You know, Bob Heil made a lot of sense to me in being a musician and recording engineer. I know all about audio, EQ, and parametric EQ, etc. It can be a grim subject for some as they try to navigate through the maze of suggestions, equipment etc. To read or not to read? I would suggest strongly as Bob does- read YOUR manual! Not too many people seem to do so these days but, sometimes it's the only way we come to understand these vital things.

If you are having a hard time, there is one more fail-safe way to help you set up your FT950 for smooth audio. Use those flappy things on the side of your head called EARS!

Put on some headphones connected to an independent receiver set to perhaps a clear operating frequency on your favorite band you chat a lot on. Now set up the menu settings according to Bob's specifications, then listen to yourself as your voice character is transmitted over the air through a dummy load. Isn't that cool!

You will be monitoring the shape of audio response from your transmitter. Can you alter bandwidth by doing so no. Unless your radio is fitted with the corresponding filter and gear to give you greater bandwidth on transmit you are stuck with what you have. But, take heart, the Yaesu gear will allow you to run a transmitted signal perhaps around 3K wide which for what we are doing is just fine.

As you can see from my home station, I have lots of toys and tools for audio embellishment but that's it. You can waste a lot of time and money unless you are pursuing ESSB techniques, and those guys are also very dammed good at what they do. Reason I suggest you use your EARS, is I was on 40 last week on a regular afternoon sked...pushed the transmit and oh hell that's bad audio! I had missed changing back one setting one of my rack pieces and it sounded bad. But my ham friends said yeah that was bad but wow did you clean it up pretty quickly. Well, that's all due to my audio engineering days and mixing many varied live events.

I was able to bring the FT950 straight back to do what it does best using 'my ears.' So, a good pair of studio headphones my friends is a must in a good studio station. Listen to your diction, articulation. A De-esser may be necessary for your kind of voice. Spending 10K on a Neumann mic will only moderately make you sound better until you sculpt out what sounds best for your kind of voice. In other words, as I set out to do... measure my audio with the BBC World Service, they were my echelons of audio, until then I met so many other amateur radio operators embracing their best on air by working to achieve their very best.

That way, hey you don't need to call CQ very long till someone comes back, why? Beautiful articulate audio. No point being S9 +20 but sounding woeful right!

Good audio is a must especially these days with crowded bands or even difficult propagation cycles, a well-tailored audio will make you a welcome tone on the band.

Nothing will be heard behind you, just a clear path of tone that makes other people wish to speak with you.

A mic on a boom is good but not essential. But try this, record yourself at different spacings between you and the mic, you will soon spot the difference. I to came from the 11mtr band and we all carry over habits that don't fit well over the ether. Just adjust your tone techniques and you will be glad you made the change. This is not an11meter DXpedition challenge where everyone is so keyed up they are yelling into the mic as if you are deaf!

Ah good mic technique and a very well-trimmed station you will sound amazing and what’s more you will be proud of yourself and your accomplishments in the fight for greater audio response and experience.