CW Sounds Very Bad When Sending

Is it your actual transmitted RF that sounds bad? Or is it just the sidetone?

I have certain conditions where my CW sidetone is bad. To the point of being incomprehensible. There is no way a QSO partner could copy it. But they do.

I have listened to my transmitted CW signal using an adapted version of this technique. It sounds OK. Full Duplex Monitoring on Flex 6000 Series

I typically listen with headphones plugged into the back of the radio.

So I have concluded it is just my sidetone that is bad, not the actual RF. Which is still a challenge as it can really throw off my timing when operating SO2R.

I operate 3.10.15, usually with a Maestro.

Tim K9WX