Looking for HF transceiver for a blind person. It needs to not rely on a computer. It needs to have a simple front panel and some kind of voice guidance/feedback. Kernwood TS590 series is often rrecommended to me, but it seems like it relies on a VGS-1 voice chip that is no longer manufactured and hard to find used. Any other brand/model that anyone would recommend? Maybe mobile units designed to keep drivers’ eyes on the road would have voice features and be adapted to home use? Thank you.
@Michael_Friedman
This is a bit difficult in the era of touchscreens. As you know Kenwood has discontinued their VGS-1 and we no longer have any in stock. The Icom 7300 has an excellent voice/speech system, but it does not cover the menus. The voice synthesizer in the Icom 7300 announces the frequency, mode, and s-meter readings. The physical controls are easy to find and use. The Icom 7300 is widely used by blind hams. We also sell Ham Radio Deluxe software which can be used and adapted to a variety of radios, but it requires screen reader software like JAWS or NVDA. There are some other radios that do not use touch screens that can be used. The Elecraft K3, which we do not sell, when combined with Elecraft’s HamPod software provides full menu and frequency audio feedback. There are a number of other options, and you may want to contact your local ham radio club for additional information. Hope this helps.