[aprssig] How to deal with DTMF keypad differences betweenmanufacturers

[Lynn W. Deffenbaugh (Mr)]

Stephen H. Smith wrote:
> Paul Zawada wrote:
>   
>> On Tue, Sep 30, 2008 at 12:40 PM, Stephen H. Smith <wa8lmf2 at aol.com> wrote:
>>     
>> Yeah, that text messaging thing on cell phones will never catch on either.
>>
>> All kidding aside, this is exactly the interface that millions of
>> teenagers are completely comfortable with, many to the point where
>> they don't even need to look at the screen to see the message they are
>> tapping.  While the implementation on current ham handhelds may be
>> ...phone text messaging interface.  (Sorry, I've never used a TH-D7; how
>> similar is that?) 
>>     
> The difference is that:
>
> 1)    On a cell phone or D7    YOU HAVE A DISPLAY!!!    You can actually 
> see what you are keying
> 2)    You can compose and edit the entire line BEFORE you hit <SEND> !!
>
> Keying in a perversely clunky multiple keypress sequence in the blind in 
> real time is absurd.
>
> As I pointed out in my last post, this is very similar in concept to the 
> old Dymo label guns for embossed plastic labels.  You would spin a 3" 
> diameter wheel with all the alpha-numeric characters on it's 
> circumference until the desired letter showed in a window, then squeeze 
> a trigger to press that letter into the plastic tape and advance to the 
> next position on the label. 
>
>   
How many teenagers even know what a Dymo label gun is/was?  (Yes, I have 
one and my kids think it's quaint).

Why not encourage any manufacturer that's using a spin and click (or 
worse, up/down) to select letters to parallel that input with a 
cell-phone style alpha/numeric entry from their (almost sure to be 
present) DTMF keypad on the radio or microphone?  I realize that the 
standalone D7 head unit hooked to a third-party radio can't do this, but 
certainly HTs and the full up D710 could pull it off?

If we could get the original equipment using this interface for 
alpha/numeric entry on those devices WITH displays, then maybe we'd have 
a chance to get some standards moving?

Wait, don't almost all radios have SOME sort of alpha/numeric display 
now?  If we could just get the manufacturers to support DTMF "message" 
entry onto that display from their keypads, we're almost where we need 
to be, right?

Lynn (D) - KJ4ERJ - decloaking for comment, engage cloak - entering 
lurker mode