On the not being able to hear the words on the radio, not being a LEO I can't post a reply to your query in the "Ask a cop" folder, I thought I would mention that you might get your hearing checked just to rule out a degree of hearing loss.
I know with my hearing loss which is not enough to really have to have a hearing aid, plus the tinitus I have I can rarely make out words on the AM/FM radio or in a group event, noisy location or a large room where there's an echo.
I have to focus intently to get the words.
Having a hearing loss definitely would make it much harder to decipher words on the radio, along with hearing "cat" as "bat" "mat" "sat" etc.
Maybe you can get a free hearing check as a base-line to see where you are, if it's good to go then like the others said- you get used to the radio after a while, if there's a loss then maybe a hearing aid could clear up some of the radio sounds better for you.
I opted not to get a new aid (I had one several years ago) because they are not inexpensive, I don't like wearing something in my ear, batteries always have to be replaced and the devices go obsolete very quickly in favor of new models (which means if it's over 5 years old getting repairs might be difficult or not worth it, mine took a dunk briefly in my shirt pocket in the washing machine, that was all it took...)
I know with my hearing loss which is not enough to really have to have a hearing aid, plus the tinitus I have I can rarely make out words on the AM/FM radio or in a group event, noisy location or a large room where there's an echo.
I have to focus intently to get the words.
Having a hearing loss definitely would make it much harder to decipher words on the radio, along with hearing "cat" as "bat" "mat" "sat" etc.
Maybe you can get a free hearing check as a base-line to see where you are, if it's good to go then like the others said- you get used to the radio after a while, if there's a loss then maybe a hearing aid could clear up some of the radio sounds better for you.
I opted not to get a new aid (I had one several years ago) because they are not inexpensive, I don't like wearing something in my ear, batteries always have to be replaced and the devices go obsolete very quickly in favor of new models (which means if it's over 5 years old getting repairs might be difficult or not worth it, mine took a dunk briefly in my shirt pocket in the washing machine, that was all it took...)