Microphone Question with SSB

[secret squirrel]

"The look on your face the first time it happened to you."

The question is do most of you have to readjust you mic gain when you change from AM to LSB. I use a Texas Ranger 696 FD1 for a base radio for sideband. I do not have any meters to measure the radios output. I recently picked up a never used RM KL503 HD- My first amplifier. I took everything to DTB for Dave to let me know what power setting is cleanest with the amp and what the expected output would be. Dave explained to me the 503 HD was cleaner than he expected. On AM the cleanest was setting 5, it outputs just under 200 watts at 13.8 volts on bench. Setting 4 with SSB output about the same. I am very pleased. I was only looking for 200 watts. That being said. My 696 had not been opened up in years. I can see the O-scope and Spectrum Analyzer at same time on Dave's setup. My 696 had a Top Gun MD-1 in it and the O-scope pattern was a mess and it was putting out extra harmonics. That's what the Mr. Bill expression is about, I found out my radio was not as clean as I thought it was. Dave De-Top Gunned the radio and retuned what was needed to clean it up. It also had a broken tuning slug, but the slug was still able to be turned. With the Top Gun MD-1, my meter on the radio bounced like a Super Ball from a 25 cent gum ball machine. I am assuming the big time dancing swing was the MD-1 and harmonics. I see about half the swing I used to see with the MD-1 installed. This is all without the amp. Is it normal to readjust the mic gain for usage on side band? I am just using a stock Superstar coffin mic, It seems to sound best with this radio.

 

[Crawdad]

Haven't seen Mr. Bill in a while. Those Superstar mics aren't bad for a stock, used one for a short while. You're probably actually transmitting more, better sounding power, on frequency, than with the big swangin' needle.

I almost never AM anymore but I don't touch mic gain when I do. YMMV

 

[groundwire]

every mode of transmission has its own optimal settings. mic gain, carrier, eq etc will always be different for am, fm, ssb ,data and so on, most times....

 

[freecell]

"do you have to readjust you mic gain when you change from AM to
LSB?"

never.

 

[Shadetree Mechanic]

The best way to find out, is to use a second radio with headphones and no antenna. Turn the mic gain all the way down and then slowly turn it up while talking. This way, you can hear when it starts to sound scratchy and turn it down a bit. I would suspect that a stock type mic would be ok turned all the way up on both am and sideband. The exception to this is if the am modulation is turned up really high, and the mic gain is used to limit the modulation. The mic gain can also be used to adjust the power out on sideband. Handy if you want to use a small amp. The D104m6b can make some loud and clean audio, especially on sideband.
Chris

 

[groundwire]

The best way to find out, is to use a second radio with headphones and no antenna. Turn the mic gain all the way down and then slowly turn it up while talking. This way, you can hear when it starts to sound scratchy and turn it down a bit. I would suspect that a stock type mic would be ok turned all the way up on both am and sideband. The exception to this is if the am modulation is turned up really high, and the mic gain is used to limit the modulation. The mic gain can also be used to adjust the power out on sideband. Handy if you want to use a small amp. The D104m6b can make some loud and clean audio, especially on sideband.
Chris

this is where a cheap sdr is a wonderful tool. absolutely great for adjusting your broadcast stations audio quality as well as looking at bandwidth, splatter and frequency accuracy. to a point of course

 

[Shadetree Mechanic]

this is where a cheap sdr is a wonderful tool. absolutely great for adjusting your broadcast stations audio quality as well as looking at bandwidth, splatter and frequency accuracy. to a point of course

They are great for recording your voice so you can hear exactly what you sound like. Good for adjusting an equalizer and the effects of the rack gear. A monitor radio causes part of what you hear to come through your own head. This will change the tonal quality, so a recording of yourself will give you a better idea. The price has been coming down on these, and a great SDR can be had for less than $40.

 

[groundwire]

They are great for recording your voice so you can hear exactly what you sound like. Good for adjusting an equalizer and the effects of the rack gear. A monitor radio causes part of what you hear to come through your own head. This will change the tonal quality, so a recording of yourself will give you a better idea. The price has been coming down on these, and a great SDR can be had for less than $40.

absolutely!

 

[Handy Andy]

It's why there is AMC and ALC in SSB radios...

You are aware that typical Galaxy-Class radios, along with nearly any 11 Meter SSB rig, uses two DIFFERENT amplifiers even though it uses a main one you can call as a third, but that 3rd one is used as a Mic Pre amp.

​

You ask a great question, with a complex answer.

The solutions to amplify the signals are done in different ways, beasts - harbingers.

One requires your audio signal to combine, right away, with a low-level Intermediate frequency to allow it to be amplified as RF. (Balanced Modulation)

Another uses your Audio Signal to control a BIAS (amplification) of Carrier and impose audio using BIAS as a means to make AM and FM.- with FM using a section of the PLL tuning to SHIFT frequency by making the tunnig section change with audio.

AM and FM use the same Regulation circuit, AM adjust Regulation circuit with Audio to Affect BIAS power.

FM uses FIXED Regulation Bias but PLL controls the SHIFT of Audio for FM.

So in the above, it is why one amp may Rule all, but cannot be the only solution - so the TONAL effects, The signal Amplification as well as MIXING efforts - all make changes to the Audio presence.

So in a way, the AMC can help with carrier and envelope, another ALC helps with LIMITING the audio peaks during this process - used more for SSB modes - but can be made to have the last word on all.

So, in some form of another...

You have RF Compression occurring - during SSB modes - ALC
You have AM Modulation Compression occurring - in AM mode - AMC.
You have FM Deviation Compression occurring - in FM mode - AMC/AVC

Each mode depends on the other. But one type of limiting or Audio Signal Gain as well as Dynamic - cannot be controlled by just one - it needs the others - and in some ways, AVC (Automatic Volume Control) is controlled by the USER (Gain) thru the Mic Amp/Preamp section.

 

[secret squirrel]

Thank you everyone for the great responses to my question.

 

[Crawdad]

They are great for recording your voice so you can hear exactly what you sound like. Good for adjusting an equalizer and the effects of the rack gear. A monitor radio causes part of what you hear to come through your own head. This will change the tonal quality, so a recording of yourself will give you a better idea. The price has been coming down on these, and a great SDR can be had for less than $40.

I am fortunate enough to have a KiwiSDR within a half mile of me which I use periodically to record and check my transmissions. I have never had to change settings when switching modes, but I never have mic gain or Rf power to max. I use the waterfall to monitor the band when things open up, helping me chase DX. It's a great tool. If this KiwiSDR ever shuts down I'll have to buy one, too spoiled to not have it.

73