How to Speak into a Microphone, Yes Really! by Jim Heath W6LG

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Many times Jim has heard really bad audio from another amateur radio operator. Here he discusses his ideas about how to set mic gain, speech processing, equalizers, enunciating and having a good clean signal on single sideband.
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For those who donate blood, thank you. I have had 19 units of blood so far. Just last week I had to have another unit because my HGB was below the threshold value of 7.2 with RBC, WBC and ANC also being dangerously low again. My blood is tested twice a week. Blood is drawn from a PICC line in my right arm. It is very likely that transfusion number 20 will happen on March 7, 2024 as the trend in my HGB is downhill a little bit every day.

[@n8sot]

This video should be mandatory for EVERY ham to watch. new and old. 73 Jim, N8SOT.

[@ham-radio]

Some might disagree. Thanks for the kind words. 73, Jim W6LG

[@luke8210]

Make sure the echo turned to 10. And definitely don't forget the "BREAKER, BREAKER". Oh wait that's a different band. Cheers Jim.

[@kingduckford]

Echo boards are the biggest problem on CB, far worse than the amplifiers. They play such a role in over modulation, distortion, and general splatter. Worst thing ever.

[@luke8210]

@@kingduckford Couldn't agree more. Though, I do hate all the noise toys and roger Dodger beeps.

[@bluegrassman3040]

Don’t forget the people who mess radios up, causing them not to produce a proper waveform.

[@ham-radio]

I hate the echo BS. Sounds ridiculous. 73, Jim

[@wendykudronowicz4592]

I am a future amateur ham radio and there’s a lot of people who have there mic in their mouths and sometimes they talk to fast Thanks for the tip

[@ham-radio]

You are welcome. 73, Jim

[@oobihdahboobeeboppah]

And please: NO REVERBS!

[@ham-radio]

Pleeeeeese, no reverb. Do they realize how stupid that sounds. 10-4 good buddy!

[@tomkissinger83]

I think it's reverb on cb. Hams call it an effects processor 😂

[@Calico5string1962]

Unless you're a Mexican AM broadcast station...😂

[@NX8T-JIM]

Great video Jim, the family always gives me the EYE when I am running with my headphones on, must be to loud...lol😅😅..God bless my friend...

[@ham-radio]

When they throw things at us, it gets out attention Jim. 73, Jim W6LG

[@radiotech181]

Thanks Jim!! You are truly an Elmer that gives help that is really helpful and easy to understand. GL and 73.

[@amateurshooter6054]

Thanks Jim

[@ham-radio]

I know that you know all of this already. So, thanks for watching. 73, Jim

[@amateurshooter6054]

Thanks Jim never hurts to hear it again. Have you ever thought of talking about Peak Envelope Power vs Average Power on watt meters? @@ham-radio

[@mikesradiorepair]

All great info for SSB. One thing I would add is FM on modern mobile radios. Many of today's mobile radios (mainly Chinese radios) have what I would call HOT mic's. Speaking into them straight on can cause distortion. If people tell you you sound like your over deviating or sound distorted on FM you can still hold the mic close to your mouth but turn the mic 60 to 90 degrees and talk across it.

[@78trav]

I came here to say the same thing

[@stevehildreth1934]

You are absolutely correct! Different mic's have different spec's! And a handheld mic with the PTT on it is very different from a studio mic as well as differing from good andheld mic's to cheap handheld mic's.

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Great topic Jim.. Excellent.. See you tomorrow night on Streamyard..

[@q95oldies57]

Good job Jim. 49 years in the broadcast business here, good advice. 👍

[@RV6FT]

JIM good afternoon, I wish you health, hang in there, subscribed to your channel 73

[@rumfordc]

answers to questions I didn't know I have, thank you!

[@ham-radio]

Happy to help! 73, Jim

[@user-jy7to4nh3w]

You are so right about people speaking too fast.

[@ham-radio]

Way, way too fast. It's not a race. 73, Jim W6LG

[@RadioMattM]

Some people give their calls as if they are in one of those old Fed Ex commercials. Couple that with a non-standard phonetic alphabet and call signs are totally indecipherable.

[@M0RMY]

Hi Jim. This is, by far, the best instructional video I have seen on microphone use and set up for our hobby. Many thanks mate.

[@royfowler5637]

Everything you said to do.Jim is exactly how I set up all my transfers.So I guess I'm doing it the right way?Then again.I am an audio person.I used to sell high end audio many years ago

[@royfowler5637]

Although many stock hand microphones that come with transceivers, I found the best way is to talk with the microphone at the corner of your mouth about 2 to 3 inches away. That way, you won't get distortion sounds and that breathy sound that can be heard if you talk real close to a hand microphone.The puff sounds with every syllable you don't want that

[@Argo16x]

Great and useful informations, as usual. Thank you.

[@ham-radio]

Thanks for watching! Jim

[@thehilltopworkshop]

You're looking well, Jim. Good to see. 👍 - Rob VK4KST

[@ham-radio]

I wished that was true. My blood tests tell a very different story. My WBC, RBC, HGB, ANC and the rest are all dangerously low. Today I have more tests. 73, Jim

[@user.A9]

Public safety dispatchers on the graveyard shift put their feet on the desk, lean back in the chair, and talk to the mic from 4 feet away. They they call the radio tech and wake him up because units in the field can’t hear them.

[@n0vty873]

Thanks Jim! I wish many others to practice this

[@ham-radio]

Thanks, Jim

[@ths3900]

Always good info. We have some hams on 2 meter nets with really low audio.

