I am VE team Leader at VFW post 3115 Amateur Radio Club, W?VFW.? We have 4 blind hams including the President of the club who also is a Vietnam, vet. We keep one of our repeaters on ALLSTAR -Blind hams Talk group which is active, interesting and has become the most active repeater in the area.
A group in Australia has developed a speech synthesizer for the FT-817 series. I spent over a month gathering parts to build 2 of these. One for my rig and spare parts in case something is defective. Some of it came from China. Best scenario is I'll build 2. I have all the parts sitting here since Christmas.. Everything is an emergency including driving to Orlando to help a stranded friend for a week and tomorrow.. report for jury duty.. Last time that happened, it was a week, no one saw me.. which backs up the repair of my Windom flat top the mast as one end failed in last weeks 55mph high winds.
Here's the full write-up.. It basically makes the FT-817 speak, frequency, band, mode including menu items.
I mentioned it on Blind Hams Talk group and I keep getting emails.. build me one. I see parts to build cost about $30.. You have to get them from various sources. Then they can be put into a external speaker enclosure..
Why I suggest if someone wants to Start a cottage industry, You all ready have a FT-817 to test them, and blind hams don't solder very well. So they are looking for assembled and tested.? I have been building SHARI's for ALLSTAR network and can do it for? under $150 complete.. there is a guy that offers his version called? a clear node .. where he set's up all parameteres for the blind ham and delivers it for $295. They gobble them up... Blind hams can't homebrew or do kits.
Setup of either is about 2-3 hours, depending on how skilled you are. So he's making money.
Anyhow if someone want's to try building them and make a few dollars for the next toy we all need to buy. Let me know. I may even invest. The Chinese have jumped on the N7DCC auto tuner and DL5MAN's uSDX qrp rig.. so there's money to be made. I don't have the time.? Plus there are plenty of guys who would buy here.. Let alone Blind hams...
Regards,
Larry W8LM..
Larry Macionski