* Crossposted in SCANRADIO
* Crossposted in SHORTWAVE
* Crossposted in RADIO_HOBBY-ALL
* Crossposted in NET202_RADIO
* Crossposted in TECH
(c) 1996 Bill Cheek   3 of 12
   Almost every area of the above graphic that appears on your screen is
active, either as a control or as an indicator.  These areas are sensitive
to context HELP, both as "Quick Tips" when the mouse cursor pauses on a
control or an indicator, as well as context F1 help.  For quick help on a
particular panel feature, press Shift+F1 and click on the feature.
   Basically WinRadio works and is controlled like any radio, except that
you're in front of a monitor screen instead of a metal front panel with
physical controls. Now for the business end of WinRadio.
NOISE AND BIRDIES
   Computers are notoriously noisy and counterproductive to good radioing.
Odd, but I don't see any real pronounced problems here - none that aren't
in an ordinary radio. Birdies aren't all that profuse and computer noise
seems to be eliminated or reduced to very tolerable levels. My testing is
very tentative at this point, but I think that birdies and noise from the
computer are not reasons enough to avoid buying a WinRadio.
MECHANICS AND PHYSICS
   WinRadio comes on a 3/4 form factor plug-in AT expansion card about
1-1/2"-2" shorter than the maximum length of a full-size card, and is just
under an inch (23mm) higher than the hold-down screw hole on the back
panel.  The height is probably max, but overall, the WinRadio card should
fit comfortably in any standard tower or desktop computer case.
   The 11.5" length of the 16-bit WinRadio card means that it will not fit
into some expansion slots.  Certain older PC's have one or more short 8-bit
slots that will not accept WinRadio, period.
LATE NOTE:  I am told that WinRadio WILL work in an 8-bit slot after all!
This is good news for DOS aficionados and 286 machines!
   The above drawing of a PC card shows the general idea of 8-bit and
16-bit ISA cards and the tolerable size limits. The opening of an 8-bit
slot is 80-mm long, much shorter than a 16-bit slot. WinRadio requires a
16-bit slot, period.
   Now don't be confused by other types of slots, including VLB, PCI, and
EISA.  Regular 8 and 16-bit cards will fit and work fine in VLB and EISA
slots, as well as the conventional ISA slots.  The only slots that can't
accept WinRadio are 8-bit ISA slots and all PCI slots.
   There is another physical constraint that you need to consider. WinRadio
is a "thick" card that takes up just about all the available space that
exists between standard cards.  There is a chance that the WinRadio card
could short against the back side of an adjacent card.  Be aware of this,
even though the surface of the WinRadio compartment appears to have an
insulated layer. Ideally. WinRadio will be installed next to an empty slot,
or in Slot #1 so that this can't be a problem.  If you can't use Slot #1
and have just one spare slot, don't worry.  Just be aware and solve any
problems in advance.
   The WinRadio card is shorter than the maximum allowable,
but it is long enough to overlay and touch the CPU, which is adjacent to
the ends of a couple of slots in many computers. The problem is compounded
if the CPU has a heat-sink and/or fan. This is to warn that WinRadio might
not fit in those one or two slots.  Also, in one of my Pentium computers, a
pair of RAM SIMM chips are located near the ends of two slots. These SIMMs
protrude high enough that could prevent WinRadio from being installed
there.  I didn't try, but words to the wise. This information is to enable
you to plan and allow for potential showstoppers.
CONTINUED TO WINRADIO REVIEW 4/12
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