cotharyusRadio operators- headphones are good if you’re working the radio. When you’re just in the shack working and listening do you use the radio speaker, an external speaker, or some other form of not the radio speaker? What do you prefer and why?
N3VEM@cotharyus in the home shack I’ve found I really like open-back headphones - can hear the radio well, and still hear what’s going on around me.
@N3VEM yes, my hd650’s work well if I’m sitting at the radio working it, but limit my ability to move around if I’m just “in the shack” - I’m pondering running all of my radios audio out into a mixer and into studio monitors I already have. I can’t decide if that’s overkill, showing off, or good sense. But I do know my cb radios were always easier to hear with even a cheap external speaker. Built in speakers seem always rubbish.
@cotharyus yeah - being able to move around is a liming factor. I run my radios through a mixer too - for audio out to speakers, I’d say go for it. If you end up going the other way, audio from the mixer into the radio, be prepared to either buy or build a bunch of DI boxes to deal with all the mis-matched levels 😀
Matthias DL4MAT@cotharyus I mostly do FT8 and then use the radio speaker on low volume to have a bit of radio atmosphere in the shack. When I work CW (embarrassingly rarely) I use earbuds because it helps reading, doesn't annoy the wife as much, and I don't own "real" headphones.