Image: Thanks to Steve Dunbar K1GMM (Website: HERE and HERE Lots of information on audio, equipment, setup etc.)
Audio quality in amateur radio is in my opinion one of the most important factors when operating your amateur radio station. Yes and audio is not the only aspect that makes for a "great" amateur radio station. First of I am not an audio expert and has no formal training in this regard. Through the years I played around on the cheap in constructing my own microphones (HF/VHF/VOIP etc.) that sounds far better than some of the custom made ones available today. Gone are those days of constructing my own as my eyesight does not allow it anymore.
Well bad eyesight does not leave me in the cold today. Today I spend some money to obtain I would say fairly good audio on VHF/Echolink/AllStar and I am going to share a few pieces of equipment to make that possible. In Part 1 we will be looking at a budget (entry level) audio setup for Echolink and AllStar. In a later post we will be looking at a good audio setup for VHF/UHF radios.
Before I continue just a word of warning. I am not responsible for any modifications you make to your radio equipment as a result of what I will publish here. You make any mods or changes at your own risk. Please do not let this warning deter you from experimenting with audio and different audio equipment. You will be surprised at the outcome!
Can I use a cheap electret microphone, those they sell for ZOOM, SKYPE and other computer uses for Echolink / AllStar?
Yes, but do not expect decent audio from these microphones and the built in sound card of your computer or laptop. I have found that many computers that radio amateurs use in their shack is not of a very "high" standard and high standard does not mean you will have good audio either. For a general run-about microphone it might do the trick for normal use but not for amateur radio usage. Many of these simple and cheap microphone sets and sound cards really has bad audio qualities if you add your voice to the mix. You need a microphone that will also "suite" you voice. Some of us have loud- and others have soft voices. I am not going to go in to much detail here about high's and low's and other audio factors. The reason it might be boring and as I know radio amateurs just want something that works out of the box and not a comprehensive explanation on how it works. Neither would they like to read a 65 page manual to get the best out of the equipment.
Now for those who look for a quick solution without having to fork out hundreds of dollars. HERE (Treat yourself to a fairly good budget microphone for Echolink, AllStar and other general audio applications?) is one microphone that served me well through the years on VOIP / Echolink /Allstar. This microphone is a condenser type microphone with a USB connector and not a Dynamic microphone with a SLR connector that needs Phantom power to work. Just ensure that you use a good sound card with the microphone. I recommend the SYBA External USB Stereo Sound Adapter (C Media CM119) More info about the Syba available HERE.
The microphone described in the link and USB sound card will provide far better audio than those cheap plastic computer microphones. This microphone is a condenser type microphone with a USB connector. It install its own driver the moment you plug in into your computer. I do however advise that you use two clip on ferrite beads to reduce USB noise that might be present on the microphone line.
Now lets look at a few items that provides better audio quality and looks more like a studio setup. This setup is more expensive but has better audio quality with a very low noise factor.
The first item that we will be looking at is the Behringer U-Phoria UMC22 USB Audio Interface with MIDAS Mic Preamplifier. Yes I know there are far better audio interfaces on the market but once again we are looking at the price of such models and is it really necessary to purchase a more expensive unit for amateur radio. I am more than satisfied with my UMC22 which did not break the bank and was bought from the money I received from old and "redundant" equipment I sold. Yes I am a pensioner and I cannot just buy amateur radio equipment when I want. All my equipment I possess was bought from "Junk" electronic equipment I sold or other amateur equipment I do not need anymore.
Let's continue. One thing to take note of is that when you first plug in the UMC22, Windows will load the driver for you. This is not what I wanted. I wanted the original Behringer drivers for this unit. Now this is where you might run into a few problems. If you search for drivers for the UMC22 you will run into the Asio4All drivers. Nothing wrong with these drivers but as already stated I wanted the stock drivers for the unit. I eventually found a link to the original Behringer drivers, uploaded them and I was ready for action. More information on the UMC22 available HERE.
Now the second item you will need is a budget microphone package from Neewer. I decided to purchase the Neewer NW-800 Professional Studio Broadcasting Recording Condenser Microphone & NW-35 Adjustable Recording Microphone Suspension Scissor Arm Stand with Shock Mount and Mounting Clamp Kit a few years ago.
About this item
- The Set Includes: (1) Condenser Microphone, (1)Adjustable Suspension Scissor Arm Stand, (1)Table Mounting Clamp, (1)Metal Shock Mount, (1)Pop Filter, (1)Ball-type Anti-wind Foam Cap, (1)3.5mm Male to XLR Female Cable. NOTE: Sound Card, 48V Phantom Power, 1/4" to XLR Cable & XLR to XLR Cable needed additionally; The Behringer audio interface with phantom power is used with the package. A 48V phantom power adapter is essential for the Behringer UMC22.
- The "professional" condenser microphone capture rich, full-bodied sound from sources that are directly in front of the mic. The cardioid pick-up pattern minimizes background noise and isolates the main sound source.
- The adjustable scissor arm stand is made out of all steel construction, sturdy and durable. Folding type, convenient to carry. Can be mounted on the announcers' table. The double-braced arms add strength. *Max load: Approx 1KG*
- The microphone wind screen pop filter banish the dreaded hissing and lisping sounds.
- The metal shock mount features an angle adjustment with locking knob and can effectively reduce handling noise. The ball-type anti-wind foam cap can protect microphone against wind interference and singers' spit. The microphone can not be used with a mobile phone or tablet.
Well there you have it, two budget packages to enhance your audio quality on Echolink / AllStar and even ZOOM. This is surely not the ultimate setup but we are looking at a budget setup here. I have both the two packages mentioned here and are more than happy with their performance. I still have a Behringer 1202 Mixer that I must add to my current installation. I will in a future post provide more detail on how I incorporated the mixer to various other systems which will enable me to add other VOIP and audio setups. More on this in a future posting.
Herewith an audio file recording for the Neewer NW-800 Microphone using the Behringer UMC22 Interface:
Herewith an audio file recording for the FiFi K669B Microphone using only the computer USB port:
Finally: The above is just two options that I currently use. I must mention that both these two microphones and Behringer UMC22 interface might not suite your needs, voice or audio setup. It is best to test a microphone to see if it is compatible with your voice unless you are going to use a mixer or post processing to alter the audio you recorded. Both the above clips were recorded live and no post processing was done at all. What you listened to is raw audio with no alteration except to set the audio gain on each setup before recording. One thing that is quite noticeable is the fact that the Neewer NW-800 microphone has a very "sharp" audio that might not suite my voice when recording raw. On the other hand the Neewer has far less "noise" when no audio is present. The FiFi K669B microphone on the other hand has a more mellow audio that is more suited to my voice when recording raw. The down side is that it has more noise (USB) when no audio is present. Sure this can be changed in future. I am not disappointed in purchasing any of the two microphones discussed here. Lookout for future reviews of low budget microphones with acceptably audio quality on Echolink / AllStar / VHF / HF etc.
Videos:
- How Good is this Budget USB Mic? (Fifine K669B)
- Bought The Least Expensive Microphone (Neewer NW-800)
Images: Click on images for larger view.
