VocalMaster—A Speech Processor

for Low Power Operators

Build this versatile and attractive accessory for the Yaesu FT-817
to give you more talk power.
Allen Baker, KG4JJH

I
have had a lot of fun operating low
power with my Yaesu FT-817 por-
table HF transceiver, but have often
wished that it had some audio or RF
processing to add a little SSB punch. There
are some excellent audio processing acces-
sories available commercially, but I thought
this would make a great homebrew project
reminiscent of the early Heathkit days. With
this in mind, I began to look for suitable
building blocks to bring this idea to life. sternation, I decided to prototype the circuitcompression ratio can be varied from 1:1
using a solderless breadboard and then lay to 15:1 relative to a rotation point. Signals
Design Goals out a printed circuit board. above this rotation point, or limiting thresh-
I wanted to incorporate several design old, can then be limited to eliminate overload.
goals. First, the enclosure should be smaller Circuit Description A noise gate with adjustable time release pre-
than my radio, aesthetically pleasing, and The fact that the SSM2166 combines a vents amplification of noise or hum. The unit
made of steel or aluminum to provide RF mic preamplifier, noise gate, compressor performs all of this while boasting low noise
shielding. Second, all of the components and limiter into one IC explains its popular- and distortion over a 20 kHz bandwidth. The
should mount on a printed circuit board ity. A low-noise voltage controlled amplifier resulting microphone audio signal is thus
with no point-to-point wiring to jacks or (VCA) provides gain that is adjusted by a optimized for communication use. Figure 1
controls. Third, the input and output jacks control loop to provide compression. The shows the input-output response at different
must match the rig’s microphone connec-
tor. Fourth, I wanted some visual feedback
on what was going on inside the box, such
as an output level meter. And fifth, a built-in
signal generator for antenna tuning would
be an added bonus. The end result would
combine all of these features into a small
package that includes RF filtering and front
panel controls, and is powered from the rig’s
Figure 1—
mic voltage. Compressor
One of the first challenges was finding a input-output
compressor IC that would operate on the 5 V response
dc available at my radio’s mic jack. Several at different
compression
ICs are available that are used in professional settings.
audio equipment but they require ±12 V dc.
The Analog Devices SSM2165/2166 series
of ICs will operate on 5 V dc and I found
several articles on their implementation.1
Unfortunately, the manufacturer has discon-
tinued the dual in-line package (DIP) version
of this device. They now only offer the chips
as tiny surface mounted devices (SMD) that
are much harder to install. After much con-

1Notes appear on page 35.

From January 2006 QST © ARRL
From January 2006 QST © ARRL
Figure 2—Detailed schematic diagram and
parts list for the VocalMaster. Resistors are
1
⁄4 W, 1%. Most components are stocked by
major distributors such as DigiKey (www.
digikey.com), Mouser (www.mouser.
com) and Ocean State Electronics (www.
oselectronics.com). Some special
parts are available from Palomar (www.
palomar-engineers.com), ExpressPCB
(www.expresspcb.com), Small Bear
Electronics (www.smallbearelec.com)
and McMaster-Carr (www.mcmaster-
carr.com).
C1—0.1 µF, 100 V polyester capacitor.
C2, C4, C11, C16—10 µF, 16 V electrolytic
capacitor.
C3, C9, C13, C18—0.1 µF, 50 V ceramic
capacitor.
C5—2.2 µF, 16 V electrolytic capacitor.
C6—22 µF, 16 V electrolytic capacitor.
C7—0.001 µF, 50 V ceramic capacitor.
C8, C10, C12, C20—1.0 µF, 16 V electrolytic
capacitor.
C14—0.01 µF, 100 V polystyrene
capacitor, 5%.
C15, C17—0.01 µF, 50 V ceramic capacitor.
C19—330 µF, 16 V electrolytic capacitor.
D1-D6—1N4148 diode.
D7, D8—1N4001 diode.
DS1-DS3—2 mA green LED
(Mouser 645-551-1307). Figure 3—Inside top view of the completed VocalMaster.
DS4—2 mA yellow LED
(Mouser 645-551-1207).
DS5—2 mA red LED (Mouser 645-551-1107). compression settings. Figure 2 provides the set for dot mode and drives low current
FB1-FB8—Ferrite bead (Palomar FB-1,
Mix 43). schematic and parts list. LEDs to minimize the current demand.
J1-J2—RJ-45 connector Illumination of the green LEDs with an
(Mouser 154-UL6883). Controls occasional yellow LED indicates output
R1—1.24 kΩ metal film resistor.
