Hi Wayne, Thanks as always for your direct response. I appreciate your forthrightness on this issue and willingness to tackle the more difficult questions/aspects/design decision justifications.
Elecraft has, as I stated in my original email, always been supportive of the blind ham community inasmuch as design limitations and parameters allow, and I for one appreciate your continuing commitment to that. Computer control couldn’t be simpler on the Elecraft rigs I own. The Hampod is also a fantastic accessory, and we appreciate your working with the developers of these aids. I suspect that, were I able to get a higher end rig, I’d be opting for a K3 for the exact reasons you specify. But I’m a knob and button kind of guy. I think, were I interested in going whole hog for a K4, that your option (1) seems to be the most straightforward path, certainly in the short term, to get the mostbang for our accessibility buck, as it were. There’s lots of flexibility there. I’m not sure what the state of the art is for touch screen accessibility under GNU/Linux. I know there is a GNOME-based screen reader, as well as an Android-based screen reader. Given the right clever people, it might be possible to have an alternative UI, but, as you say, that would be a pretty significant support issue for a pretty small market of users. But one could potentially duplicate those controls on, say, an Amazon Fire or Android tablet app. I think there really are possibilities for the right clever people…shame I’m not one such. Again, I appreciate that Elecraft at least considers these issues, which is more than I can say for many, many other companies. Vy 73, Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA Email: [email protected] Mobile: (814) 431-0962 > On May 24, 2019, at 2:02 PM, Wayne Burdick <[email protected]> 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. > > 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. > > 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. > > 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. > > 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 [email protected] [KX3] >> <[email protected]> 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 >> [email protected]. He really does answer email. >> >> Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA >> Email: [email protected] >> Mobile: (814) 431-0962 >> >>> On May 23, 2019, at 1:47 PM, Gary Lee [email protected] [KX3] >>> <[email protected]> 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. >>> >>> >>> >> >> >> __._,_.___ >> Posted by: Buddy Brannan <[email protected]> >> Reply via web post • Reply to sender • Reply to group >> • Start a New Topic • Messages in this topic (2) >> VISIT YOUR GROUP >> • Privacy • Unsubscribe • Terms of Use >> >> SPONSORED LINKS >> >> >> >> . >> >> >> __,_._,___ > ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
