I got a Bearcat BCT15 by Uniden a while back.  The main reason I got it was to be able to hear the weather and road conditions in the winter. It's also fun to listen to the hams.  I've heard Alaska talking to Australia on the way home from work.

 I like the radio a lot but I don't like the orange face nor can I really see it while driving to know what channel it is on.  Since this radio will hook up to a computer that means there is an API making it possible for me to make my own interface.  They do sell a remote face for these, but it's still the awful orange color and it is exactly like the one on the radio.  I want more of a simplistic favorites type of remote interface.  I can do the complicated stuff on the radio face while parked. 

So, started the pic based remote interface.