[aprssig] Kenwood TH-D7A(G) Retired, now VX-8?

[Steve Dimse]

On Oct 13, 2008, at 12:02 PM, Bill Vodall WA7NWP wrote:

> Video camera, WIFI, multiple micro-SD slots, MP3 player, etc.
>
> Oh wait - that's (almost) an Ipod - touch.

Exactly, it is all stuff that already exists. Sure you are packaging  
it in a new form, but is it visionary? Personally I don't want any of  
that on my ham radio, and I suspect having all this functionality will  
make the core stuff I do want a little harder to access.

And for goodness sake, if you are feature cramming, why not put the  
GPS chip inside like every cellphone made these days? When the D7 came  
out we looked at creating a unit that went between the battery and  
radio which would mount a GPS board. What stopped us was the cost to  
tool the injection molds for the plastic case. It would have made the  
too-thick D7 thicker, but it still would have been a nicer look than  
the Yaesu external mount.

Steve