Mxsmanic wrote:
Do you listen to Vatsim on a headset? Might make it easier.

Yes, a headset with a microphone. SquawkBox (the interface module for
VATSIM) complains that I have too much background noise, but when I
ask for a radio check people say I sound fine. Unfortunately, very
often I can't hear them. I don't need to hear other pilots, of
course, but I do need to hear controllers, and sometimes the quality
is so bad that I just use text.

FYI, i listen to other pilots as well as the controllre instructions to
them. A lot of times it will help with the big picture situational
awareness. For example, knowing that I'm likely to be asked to keep my
speed up on that ILS, because he's vectoring a Hawker behind me for the
same ILS.