[@W4BTK]

What a great tutorial Jim Sir - thank you for taking your time to explain/educate us. I need to make adjustments to my audio and I will use your guidance (this video). 73 Jim, God bless you. W4BTK

[@ham-radio]

Glad it was helpful! 73, Jim

[@jimcoon]

Great information. I’m 70 and deal with Parkinson’s Disease. Learning new things is good for my brain - so I got my Tech then General licenses. Setting up an indoor shack turned out to be very difficult for me so I operate from a table in my backyard using Yaesu FT-710 on battery. I pray your health will improve, Jim. Thank you again for this extremely helpful content! Jim in Oregon K7NJL

[@ham-radio]

Get some help to move the station indoors. I strongly recommend it not be just outside. I understand the physical limitations. I use a wheelchair when needed. And, I can no longer drive. Get someone to help you. The station needs to be in a room somewhere. 73, Jim

[@timmartin1395]

Great info as usual Jim !! Thanks !! I've been off the air for a while because of job demands. This is a good refresher. N4TDM Tim

[@ham-radio]

The job is super important. Get that done and then you can play. 73, Jim

[@raymondmartin6737]

When I was on 2 meter AM in the 1960's, I really liked my Astatic D-104, Lollipop microphone with the grip for Push to Talk. Thanks 😊 73 de W2CH Ray, New Hampshire. 😊

[@UDX4570PalmSprings-yh1mv]

Another thing to look into is the impedance of your microphone, some older mics from the 50's and 60's i.e. old Turners dont match up with newer transievers, atleast thats one of the issues I have experienced. Great tutorial as always Jim. Thanks for sharing this with us!

[@ham-radio]

Impedance must match. 73, Jim

[@kevinW6AAE]

Thanks Jim! So far, so good. I’m seeing a lot less replies with one callsign letter incorrect! Kevin W6AAE

[@kenchilton]

Good advice all around, Jim! That three finger trick is good for many situations, including public speaking. The crooner technique is also useful to learn even as a speaker - it is not just for singers. Learning to speak at a consistent dynamic and articulating the consonants well helps the listener to decode the speech, but also you do not need to speak loudly to be understood. Rather, speaking a little more quietly than normal and closer to the mic allows for more of those consonants to be heard and less of everything else. I have a boom mic for my station because I can’t bend down so long to get close enough to the desk mics anymore, and I like the desk at elbow height to keep a log, take notes, and use the computer. I am slowly working on documenting my studio-grade interface for hams so they can replicate my setup and use better mics and booms on these new rigs that seem to be designed to make it difficult to upgrade, and to share that mic across transceivers. I will probably offer kits of some of the hardware that can be used for it, which I can make much less expensive than someone putting it together from other generic sources. I have a simple tutorial on acoustics and soundproofing that is targeted to help hams make their shacks better not just for transmitting but for listening, too. In it I suggest recording the ambient sound in various places in the shack, and also your own audio that would go to the rig, and then playing it back and you might be surprised what you hear. Your suggestions in this video can parallel this tutorial because it makes several of my suggestions unimportant. If you mic yourself properly, you block a lot of noise from the mic with your head and, as you said, you can turn back the gain. Another great video. Thanks again for it! 73

[@ham-radio]

Thanks for the great advice, Ken. I do know that you are very accomplished in many areas. Thanks for the help as usual. Well said my friend. 73, Jim

[@DPTrainor1]

Thank You.

[@ham-radio]

Your welcome. 73, Jim

[@Steven.Cartwright]

Thank you Jim. Yaesu ftdx101d audio settings. M7WLG

[@ham-radio]

Good. Give them a try. You can always modify them to suit your needs. 73, Jim

[@JayN4GO]

I just tend to stick with Cw mostly. But when I use the mic I do this method. I learned from you years ago. Seems like yesterday.

[@ham-radio]

Thanks Jay. I have learned from you too. 73, Jim W6LG

[@Sky1]

Jim, I pulled net control ops aside and explained that they are POP ing the microphone, even sent them an audio clip but it does no good. I think it just needs to be on the exam.

[@TheRdeanpeek]

thanks

[@ham-radio]

Welcome, Jim

[@donl1846]

Very important information from beginner to the seasoned ham. Are you planning to do the same topic for AM & FM audio, settings etc ? 73, Thanks Jim........

[@user-dg6wx2vb2s]

I was wondering if you could offer suggestions on a desk and desk setup. I’m using a card table and want a more permanent setup

[@dalenielsen5366]

I wonder what could have made you think to do a video about Microphone and equalizer settings? :) Thanks again for your help on the air this morning! (KK7FC)

[@ham-radio]

It just came to mind! 73, Jim

[@MM0IMC]

Room echo = Italian CB'ers! 😂

[@ham-radio]

With the mic gain at maximum and yelling out of turn. I have heard that too many times. 73, Jim W6LG

[@BLACKHEAT1028]

3/4 of the ALC scale 👍🏼

[@ham-radio]

Yes, 73, Jim

[@timgoad5750]

Amazing how many operators don’t do this correctly.

[@ham-radio]

It is and they say that they are using "factory settings" which don't exist. 73, Jim W6LG

[@Ferret488]

"Old Timers" swear you are supposed to talk ACROSS the front. I never found that works. If you watch movies and documentaries about broadcasting, they always talk DIRECTLY into the cartridge.

[@ham-radio]

Hi George. I had a problem with Skype and had to shut it off for a time. The mic cartridge is designed with the obvious. The user is to speak directly into the mic. Talking across the cartridge is not good. CUL, Jim

[@partsdave8943]

I suspected that you use HEIL mics.

[@ham-radio]

I do not. Thanks, Jim

[@bobrunge7594]

Some great information. Especially talking normal… Bob Runge W1LSZ

[@glenmartin2437]

Thank you for the great video. Very helpful. N0QFT

[@ham-radio]

Glad it was helpful! 73, Jim