Hi Wayne.
I am expecting to buy a new radio next year so good discussion on the K4.
I expect to use my current upgraded K3 both at home and in the field,
perhaps at a field day event so high dynamic range is good. At home we
are out in a rural area so the K4 or K4D will be good.
I tend to not use tough screen things but if the touch screen was robust
as I read is true for the K4 that might be fine.
Comments below...
On 5/24/2019 11:02 AM, Wayne Burdick wrote:
Hi Buddy et al,
We've definitely been thinking about this.
There's a paradigm shift going on in transceiver design, and we
reached a point where we needed to embrace it. This shift is not
entirely aligned with accessibility, as you know. I'll address
alternatives in this email.
As for the K4 specifically, its user interface is dependent in part
on use of the touch screen. This was simply the only way to integrate
an equivalent of the K3S, P3, and all of the new hardware/software
required to implement a direct-sampling radio. The use of a touch
screen allows context sensitivity (physical overloading) for
controls, making the K4 the equivalent of a much larger radio without
touch. The resulting compact size is still compatible with portable
use (4.5" x 13.5" x 11", 10 pounds, and power-efficient), a hallmark
of Elecraft transceivers.
Integrating the P3 is very nice. So having a hybrid touch and knob radio
would actually work.
Regarding accessibility, there are three possible approaches:
1. The K4's entire complement of controls, both hard and touch, will
be represented by a set of "2-letter" commands. This API will be
fully public as it is for our other transceivers. Presumably external
devices or computers will be able to immediately make use of these
commands to effect a flexible accessible interface.
Either way this is good as I use digital modes programs, such as fldigi,
JS8Call and WSJT-X sometimes. So regardless of #2 or #3 this is good.
2. In theory we could implement a large-target version of the LCD's
touch controls, with proximity-based audio feedback and no
panadapter. This would be a very ambitious project requiring ongoing
support, similar to that needed for mobile/fixed app development. We
don't have the staff to support this, so we'd need to engage the
wider community to find a developer with suitable skills and
motivation. The API or spec for such an effort doesn't exist at this
time.
Not something I want but for poor eyesight might be handy.
3. The K3S has very similar strong-signal performance and similar
basic features, without touch. Since many of the added features of
the K4 are panadapter-centric, a blind ham may very well find that
the K3S is a viable alternative. No doubt there will be more used
K3's and K3S's on the market over the next year. The KX3 and KX2
provide audio CW feedback on most controls and are another non-touch
alternative.
Well, keep the accessories for a K3 or K3S available and this might be
fine. I am sighted but this is important.
Thanks for the opportunity to comment.
73, tom w7sua
I hope the alternatives I've suggested to use of the K4's normal UI
will be helpful in most cases.
73, Wayne N6KR
On May 24, 2019, at 9:20 AM, Buddy Brannan bu...@brannan.name [KX3]
<kx3-nore...@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
[Sorry, sent this to Gary instead of the list] Hey Gary,
I’m curious about this as well, as are others…see K8HSY’s post on
the blind-hams list. See also my response full of speculation
(below). Wayne, please feel free to comment on my comments and
correct me where I erred:
I’ve been beating the accessibility drum on the Elecraft reflector
for ages, and Wayne has assured that they would not go to all touch
screen access, for that very reason. Elecraft has, in the person of
one of their tech support people in the past, and Wayne in emails
to me, committed to doing what they can in design parameters to
make accessibility attainable, and they have been super cooperative
with people like the Hampod folks and others who want to design
accessibility tools.
The K4 has a full GNU/Linux computer built into it, and it’s got a
client/server architecture, with network access available, so it
seems to me accessibility should be possible, even relatively easy,
to implement. Especially given that there are still a wide range of
physical buttons and knobs on board.
And, unlike Yaecomwoodlincotec, the principals at Elecraft are not
only available by email, but very responsive besides. If you’re
really interested in a perspective direct from the horse’s mouth,
write to Wayne directly at n...@elecraft.com. He really does answer
email.
Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA Email: bu...@brannan.name Mobile:
(814) 431-0962
On May 23, 2019, at 1:47 PM, Gary Lee kb9...@arrl.net [KX3]
<kx3-nore...@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
could someone describe the front panel of the k4 with reference
to that of the k3? With the added touch screen, I am wondering
about usability for the blind operator.
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