Simple modification suggestion for Flex Radios and using MON when transmitting live voice.

DV

GM7VSB

Yes, I would find this to be a huge benefit.

John Chmielewski

That sounds like a wonderful Idea.

James Del Principe

MIchael Ryan

Unless there has been some SUBSTANTIAL improvement in what FLEX labels MONITOR on the 6700, it is useless to begin with. MONITOR audio should sound like what other stations hear when they listen to your signal. Not what I hear now...no processing, eq adjustments, etc.  Sure..I can tell I have audio output. And I can monitor THAT. Why bother. But as I said, unless there has been some very significant change to how MONITOR works in this radio, it doesn't matter if I mute speakers or not. It has been suggested that i put a 2nd radio on the table with the rf gain dialed back to hear myself. Really? 

James Del Principe

I never use the monitor feature. Others on my round tables will tell me what I sound like. You can record your own transmissions and then play them back... not a great solution either. A second radio is really not a practical solution. Would it be so difficult to source the monitor audio post processing? There may be a technical reason but I'd like to hear it if true.

Bob Needleman

MIchael Ryan

Thanks Bob, This is not my first rodeo and I found that the monitor 'circuit/system' in the FT5K and even in the FT2K was great...very helpful. With my ProSet and HC5 element got terrific audio reports. I have a new Yaesu FTDx101MP but have been too busy to do too much 'setting up' the radio as such. The bottom line is I am more than a little disappointed that something even close could not be accomplished with the 6700. It is what it is. -Mike

Geoff_W8GNM

Bill -VA3WTB

Rick N0VT

The OP asked for the ability to auto-mute the speakers when in a phone mode, nothing about hearing an accurate sample of your on-air signal.  As a former broadcaster as well, I like his idea.

James Del Principe

Bob, I agree that a report from other stations is the best method but having them play it back will add their own processing for both their receive and transmit equalization and compression.

James Del Principe

Rick, mine already seems to do just this. I checked it this morning. When speaking during transmit, I can hear myself in the headset but at very low level in the speakers... not enough to cause feedback. Am I alone in this?

Craig_KØCF

Jim Gilliam

Bill -VA3WTB

Craig, that is the very best way to do it. if your critical.

DV

Geoff, agreed 100%.  Thanks.

Mark NS9N

All interesting comments but do you really think all other operators will like the audio you think sounds the best? What I have found is even after spending a lot of time using the record and playback feature on my Flex radios, then go work a few Nets, depending on the radios the other operators are using, I get everything from outstanding audio to sounds like you have RF in your shack. Of course I have learned that if you don’t roll off the bottom end, sorry guys going for perfect AM studio audio, unless the other end is an SDR receiver, your low end will end up distorted through the tight filters others are using. There is even one ham out there, call not to be published, that claims he can always tell a Flex radio due to the distorted audio. Rolling off my low end below 250 Hz and he claims I am not on a Flex radio. Bottom line, you can monitor your audio at least two different ways on a Flex and I like having those options. But even when you think you have reached perfection, don’t be surprised when you get some poor audio reports. After all this is a hobby not commercial radio. Remember Motorola spent years to perfect their audio circuits so that the highest intelligence was transmitted and received. But many would say that it was too limited in audio spectrum.

DV

Yes, Jim, but I think you may be missing my point. When 'MON' is turned on and you are using voice communication, the speakers should turned be 'off'... completely.  If they are left on, when you are listening to your own voice you will hear feedback.  Based on how you set the levels, the feedback can be very strong.  The speakers should mute and un-mute when you finish the transmission. Yes, you can turn the speakers very low when MON is on, but unless they are extremely low you will hear an echo of your voice and the speakers will add a hollow sound.

DV

Jim and Michael, I agree with your points, but this is not what I was talking about.  I do not want MON to be used to hear my own voice so I can adjust the EQ to make it better.  I want to hear the reinforcement of my own voice, so I can tell what I need to do to adjust the tenor of my voice, as I am speaking.

DV

Jim you are certainly right, but you guys are off the point of my original post. I am not asking about improving the electronic equalization or compression of my voice,(another valid topic) I am interested in in 'not' hearing my own voice through the speakers, when I am talking, without the feedback of the speakers, so I can use the my earphones to guide my own voice 'physically' to perform better, that's why I spoke about about singers who nearly always have earphones on to hear what they sound like and to compensate by changes in voice, resonance and breathing.

DV

Being part of the profile, just makes it easier to get the setting without rummaging through menus, looking for where you turn off the speakers when MON is active. 

DV

Yes, Rick your point is right on, and Jim, for most people, the earphone level needs to be pretty loud for proper physical feedback for good voice depth and articulation.

DV

Rick N0VT

Jim--when I run the TX monitor at a confortable level (for me), the output from the speakers makes my desk vibrate.

Bob Needleman

MIchael Ryan

I have the same speakers here...have had them about a year. I couldn't figure out where a noise was coming from that had been bothering me...something had to be close by because it was still on the waterfall and you could hear it, even with the ANTENNA disconnected. Turned out to be the power supply for my BOSE speakers. Pays to have spare wall warts around...you never know.

Bob Needleman

Patrick

I think a software selectable auto mute when mon is selected is a great idea.  I have also been burned by audio feedback.

Jim KJ3P

Patrick

I do agree that mon is not the total answer, but it is enough to hear gross problems.  I had a net mate record my signal and sent it to me via web.  This gave me a really good idea of the quality and effectiveness of my audio.  By using the recording it showed a very excessive amount of low end audio, which was easily fixed.  Comments were positive after the change.  I was not hearing the low end stuff because my communications tuned earphones cut off the low end audio.  Understanding the affect of what is being used to listen is very important.