R2, R5, R6—6.98 kΩ metal film resistor. All user controls are accessible from the levels in a “safe” area of operation. The red
R3, R7, R20—10 kΩ metal film resistor. front panel. While they may end up being LED indicates a distorted signal and should
R4—17.4 kΩ metal film resistor. set-and-forget controls after they have been rarely illuminate if everything is adjusted
R8, R9—22 kΩ metal film resistor. properly adjusted, I prefer to have them properly. Trimpot R19 allows the meter to
R10—6.2 kΩ metal film resistor.
R11-R13, R15, R16, R23-26, R28-R30— within easy reach for tweaking. The poten- be adjustable.
100 kΩ metal film resistor. tiometers were selected to fit in the small
R14, R17—200 kΩ metal film resistor. enclosure and do not require knobs. BYPASS Mic Input and Output
R18—1 kΩ metal film resistor.
R19—100 kΩ single turn trimpot switch S1 toggles the processing IN and OUT The RJ-45 microphone input jack at J1
(Mouser 652-3386P-1-103T). to let you get signal report feedback and matches the FT-817 microphone. The micro-
R21—500 kΩ, 9 mm potentiometer, linear for FM use. Switch S2 establishes the level phone output at J2 uses a similar connector
taper (Mouser 317-2081-500K).
R22—18 kΩ metal film resistor. detector averaging time constant. With S2 and is connected to the FT-817 microphone
R27—249 kΩ metal film resistor. in the FAST position, the attack time is 22 ms input via a standard CAT-5 computer net-
R31—50 kΩ, 9 mm potentiometer, linear and the release time is 240 dB/s. With S2 the work patch cord. The microphone and patch
taper (Mouser 317-2081-50K).
SLOW position the attack time is 220 ms and cables are not shielded. Instead, they rely on
R32—1 MΩ, 9 mm potentiometer, linear
taper (Mouser 317-2081-1M). the release time is 12 dB/second. the fact that twisted-pair wires inherently
S1—DPDT toggle switch (Mouser 10TF160). reject noise. All eight microphone wires
S2—SPDT toggle switch (Mouser 10TF130). Processor Controls employ ferrite beads to attenuate any RF. If
U1—SSM2166P 14 pin DIP mic preamp IC
(Small Bear Electronics SSM2166P). The processor, U1, an SSM2166,2 has its your VocalMaster is for a radio with different
U1 (Alternate)—SSM2166S 14 pin SMD mic input buffer gain initially set to 6 dB and the mic connectors, make the appropriate sub-
preamp IC (DigiKey SSM2166S-ND). VCA gain is set to 0 dB. The NOISE GATE stitution of connector types to fit your radio
U2—LM324 single supply 14 pin DIP op
amp IC (Mouser 595-LM324AN). control sets the noise gate threshold. Turning and microphone.
U3—CD4093 quad 14 pin DIP two-input clockwise reduces the threshold and sets the
NAND Schmitt trigger IC (Mouser 595- level below which input signals are down- Signal Generator
CD4093BE).
U4—LM3915 18 pin DIP LED dot/bar driver ward expanded at a ratio of 1:3. The COMP A novel circuit5 for providing an 800 Hz
IC (DigiKey LM3915N-1-ND). RATIO control establishes the compression tuning signal is provided by U3, a CD4093.
PCB—Two sided printed circuit board ratio over the range of 1:1 to 15:1. Turning U3C forms an astable oscillator with the
(Express PCB).
Aluminum enclosure, 4.7×4.1×1.2 inches clockwise increases the ratio. The LIMITING frequency determined by 2/(R27 × C14).
(Mouser 546-1455L1201BK). THRESHOLD control determines the level at A square wave will be produced at pin 10
RJ-45 Patch Cable, 2 feet long. which limiting begins. Turning clockwise whenever pins 2 and 6 are pulled low. R28
Brass hex spacer, 4-40 × 1⁄4 inch (Mouser reduces the level at which limiting occurs. and C15 form a simple 160 Hz low-pass
534-1450A).
