synthesizer doesn't
device that hooked across my plate-currentsynthesizer, or both, make it so easy
to getsolve all the problems. Be sure it will tell
meter and gave me an audible indicationon or find a particular frequency.
Muchyou all you want to know. Does it
of what was going on. As the current rose,Amateur Radio operation these days
isannounce the offset, memory number and
so did the tone pitch; if the current fell, sochannelized, and it's essential
to be on thethe frequency stored? If the radio has an
October 1987 29
Fig. 2âA Simpson 260 VOM outfitted with a Braille dial and a
tone generator. The pointer-equipped knob is turned until the tone
is nulled out; then you read the Braille scale. Since this is a linear
Fig 1âHere's how the Dymo label is usedto identify a floppy disk.scale, a
Braille conversion table must be used for reading
(photos by Gary McDuffle, AGON)resistance.
optional subaudible tone, does the synthe-so it's easy to dial up what you
want.tuner, so tuning for minimum SWR is one
sizer voice the tone settings as well? CanSomething else to look for in a rig
is theless thing I have to worry about. Aiming
you tell if you are transmiting on WO Acontrol layout and presence of knobs
witha rotatable antenna can be a problem. Telex
or B? Can you tell if you are operatingpointers or notches that are easy to
feel.manufactured a Braille rotator control box,
"split" between the two? The synthesizerSuch knobs are especially important
onbut it is no longer in production. The only
should also be able to speak when the radiomicrophone gain and transmitter
drive con-rotator I know of that can be equipped with
is in the transmit mode so you can be suretrols that are difficult to set
without readinga speech synthesizer that tells you which
where you are transmitting.a meter. Once I know where to point theway your
antenna is pointed is the con-
have an IC-02AT. I don't have muchknob, I can get pretty close. If I have
notroller from Prosearch.4 I saw one at
trouble operating it, except for the key-way to read the meter, I have a
sightedDayton a year or two ago, and put it on
board lock. To lock or unlock the key-friend check me once in a while to be
suremy wish list. It's a very smart box with
board, you hold down the FUNCTION keythings are as they should be. If I can
getmemory, direct degree entry from a key-
and press the LOCK/UNLOCK key. Thesomeone to read the instruction manual
toboard, and it talks! It costs about $500 with
problem is that there is no way to tellme, and go over the location of the
variousthe synthesizer, but some day I hope to
whether the keyboard is locked or unlockedfront- and rear-panel controls,
switches andhave one.
unless you have a local repeater you canjacks of the radio with me, I put this
bring up as a reference. What's reallyinformation on audio tape for laterTe s t
Equipment
needed is a hand-held with a built-in speechreference. Such a recording is
handy untilWhen I began studying electronics, I had
synthesizer.I get things memorized; and the recordinga need for various types
of test equipment.
is nice to have around for later reference.One of the first things I got was an
aural
There are different methods you can usesignal tracer. Because I cannot read a
to identify things around the shack. Onescope, this was the best way to trace a
signal
...spend some timemethod I use is to put Braille characters onpath through a
piece of equipment. I now
half-inch-wide Dymo® tape to labelhave a new Heath solid-state unit with a
with a partiCular radioswitches, disks, audio and video tapes andbuilt-in
audible continuity checker. It is
at the store or at aother items (see Fig I).completely portable and very handy.
Science Products (formerly Science for
friend's house beforeAntenna Workthe Blind) offers an audible \TOM, among
deciding what to buy.I don't have much trouble doing my ownmany other items.5
The meter is a
antenna work. I can climb towers wellmodified Simpson 260 with a Braille dial
enough, but sometimes need help to tell(see Fig 2). A pointer-equipped knob is
which way the antenna is pointed, or toturned until the tone is nulled, then you
make sure I don't have any wires crossed.read the Braille dial. (This company
also
I find the Kenwoo 00 andI use a noise bridge or an audio devicemakes a device
that can be connected across
series radios easy to use on 2 meters. Theplugged into the SWR meter for
makingan existing voltmeter.) I have never found
'7900 series has a feature that really comesantenna adjustments. A speech
synthesizerthis meter practical for tuning a circuit as
in handy. The radio emits an audible beepconnected to the meter would be a
welcomeit is much too slow to follow circuit action
each time you select the first memory. I'veaddition; it could tell me at which
fre-with the pointer. Listening to a changing
also used the KDK-20I6. The frequencyquency the SWR dip occurred.
