Any 05H20's (Morse intercept) out there? Next month I am having

[alfredo]

my hearing tested at the VA for possible service related hearing problems.

Any radio operators here experienced hearing problems? I've had a loud ringing in my ears ever since then. When I asked the Army to check my ears, they told me I would have to extend my service at least six months. I will get the test, and then head down to the DAV if I am indeed going deaf.

[cloudbase]

1. I can't help you with the Army,

but I've been a ham for 38 years, operating almost exclusively CW. I wear cans, for what it's worth. I've got a documented hearing loss above 2.5kHz, and have trouble discriminating normal conversation when there's any background noise.

[alfredo]

4. Background noise is a real problem. I also have loud ringing and chirping.

I know I have some drop off at higher frequencies. That damn QRN and QRM is the problem. We had to put the phones down on our neck to help hear the signal. You turned up the volume and try to dig through the noise to hear anything of worth. If you weren't familiar, you couldn't figure out which signal is yours. It sounded like banging a tin can underwater during a firefight in a thunderstorm, then having all of it being overlaid with a TTY chirping loudly.

[Jackpine Radical]

2. SAY WHAT?

[alfredo]

8. What

Glad my doctor agreed that I should explore a service related disability. I'm already 100% so I don't expect any cash. Not having to pay a copay for hearing aids would be enough.

[tech3149]

3. As a sound technician, I'm familiar with the symptoms Most likely tinnitus

I wouldn't worry about losing your hearing, it just make it a bit more difficult and you have to concentrate a bit more. The more you stay away from loud noise the less it will progress. I'm only speaking from personal experience so medical advice is still recommended.

[alfredo]

5. They said nothing can be done for tinnitus, but they can give me

hearing aids. It is service related, but that will have to be proved.

[Aviation Pro]

6. Check with the Special Forces Association....

...they have plenty of old morse guys who might point you in the right direction.

... --- ... for America.

[alfredo]

7. --.-/.../-.

-/-.-/...

[Jackpine Radical]

9. I've got tinnitis; had it ever since I used to pop off 106 RRs in Vetnam.

I never really tried to get a disability for it. What are the odds of getting it? Is it worth bothering with? Like I figure maybe they'd give you 10% or something. What's that? A cool $100 a month? BFD. I've got a "notch" in my hearing, a specific frequency band where I can't hear anything.

[alfredo]

12. enroll at the VA and tell your doctor about your hearing and get the test.

At the least having service related hearing loss affirmed could mean a better deal on hearing aids when and if needed.

Have you been to the VA to enroll? You will need your DD 214 and your W2's from the year before.

Talk to the DAV office.

[Jackpine Radical]

13. I haven't enrolled.

Never saw a need to, since I've had civilian health insurance for many years.

[alfredo]

14. Get your mangy butt down there. Depending on your classification

you could get a better deal, also they will treat you if your insurance company tries to fuck you over.

I'm retired and disabled so I only have to pay for medicine. If you make good money, you may not get as good a deal, but it is worth checking out.


I got a pair of trifocal glasses for $150. You won't find that in the corporate world.

Keep your brothers and sisters posted on your progress.


And Welcome home brother.

[Bavorskoami]

10. Ditty-Bopper hearing loss

I was a 98G Voice Radio Interceptor/Transcriber so I can relate to you O5H's. I wasn't good for the ears cranking up the volume to try to make something out.

How about checking in on one or a few of the Army Security Agency vet websites, such as the USASAA (US Army Security Association), or a reunion website from one of the field stations - such as the German field stations in Berlin, Augsburg, Herzo Base, Bad Aibling, etc. There were lots of ditty boppers at those places. I was a Czech lingy at one of Herzo's border Detachments.

I've got some hearing loss and tinnitis myself but it is also attributable to where I have worked for the last 27 years.

Good luck

[alfredo]

11. I was south of you down at Kagnew Station in Asmara Eritrea.

I've been cruising the ASA sites since the days of Maddog's ASA site.



http://web.mac.com/alfredo_tomato/Kagnew_Images/Kagnew_page_1.html

Read about us here:

http://www.amazon.com/Didnt-Do-You-Betrayed-African/dp/0060780924

I'm in daily contact with the "gross guys" of Kagnew. Got a couple Lingy in my group. Crazy fucks, Monterray Mary's we call them. Half of us are fucking nuts from all the shit we ate, drunk, and smoked. It got us through it though. Some of us kept it up and have fallen or is on the way out, but the core of the group is pretty much clean and sober.

Going deaf is kids stuff. It's like getting the clap. At least you got laid. I earned my hearing damage. The whole experience is worth not hearing everything that's going on nowadays.