So many menus, so little time

Modern pieces of amateur radio equipment really are marvels aren’t they? I’ve just acquired a previously enjoyed Yaesu VX6R HT. While it’s a major upgrade from my 2 meter only FT-23R, it does take some serious time with the manual to start to understand some of the many features. The depth of complexity is similar to my FT-897, which was my first experience with menu driven radios. These transceivers have more menus than a Denny’s during a Shriners convention. There is no possible way you could memorize all the various settings, or the order of keystrokes to get some of the whiz-bang doo-dads operating. Sure, the functions you use day-to-day will soon come second nature, but suddenly have to change a CTCSS tone or create a new bank of memories and it’s back to the manual.

This isn’t a complaint (I know it sounds like one) as I realize in order to fit the amount of features into such a small package, menus are the only option. If these radios had a dedicated knob or button for every feature, your HT would be the size of a filing cabinet. Mind you it does annoy me a tad that the previously simple action of adjusting the squelch is no longer a simple twist of a dial, at least on the VX6R (I’d have to look up the process).

These are pretty darn cool radios, but I do kind of miss dials and switches. I still have my first HF rig, which isn’t quite a dinosaur as it is solid state, but it was manufactured back in 1982. Every function has either a dial or a switch, not a single menu to be found. Now, it’s a lot larger and heavier too but, frankly its size and array of knobs and switches, I think, makes it look more impressive.

I see one of the 73 menu options is to have the green/red Receive/TX LED glow a bright white to act as a small flashlight. Now THAT will be handy on those late-night walks with the dog when I need a light to find where the dog, errr….you know. Mind you it takes three key strokes and the twist of a dial to turn it on. Simplicity, thy name is not ham radio. Now…back to the manual.

What a modern HT would look like if someone hadn't figured out how to compact all those features into menus.

The Lawn, RTTY & Auctions

Wow, where does the time go? Another weekend has wrapped up and we’re already almost in the middle of May. Not a lot of amateur activity for me this weekend, with Mother’s Day and some half-way decent weather Sunday to mow the grass. Yes the first cut of the season….only took 38 pulls of the cord to get the old beast puffing back to life for one more season. I keep threatening to replace it with an electric mower as I’m sure there are at least two or three holes in the ozone that can be attributed to the clouds of exhaust my old gas-powered job produces.

I did manage a little time Saturday afternoon to scan the HF dial. I was all set to check out the DX conditions on 20 meters CW when I heard an abundance of RTTY sounds. Turns out is was something called the Alessandro Volta RTTY Contest. I fired up the MMTTY software and away we went. European DX was abundant and the signals were solid. I love RTTY (and many of the other digital modes) because lower power (I was running about 75 watts) and a basic wire antenna can net decent DX without too much trouble. The best catch was T77NM from the teeny-tiny republic of San Marino. Actually not a new overall country for me as I’d worked it a few times on phone, but a new RTTY country.

The main amateur-related activity this past week was attending the annual auction held by one of the clubs in our area. I hadn’t been to it in a few years, so I took some cash and ventured out to see what could be had for a deal. Unlike a fleamarket, the auction approach means that everything in the room must go! For about 20 bucks I managed to snag a decent Yaesu SP-102 communications speaker with some built in audio filters. I was the lone bidder on an old piece of test equipment (cost me a buck). I’m not exactly sure what it does, but if nothing else it’ll make a good solid door stop. Actually I’ve been amassing test equipment from flea markets and auctions over the past several years, as I one day plan to start fixing up all those nice old broadcast radios I have gathering dust, and a couple of nice Hallicrafters boat anchors that work….but not very well. But with time always so tight, I’m afraid these may become retirement projects!

Waiting (and waiting) for refurbishment