Hi, Everybody,
This is a thought-provoking thread. To throw fuel on the fire: I am looking
at the latest QST, at an ad for one of the latest and greatest transceivers
(I won't tell you which one just yet).
Among the 68 controls visible on the front panel are the following. Just
speak up if you have any clue what these are:
DCD
STA
CON
A.N.
B.C.
FF
C. IN
SG. SEL
P.C.T.
HI/SHIFT
TF. SET
BATL
TRACE
So, the first hurdle is simply being able to decode the front panel controls
of a radio. As I think I've demonstrated, that isn't always as easy as it
seems. From the sound of this thread, more and more folks resent having to
refer to a manual to do something simple like adjust the transmit power or
turn on the RIT.
The second hurdle is knowing how or when to use a particular control. I
don't know how many times I've heard guys on the air saying something like,
"Oh no, there's a carrier on frequency from a shortwave broadcast station. I
don't think I'll be able to copy you. We'd better sign off." I ask myself,
Don't these guys know that they have a notch control? In many cases, it
would eliminate the problem they're having. We have these advanced,
expensive rigs sitting on our desks, but we don't even know how to use them
in even the simplest situations!
R,
Al W6LX
Hint: Take a look at the back cover of this month's QST.
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