While those are certainly advantages, there are several disadvantages. Number 1 on my personal hit parade: they aren’t tactile. You have to look at them to operate them. Which means, for you, another distraction. For me, it means extra support (think VoiceOver on iOS, Talkback on Android, VoiceView on the Amazon Fire things). So far, none of the ham radio manufacturers has implemented anything like that, and so touch screen interfaces on a lot of stuff are out of my reach, as it were. Of course, knobs and switches and buttons have the advantage of being able to be manipulated without having to see where they are. Pretty helpfulwhen you have to look at other things instead. Then there’s the matter of all the fingerprints…which, along with the problem of operating with gloves that are not specifically designed to work with capacitive touch screens, can be solved by use of a stylus. Still, a disadvantage, and yet another thing to remember to not leave behind.
> On Mar 25, 2019, at 10:59 AM, Doug Person <d...@kj0f.com> wrote: > > I've designed and developed all sorts of user interfaces. Some touch and some > not. A touch screen has several huge advantages: > > 1.) it can be updated. When a better approach for a particular function is > determined - a firmware update can be performed to change the user interface. > > 2.) When an optional board is added (VHF/UHF, inboard-tuner, etc), the user > interface can be changed to accommodate it. > > 3.) Several configurations can be stored. For ex. a configuration for > contesting, one for normal ops, satellite, digital modes, etc. The idea is > that the display can be configured for each individual's preference. > > A 7" touch screen is a blank canvas. Firmware changes can add or remove > anything. Buttons and switches are a one time implementation. > > I understand how some people find touch screens annoying. I've seen a lot of > bad designs and they give touch screens a bad reputation. But a well-designed > screen can be just as good or even superior to rows of buttons and switches. > > Doug -- KJ0F > > On 3/24/2019 7:55 PM, Michael Walker wrote: >> I have used all sort of user interfaces. >> >> Knobs, mouse, keyboard, touch screens. They all work and do what they need >> to do. >> >> That being said, it comes down to what works for you. >> >> Mike va3mw >> >> >> On Sun, Mar 24, 2019 at 8:52 PM W2xj <w...@w2xj.net> wrote: >> >>> I’ve been using touchscreens for 35 years. My experience is not what you >>> describe. Actually it is very much the opposite. Mechanical switches are >>> the least reliable. >>> >>> Sent from my iPad >>> >>>> On Mar 24, 2019, at 8:35 PM, Al Lorona <alor...@sbcglobal.net> wrote: >>>> >>>> Thaddeus sits down at the rig. Today is the day Bouvet is supposed to >>> come on the air, and thousands of hams around the world must be tuning >>> around at this moment trying to be the first to work the DXpedition. >>>> He gets a feeling and tunes low in the band, turning the knob as if he >>> were breaking into a safe. His intuition pays off: he hears a weak signal >>> tuning up, and then... a callsign. It's Bouvet! Instant rush. Instant >>> clammy hands. He reaches to tap the Split button on his fancy new rig's >>> touch screen. He taps again. The screen does nothing. Oh no, not now, touch >>> screen. Please recognize my finger... please! Bouvet turns it over, but >>> nobody has heard them yet, so Bouvet calls again, and while Thaddeus is >>> tapping frantically, time slows down, four seconds feel like four hours, >>> and still the dim-witted screen does nothing as Thaddeus begins all the >>> usual finger gymnastics that people do when they're trying to make their >>> device understand that they in fact want it to do something. The radio sits >>> there stupidly, the DX stops calling, and then the pileup mayhem begins. >>> Thaddeus sits there, stupefied, wondering why those &#^+! engineers at >>> Elecraft decided to put a $@_% touch screen on an otherwise perfectly good >>> radio. >>>> For this reason, I will never buy a radio with a touch screen. Ain't >>> gonna do it. So Elecraft, you've been put on notice. >>>> Thank you, >>>> >>>> Al W6LX >>>> ______________________________________________________________ >>>> Elecraft mailing list >>>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >>>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >>>> Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net >>>> >>>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net >>>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html >>> ______________________________________________________________ >>> Elecraft mailing list >>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >>> Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net >>> >>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net >>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html >> ______________________________________________________________ >> Elecraft mailing list >> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >> Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net >> >> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net >> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > > -- > 73 de Doug -- KJ0F > > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA Email: bu...@brannan.name Mobile: (814) 431-0962 ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
