[CQ-Contest] Contesting and Hearing Aids

[JAMES HEADRICK]

Pete,

Sorry this is a late comment, but perhaps still useful.  I use two solid 
state hearing aids both in contesting and real life.  Mine are in-the-ear 
type but not tiny.  My hearing is down, much worse in one ear than the 
other, but my serious problem is loss of high frequency response.  I can 
hear people talk but can't understand, sounds like they are mumbling.  I 
have had hearing aids for the past 20 years, all analogue up until this 
year.  I use earphones and did not find a statisfactory way to use the aids 
until I went digital. Now I just put the phones on over the aids, and I make 
many less mistakes on callsign recording.  Without the aids some calligns 
and accents are very difficult;  I am less reluctant to enter fone contests 
now.  My aids have a form of AGC that helps reduce sudden loud noises such 
as hand clapping or someone shouting or a crash of static.

With the solid state amplifiers and adjustment possible now they seem to do 
a much better job of mirroring your loss with gain.  Anyway I think you will 
find the aids helpful.

73,  Jim  w3cp