Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:
I find it strange to hear "sidetone" on a phone rig. None of the
radios that I've used professionally do that. It's been almost ten
years since I last operated a commercial system, so maybe things are
changing but, if so, it's very, very new.
Possibly. But the sidetone is there specifically for those who wear
tight-fitting headphones when operating. It's not a question of listening to
your signal critically; it's just a matter of trying to recreate the
experience of hearing yourself talk in a manner as close to "normal" as
possible while wearing a headset that excludes ambient sounds.
Could you get used to operating phone with a tight headset and no sidetone? I
suppose so -- but I've been around for a while myself, and I can remember my
old-time solution for this problem: Don't wear a headset when operating phone!
My guess is that the increase in "serious" multi-op contest operation, along
with the ready availability of ham-ready headsets like the Heil models, have
led to a preference on the part of many ops to wear headsets when operating
phone. I hardly ever use a loudspeaker for either phone or CW. Personal
preference, of course, but it sure helps intelligibility on weak signals. I
set the phone sidetone on my rig at such a level that I can tell that I'm
talking and it feels natural, not so loud that I can "listen to myself".
Bill / W5WVO
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