Why no CAT technology for airband radio?
A friend of mine is a decent HAM and now started to learn to fly. When we had a discussion on airfield operations he asked a question I never thought about it:
Why lack usual airband transceiver CAT capability?
During the conversation I learned that almost all HAM radios now come with CAT interface and most of the operator don't use the physical radio controls, but a computer and headset. If I understand correct, the only thing you need is a sound card to get audio in and out, some switch to do PTT and a way to tell the radio which frequency to go. That neither sounds rocket science, nor expensive. So, what is your opinion, why don't they spend the sub-£ circuit to give us a full control USB connection to a (handheld?) airband radio?