Fortunately,tone is much easier and faster, so I usually
switches on this radio have stops on them,my TS-440 has a built-in automatic
antennause this type of device for adjusting trans-
30 OST._
mitters, aligning tape heads and the like.as other sources of information, are
in
I also have a talking digital voltmeter.this book, available free of charge
from the
This one speaks the reading every six⢠⢠â¢most of this stuffARRL. Send
your request to: ARRL Program
seconds or so, or you can use a foot switchtalks because modernfor the
Disabled, 225 Main St, Newington,
to make it speak when you want. The meterCT 06111, or call 203-666-1541.
works fine for monitoring power-supplyelectronics has madeHorn, G., "Braille
Tactile TransducerâNew
Freedom for the Sightless," Dec 1981
voltages and is quite accurate, but it's alsoQST, pp 45-47.
not practical for tuning purposes. This issynthesized voice cheap
Langner, J., "A Talking Frequency Display,"
true of most digital measuring equipment,and cute, not becauseApr 1985 QST, pp
14-17.
whether or not it talks.it's designed for use byMayer, E., "Audible SWR
Indicator," Feb 1985
QEX, pp 3-7.
Some Hintsthe blind.Rand, P., "The 'Beeper': An Audible Frequency
Before anyone gets really excited aboutReadout for the Blind Amateur," Sep 1983
all this great talking technology, I mustQST, pp 19-24. Also, Feedback, Jan 1984
warn you that all of it is not cheap! I'mQST, p 49.
Stockemer, L., "The SHARC Audible Cur-
lucky to be able to afford what I have overtogether with some of the modern
modemsrent Meter," Apr 1979 QST, pp 22-27.
the years. The talking digital meter costsand I have access to RTTY, AMTOR
andSwail, J., "Transistor Auditory Meter for
around $500. My first talking calculatorpacket. The problems and solutionsthe
Blind," Nov 1963 QST, pp 32-33.
cost $395. Now, Sharp and other com-associated with interfacing a computer
andSwail, J., "A Digital Readout System for the
panies have talking calculators for aroundAmateur Radio equipment are subjects
forVisually Impaired Operator," Mar 1982 QST,
$50.future discussion. In upcoming install-pp 11-15.
A lot of features and equipment that arements, I'll cover computers,
voiceWagner, W., "An Audible Digital Voltmeter,"
novelties for most people are necessities forAug 1979 QST, pp 32-34. Also,
Hall, J.,
synthesizers, software, modems,
the blind. Be careful when purchasing"Additional Notes on the Audible Digital
RTTY/AMTOR and packet-radio opera-Voltmeter," Aug 1979 QST, pp 34-35.
equipment. Remember, most of this stufftion. Computers are a dream come true for
talks because modern electronics has mademany of the handicapped.[If Butch's
byline seems familiar to you, it's
synthesized voice cheap and cute, notprobably because he authored "The
Squawker,"
because it's designed for use by the blind.which appeared in July 1987 QS71 You
can find
Noteshis biography there.âEd.]asy-1
Radio Shack's talking watch (RS 63-5040)
'Associated Services for the Blind, Recorded
and talking clocks (RS 63-903 and 63-906)Periodicals Division, 919 Walnut St,
are great buys. The Radio Shack talkingPhiladelphia, PA 19107, tel 215-627-0600.
clocks are easy to set and use. I've not tried2Library of Congress, Division
for the Blind and
Physically Handicapped, 1291 Taylor St, NW,
setting their talking watch. The talkingWashington, DC 20542, tel 202-287-5100.
watch I have (a Setoki) speaks the time3Kantronics and AEA make equipment
manuals
when you press the button, but nothingavailable as ASCII text files on disk for
handicapped hams. Some of the olderStrays -TA1
talks when you set it, so you can get intoKantronics manual files are available
on
some real problems trying to set the time.Apple formatted disks; newer manual
files are
My watch has a calendar, alarm, elapsedon MS-DOS formatted disks. ContactI
would like to get in touch with
Kantronics at 1202 East 23rd St, Lawrence, KS
time and all that, but only the time is66044, tel 913-842-7745.LI anyone with
information on a Swan linear
announced.AEA manuals for the PK-87 and PK-232 canamp. Russ Smith, W6ONK/7, PO
Box 141,
I mention my watch to stress a point. Ifbe obtained from Norm Sternberg, W2JUP,
POBrownsville, OR 97327.
