‰ NOW 30 WPM ‰ TEXT IS FROM SEPTEMBER 2016 QST PAGE 46‰ READ, EVEN WITHOUT MY READING GLASSES AND THATS SAYING SOMETHING. WHEN ACTIVATED, THE KEYPAD DIGITS ARE BACKLIT, ENHANCING EASE OF READING. I ALSO FOUND IT EASY TO READ THE BACKLIT LCD DISPLAY. THE ANTENNA MATES EASILY WITH THE RADIO VIA THE SMC CONNECTOR, WHICH SEEMED TO ME TO BE MORE RESISTANT TO POTENTIAL ABUSE IN THE FIELD THAN OLDER RADIOS IVE USED WITH THE SAME CONNECTOR. MY FIRST IMPRESSION WAS GOOD. THE FIRST STEP WAS TO CHARGE THE BATTERY WHICH IS FASTENED TO THE BACK OF THE RADIO BY DROPPING IT INTO THE CHARGER, WHICH CHARGED IT TO CAPACITY IN LESS THAN AN HOUR IT WAS ALREADY PARTLY CHARGED FROM TESTING IN THE ARRL LAB. A DEPLETED BATTERY WILL TAKE ABOUT 5 HOURS TO CHARGE. THERES NO PROVISION FOR OPERATING FROM AN EXTERNAL POWER SOURCE. THE CHARGER DOCK LED CHANGES COLOR AND FLASHES TO INDICATE CHARGE STATES. MY FIRST SURPRISE CAME WHEN I TURNED THE RADIO ON A SENSUOUS FEMALE VOICE ANNOUNCED POWER ON. THERE IS NOTHING AMBIGUOUS ABOUT THE VOICE ITS PROVOCATIVE AND CERTAINLY WAS PURPOSELY DESIGNED THAT WAY. IT GAVE ME A GOOD LAUGH TO START MY REVIEW PROCESS. I QUICKLY TURNED THE VOICE OFF, HOWEVER. AFTER TURNING ON THE ‰ END OF 30 WPM TEXT ‰ QST DE W1AW ƒ