Monitoring Transmit Audio?

[Bow/KD5KZN]

How do you guys monitor your TX audio?

Second receiver?
Your Transmitter is equipped with a circuit?
Secret decoder ring?
Crystal radio set?

I am just wondering, I have tried the second radio receiver method, but the receiver gets pretty overloaded, even with the transmitter on low power into a dummy-load.

Is the a good way to listen to the transmit audio, as it sounds after it leaves the radio?

[kc2ifr]

I use this little gem.......check it out.
http://www.radioassociates.com/

[2ZE]

or this.....

http://amfone.net/ECSound/Monitor.htm

[W2INR]

All I use is an old used broadcast off the air monitor and a scope.

 I can hear myself and see my peaks, the negative line and carrier shift. Thats all you really need.  A good diode monitor can provide a good off the air audio reference also coupled with a scope will do the same job just not as fancy but just as effective.

G

[AB1GX]

All I use is an old used broadcast off the air monitor and a scope.

 I can hear myself and see my peaks, the negative line and carrier shift. Thats all you really need.  A good diode monitor can provide a good off the air audio reference also coupled with a scope will do the same job just not as fancy but just as effective.

G

So I should attenuate the rf out and send it to a detector and on to my scope.  Then I can compare my microphone audio out on one trace with the transmitted audio on another trace and look for flat tops and bottoms, right.

Second, I should also send the detected output buffered into a pair of earphones to monitor sound quality.

[WA1GFZ]

I just use my receiver.

[W2JBL]

I use my receiver. if you do this it needs to be a receiver with a good stout front end, and your antenna relay has to have excellent isolation. Rf cabling has to be good- well sheilded and the receiver at least installed in it's cabinet. otherwise if the thing overloads (easy to do) you won't do very well.

[KL7OF]

I use a simple diode detector.(no tune xtal radio)  Hook it to an unused antenna and drive your phones.  It gives true audio without any electronic modification..A scope completes the package. I  use a pickup loop near the final of the transmitter (more or less loops to tailor the signal into the scope) or another antenna to drive the scope directly.. Good luck..   

[Bow/KD5KZN]

Thanks for the input everyone.

I guess I'll start out with the basic Diode detector and start dropping coin as my station growth demands it...

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

A diode detector is a good way to go. But they will give you a false impression of your audio, at least in reference to how it will sound on the far end of a QSO. The limited bandwidth and reduced SNR of the real world will tend to roll off the highs in your audio. When listening in a diode detector, it's best to make eq your audio so it sounds a little to excessively bright. At this setting, the audio will sound about right through a bandwidth limited receiver on the other end.

[Bow/KD5KZN]

Thanks Steve, I'll keep that in mind...

I don't hear any AM on the bands tonight...