Box 125, Farmingville, NY-11738 (telephone no.
at all possible, try before you buy! As youunpublished), or by contacting AEA at
will find when I discuss talking computers0 anyone with a manual for a General
Radio
2006 196th St, Lynnwood, WA 98036,
and software, there are very few sightedtel 206-775-7373. (Requests sent to AEA
areType 650-A impedance bridge. Robert Weir,
routed to Norm.) Requests should indicate theHH2WR, MFI Box 15665-WT, West Palm
people who really understand or appreciatedisk format preferred: IBM PC or AT,
Apple,Beach, FL 3406.
what we need. Something that may talkC64 and so on. Almost any disk format (with
well enough for them, may not talk enoughthe present exception of Atari) can be
supplied.0 anyone with a manual/schematic for a
AEA and Kantronics do not charge for these
for usâor it may talk too much. What mayCentral Electronics monitor scope,
Model
services: Stamped mailers and formatted disksMM-2. Burt Engel, W3KFZ, 17425 N
96th Dr,
be fast and convenient for a sighted personare not required.
to use may be impossible for us to use4Prosearch Electronics, 1350 Baur Blvd,
St Louis,Glendale, AZ 85508.
MO 63132, tel 800-325-4016; in Missouri,
independently.314-994-7872.LI anyone with a schematic for a W-S
If you are assisting a handicapped5Science Products, Box A,
Southeastern,Engineering Portapeater board. Duane Kilboum,
person, try to be patient. Give that personPA 19399, tel 215-296-2111.W8NZ, 453
W Territorial, Battle Creek, MI
49105.
time to become familiar with the controls
and features of the equipment. On theBibliographyEl anyone with information on
using a Xerox
other side of the coin, a handicapped400-1 FAX machine for amateur FAX. Hal
Note: This bibliography contains references to
person who goes shopping should takeWilson, WB9FNN, 11727 Lamey's La,
material for blind, deaf and motor-impaired
someone along who is willing to take theEvansville, IN 47711.
individuals.
time to explain things and read controls andAlliston, W., "A Morse Readout for
Your
specifications from the instruction manual.CHECK YOUR LABEL
Digital Dial," Nov 1979 QST, pp 33-37.
Enter the Computer meBrandt, R., "An Audio Tone-Shift Power/SWREl Are you a
League member and FCC-
Meter," Sep 1979 QST, pp 28-29.licensed, but your call sign doesn't appear on
About three years ago, I got an Apple®111artlett, M., "An Audio Transducer for
theyour QST mailing label, and your member-
computer and equipped it with a speechDeaf," Jun 1979 QST, p 26.ship
certificate says "Associate Member"?
synthesizer. I use software especiallyConover, D., "A Spectacle-Mounted
CodeThen you're missing out on the chance to vote
written to allow the computer to talk, andBlinker," Feb 1978 QST, pp 25-27.for
League Directors, Vice Directors and
I cannot begin to tell you the changes theHevener, K., ARRL Program for the
DisabledSection Managers. Help us correct your
(Newington: ARRL, 1985). This bookmembership records by sending your name,
computer has made in my life! As far ascontains much of the QST and QEXaddress
and call sign (and, if possible, the
Amateur Radio is concerned, the computermaterial listed in this bibliography.
Additionalseven-digit number that appears on your
has opened the door to digital communi-references to material published in Ham
Radio,mailing label) to ARRL Circulation Dept,
cation for me. I put my talking computer73 Magazine and CQ Magazine, as
wellDept C, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111.
October 1987 31
Feedback
⢠A
O In "Amateur Radio and the Blind,
Part 1," Oct 1987 QST, please make this
change to the sidebar on p 28, left-hand
column, fifth entry. The correct spelling of
Bill's last name is Gerrey, and his call sign
is WA6NPC. (Tnx to Ricard(13âAlfano II,1
W6FWX, for this information.)
0 Author Steve Stuntz provides usiwith
the following corrections to his article,
"A Packet Terminal for Atari Com-
puters," Nov 1987 QST, p 17, Fig 4.
On the DB-25 connector, the TRANSMIT
DATA line should be shown connected to
pin 2 (not pin 1); the RECEIVE DATA line
connects to pin 3 (not pin 2).