Pan head machine screw with internal filter that modifies the output into a trian-
washer, 4-40 × 3⁄16 inch (McMaster-Carr Output Level Meter gular wave. U3D powers down U1 when
#90403A104). The output of U1 (pin 13) is fed to U2, an the signal generator is active and mutes the
DIP IC socket, 14 pin (Mouser
517-ICE-143-S-TG30). LM324.3 Amplifiers U2A, U2B and U2C microphone. To activate the generator, press
DIP IC Socket, 18 pin (Mouser 517-ICE-183- form a precision full-wave peak detector that and hold the microphone push-to-talk (PTT)
S-TG30). drives the input of U4, an LM3915.4 U4 is button and then press the DOWN button. The
From January 2006 QST © ARRL
 Table 1
FT-817 Adjustment Settings
Control Function Initial Full CCW Midpoint Full CW KG4JJH
Position 0 5 10 settings
R32 Noise Gate 10 15 mVrms 0.55 mVrms 100 µVrms 10
Threshold (–34 dBu10) (–63 dBu) (–78 dBu) (–63 dBu)
R21 Compression 0 1:1 10:1 15:1 5
Ratio
R31 Limiting 0 0.1 Vrms 0.040 Vrms 0.025 Vrms 5
Threshold (–18 dBu) (–26 dBu) (–30 dBu) (–26 dBu)
S1 Bypass IN IN
S2 Attack SLOW SLOW
Release

functionality of the microphone UP, DOWN, mine the availability of fabricated boards. audio, UP, DOWN and FAST functions. If you
and FAST buttons are not affected. experience problems go back and inspect the
Printed Circuit Assembly PCB for incorrectly installed components,
Power Requirements Install the components by referring to the reversed polarities, solder bridges, and faulty
The current requirements (measured val- printed circuit board (PCB) assembly draw- solder joints. When the test is successful,
ues) for this circuit are 13.9 mA during nor- ing for part numbers and locations, and the remove power and install the ICs in their
mal operation and 4.4 mA when the signal materials list for corresponding values. For sockets. Pin 1 is identified with a square pad
generator is on. The FT-817 mic power lead the DIP version, use a small soldering iron on the PCB. Make sure all pins are aligned
was found to deliver up to approximately of 25 W or less with a standard small tip. before pressing them into the sockets or you
15 mA before the voltage dropped below For the SMD version, a very tiny tipped iron may bend them.
4.85 V dc, indicating that it should power (1⁄16 inch) and a magnifier are mandatory for
the VocalMaster without any problems. For soldering the SSM2166P. Enclosure
other radios, the mic supply voltage may or A beginners guide to surface mount Using rubber cement, secure the tem-
may not be up to the task. If not, a different technology is a good starting point to get plates (see drawing sheet 3, www.arrl.org/
source of 5 V must be found from within or you acquainted with the tools and meth- files/qst-binaries/Baker0106.zip) and drill
outside the radio. ods involved.8 Work with plenty of light all holes on the front and rear panels. The
and use small gauge solder sparingly, as rectangular holes on the rear panel will also
Printed Circuit Board the PCB pads are small. Too much solder require a file and some elbow grease to get
I was fortunate to have an SSM2166S will increase the chance of a solder bridge, them properly sized. To improve the appear-
on hand, courtesy of Analog Devices, and especially on boards without a solder mask. ance of the front panel holes, use a coun-
this prompted me to start the prototype. I Cleaning the tip on a damp sponge before tersinking bit to lightly remove the rough
made an SMD to DIP adapter to allow me every solder joint will decrease the chances edges. You may want to blacken the hole
to use a solderless breadboard designed of a faulty connection. Although not man- edges using an aluminum blacking solution,
for DIP devices. After I had completed the datory, I encourage the use of IC sockets to sold in gun stores. I used white enamel paint
PCB layout I discovered a source for the aid in testing and troubleshooting. Observe on the control indicator marks to make them
DIP package, the SSM2166P,6 for which I polarity on all ICs, diodes and electrolytic more visible. Using a small jeweler’s screw-
completed a second version. Both versions of capacitors. All components should be driver, dip the tip into the paint and touch
the PCB employ the manufacturer’s advice mounted close to the board to minimize lead the inside of the control slots. Use small
on star grounding and short lead lengths to lengths. amounts and allow the paint to flow only
minimize instability. Builders should get the Trimpot R19 will be adjusted following into the slot. Clean up using a cotton swab
desired chip before ordering one of the two assembly to illuminate the red LED on audio damped with paint thinner.
versions of the PCB. peaks that produce distortion in the transmit- Labeling was added using white dry
I ordered prototype printed circuit boards ted signal. transfer letters. Print a full size template
from ExpressPCB.7 I chose the most eco- Save the clipped ends of component onto clear film. Tape the panel to a flat
nomical approach by ordering boards that wires for installing ferrite beads FB1-FB8. surface and clean it with rubbing alcohol.
