Radio transceiver with keyboard control

Claim 1

A radio transceiver comprising: a transmitter for sending data with a carrier frequency; a receiver for receiving data with a carrier frequency; a microprocessor connected to the transmitter and receiver to supply digital data thereto and to receive and decode digital data therefrom; a housing having the transmitter and receiver and the microprocessor enclosed therein; manual controls mounted on the housing and exposed to an operator, wherein the manual controls are actuatable during use to produce manual control command signals applied to the microprocessor for controlling all functions of the transmitter and receiver; a keyboard having alphanumeric and function keys actuatable by an operator during use, wherein the keyboard is separate from the housing; an interface in the housing and connected to the keyboard during use to apply keyboard data from the keyboard to the microprocessor; and wherein the microprocessor has an emulation circuit receptive of keyboard data from the keyboard interface in response to actuation of keyboard keys by an operator for converting the keyboard data into corresponding manual control command signals to emulate actuation of the corresponding manual controls, wherein the keyboard is used to alternately control all of functions associated with the normal operation of the radio transceiver that are controlled by the mounted manual controls as well as special functions associated with the automatic transmission and reception and decoding of Morse or digital data modes.