[Elecraft] Hearing Loss

[Larry Boekeloo]

I've struggled with 35% hearing loss over the past 9 years.  I finally spent the money and bought hearing aids 3 years ago - what a difference for normal every day life.  However, they didn't help me much with ham radio but I suffered through by putting the small Heil headset ear piece on top of the hearing aid where the microphone was located.

A month ago, I purchased new hearing aids (well my insurance did) and they are fitted with blue tooth.  I wear a small blue tooth box around my neck which is connected to my cell phone via blue tooth.  It's incredible talking on the phone now.  But the best part - I have a small cable I plug into my external speaker and then into my blue tooth box around my neck.  The audio from the K3 is pumped into both hearing aids.  I can't believe the difference it has made.  With the new QSK feature on the K3 and the blue tooth hearing aids, I can pick out CW signals that I would have never deciphered before.  And, copying SSB is incredible too.

If you can afford the hearing aids with blue tooth - don't hesitate.

Larry, KN8N