[Elecraft] Auto-Spot Feature and Hearing

[Lee Buller]

The Auto-Spot feature is very cool and has been excellent for me.  I have not yet loaded the new release, but I want to comment on what my experience has been.

My hearing has diminished from 300 Hz all the way to 15,000 Hz and beyond.  IN fact, I peak at around 2,000 Hz and roll off some 60 db at 4,500 Hz.  The low end of the spectrum suffers as well as I roll of around 800 Hz some 20 db.  I have very little high end unless I crank it up and the walls start vibrating.  Hearing Aids would correct all this, but at $3,000 plus....well, you get the picture.  

So, I always spot CW signals wrong because of my hearing defects.  I have a tendency to be high and the station does not hear me.  I have to remember to tune lower and to a softer sound of 600 Hz or so.  This has proven to be a problem during CW contesting and I have to really work at compensating for my hearing loss below a thousand Hz.  The Auto-Spot feature changed all that.  Just very cool.  I want to see how it works in a contest.

So, protect your hearing and do not get "old."  Use hearing protection while mowing the lawn, going to rock concerts (what a fun time that was), listening to your Iron Butterfly LP (HE HE HE); use reasonable volume when working the contests, and while working in noisy environments (25 years in broadcasting using headphones).

73
Lee - K0WA



In our day and age it seems that Common Sense is in short supply.  If you don't have any Common Sense - get some Common Sense and use it.  If you can't find any Common Sense, ask for help from somebody who has some Common Sense.  Is Common Sense divine?