are double sided with plated through holes Install all components except U1, U2, U3 Tape the top edge of the clear template over
but do not have a solder mask or component and U4. Take your time and check your work. the panel. Insert the dry transfer sheet in
silk screening. Regardless of the manufac- If your eyes are as bad as mine, a magnify- between, line up each character under the
turer, groups of builders or clubs should get ing glass, headband or worklight may come template and burnish. I used 1⁄8, 3⁄32 and 1⁄16
together and order the boards in quantities in handy. When you are satisfied, connect inch characters found in the HO railroad
to reduce the cost. You can see the various MIC OUT to the radio microphone input with section of my local hobby shop.9 Clean up
cost breakdowns by installing the free PCB a short jumper cable. Attach the negative with masking tape and cotton swabs moist-
software and loading one of the layouts, lead of a dc voltmeter to the PCB common ened with alcohol. Seal the lettering by
VocalMaster-DIP.pcb or VocalMaster-SMD. connection. Turn on the radio, and, using the spraying on two light coats of clear lacquer
pcb. If the PCB does not have plated-through voltmeter positive lead, check for 5 ±0.2 V or decal sealer. Figure 4 shows the details of
holes, be sure to solder the components on dc at the following locations: U1, pin 14; U2, the front panel lettering.
both sides of the board. Additionally, if the pin 4; U3, pin 14, and U4, pin 3. If all volt- It is important to note that the removable
pad is a feedthrough, insert a short length of ages are okay, remove power and connect the panel is located at the enclosure top. This is to
wire and solder on both sides. The inside top mic to the MIC IN jack, J1. Place S1 in the OUT allow access to R19 and to prevent the PCB
view of the completed VocalMaster is shown position and ensure that the radio is func- traces from contacting the enclosure PCB
in Figure 3. Check with the author to deter- tioning normally, including the microphone mounting channels. Attach the front bezel
From January 2006 QST © ARRL
 The LED output provides good shielding. All components
level meter is always mount on a printed circuit board, including
a c t ive w h e n t h e the microphone connectors. An LED output
bypass switch is in level meter provides visual feedback, and a
the IN position. This built-in signal generator simplifies antenna
feature allows you tuning. As an added bonus, the Yaesu FT-857
to adjust the controls and FT-897 also use the MH-31 microphone,
without transmit- so the processor can be used on all three rigs.
ting (ie, PTT is off). On-the-air reports with the FT-817 have been
Initially, set the time very favorable with an average 6 dB increase
Figure 4—Details of the constant to SLOW , in signal strength. The VocalMaster will
front panel lettering. NOISE GATE to 10 , enhance your SSB signal and you will be
COMP RATIO to 1, and proud to place this eye-catching accessory
LIMIT THRESHOLD to next to your rig. Once you have rounded up
and panel and slide the PCB into the bottom 0. Speak into the microphone with the pro- all of the parts this project can be completed
rails of the enclosure from the rear until the cessor IN and note that two or three green in a weekend, so heat up your soldering iron
front of the PCB touches the inside of the LEDs illuminate. Continue speaking and and give your QRP station some pizzazz!
front panel. Mark the mounting hole location slowly turn COMP RATIO clockwise until the
on the bottom of the enclosure and drill a 5⁄32 red LED turns on. A high compression ratio
Notes
inch diameter hole. Scrape away any paint or coupled with a low limiting threshold will 1M. Gonsior, W6FR, “MikeMaster—A Micro-
anodizing around the inside of this hole to yield a high output level, which could over- phone Preamplifier with Noise Gating and
ensure a good electrical connection between load the radio’s audio input. These settings Compression, QST, Mar 1998, pp 33-36;
P. Salas, AD5X, “FT-817 Speech Com-
the enclosure and the PCB. Attach the spacer will also raise the background noise level pressor,” www.eham.net/articles/2627; J.
on the bottom center of the completed PCB and could introduce audible distortion and Orman, “Q&D Compressor 2,” www.muzique.
with a 4-40 × 3⁄16 inch screw with internal “breathing or pumping” effects. Reduce the com/ssm2166.htm.
2Analog Devices, “Microphone Preamplifier with
lockwasher and slide it into the enclosure. output level by lowering the compression Noise Gating and Compression, SSM-2166
Guide the controls through the front panel ratio and/or lowering the limiting threshold. Data Sheet,”www.analog.com/UploadedFiles/
cutouts and insert the panel screws. Be very Turn LIMIT THRESHOLD clockwise and notice Data_Sheets/83095497SSM2166_b_.pdf.
3LM123 LM224 LM324 LM2902 Low Power Quad
careful not to over tighten the front and rear that the output level diminishes. With the Operational Amplifiers, National Semiconductor,
panel screws as the aluminum holes are eas- compression ratio set to 2:1, a 6 dB change www.national.com/ds/LM/LM124.pdf.
