Hi Icom UK

I thought your customers may be interested in this..

I recently purchased an Icom Handheld IC-E90 from Martin Lynch & Sons Ltd and found it has a very useful feature in that it can read the display frequency to you in Morse code. (This can be adjusted from 10 to 25 words per minute). The handheld is triband (2M/6M/70cm) with general coverage receive (AM/FM/WBFM).

To set it up, you need a sighted person to turn on the CW function, set the CW speed, activate the tone burst, and program the memories.

Once this is done, it should be possible to operate the rig either by using the VFO, or Direct Frequency Entry from the keypad, or operating from Memory Mode. So that you know which is the first memory, I programmed BBC5 Live into it, and then a click of the rotary dial will step you through each memory in turn. Just to check that you think you know where you are you can press and hold the band button to read you the frequency in CW.

Two of my blind friends G3ZGG and G4ZGG are going to give it a try, since they have been looking for a "talking" handheld. This comes close to meeting their needs, even if it is in CW! The Lithium Ion supplied battery provides excellent endurance. The button '5' even has a raised pip on it.

Is this the best-kept secret for the visually impaired? What would be nice is a manual in Braille, or as I did today, read out the main function of each button (e.g. quick push) and its secondary function e.g. hold for 1 second) onto audiotape for them.

I have no connection with Icom, or Martin Lynch. I am just a satisfied user of the IC-E90.

Mr Alan Ralph, Peterborough, UK