4 LM3915 Dot Bar Display Driver, National
ily stripped. After adjusting R19 in the next of the input signal level in the compression
Semiconductor, www.national.com/ds/LM/
section, slide in the top panel, rear bezel, and region causes a 3 dB change in the output LM3915.pdf.
rear panel and install the four rubber feet on level. Likewise, at 10:1 compression, a 10 5K. Theurich, DGØZB, “Dynamic Compressor for

the bottom. Complete the assembly by secur- dB change of the input signal level in the the FT-817,” FunkAmateur, Apr 2002, p 389.
6Steve Daniels of Small Bear Electronics has
ing the PCB mounted spacer with a 4-40 × 3⁄16 compression region causes a 1 dB change indicated that he has 200 of the SSM2166P
inch screw with internal lockwasher from the in the output level. Holding the microphone chips with more available on the wholesale
enclosure bottom. closer to your mouth reduces ambient room market; www.smallbearelec.com/Ordering/
ICsCompExp.htm.
noise and gives the audio more presence. If 7ExpressPCB, printed circuit boards and free
Setup and Operation you speak softly or hold the microphone far- software, www.expresspcb.com. Contact
The following instructions are FT-817 ther away, access FT-817 Menu 46 for fur- the author to determine the availability of pre-
specific. For other radios, check the manual ther SSB microphone gain adjustments. fabricated PC boards.
8S Ulbing, N4UAU, “Surface Mount Technology—
for the appropriate control function. FT-817 The controls are somewhat interactive so You Can Work With It!,” QST; Part 1, Apr 1999,
menu 46 (SSB MIC) should initially be set experiment with the settings to hear how they pp 33-39; Part 2, May 1999, pp 48-50; Part 3,
to the default value of 50. Plug one end of affect the audio. Table-1 lists initial posi- Jun 1999, pp 34-36; Part 4, Jul 1999, pp 38-
41.
a standard 1 to 3 foot CAT-5 patch cable tions, general parameters at various settings, 9Dry Transfer Decals, Woodland Scenes,
into MIC OUT jack J2 and the other end into and the optimum settings for my operating #WOODT507.
10dBu is a means of expressing voltage, refer-
the FT-817 microphone jack. Plug the MH- conditions.
enced to 0.775 V, regardless of impedance.
31 microphone into MIC IN jack J1. (Please The compression ratio will keep the One mW of power is dissipated if 0.775 V is
note that the VocalMaster is designed to output steady over a wide range of micro- applied to a 600 Ω load, so for a load imped-
work only with the standard MH-31 micro- phone to speaker distance, and the noise ance of 600 Ω, 0 dBu = 0 dBm.
11The VocalMaster was designed with the FT-
phone. The optional DTMF microphone is gate will reduce background noises. Signals 817 in mind, but should work with any trans-
not compatible.) Connect a dummy load to above the limiting threshold are limited at ceiver that uses a 600 Ω mic at the appropri-
the radio, and monitor the transmitted signal a compression ratio of 15:1 to eliminate ate level and has 5 V available.
on a second rig using headphones. It is very overloads. A graph of the Input/Output
important to monitor your transmitted audio Characteristics is shown in Figure 1, and Allen Baker, KG4JJH, received his license in
until you have adjusted R19 and are familiar two audio WAV files (VocalMaster-Quiet. 2000, after a lifelong dream of becoming a
with the operation of the VocalMaster, as wav and VocalMaster-Noisy.wav) are posted ham. He holds a BS in Industrial Engineering
from Tennessee Technological University
improper settings may produce a noisy or on the ARRL Web site (www.arrl.org/files/
and works as an Instrumentation & Controls
distorted signal. qst-binaries/Baker0106.zip) to let you hear Engineer for the company that operates the US
While monitoring your transmitted sig- the sound of a VocalMastered SSB signal in Department of Energy weapons plant in Oak
nal, adjust the controls as follows: TIME a quiet and noisy environment. Ridge, Tennessee. Allen is active on SSB
CONSTANT to SLOW, NOISE GATE to 10, COMP and the digital modes, enjoys the challenge
RATIO to 10, and LIMIT THRESHOLD to 0. At Conclusion of working QRP and loves to experiment with
these settings you should hear distortion in I am delighted to report that all of the antennas and radio gear. He can be reached at
the transmitted signal. Adjust R19 to illumi- design goals have been met. The aluminum 211 Brochardt Blvd, Knoxville, TN 37934 or
nate the red LED on these audio peaks. enclosure is smaller than my FT-81711 and [email protected].
From January 2006 QST © ARRL