FT-891 Mic Setting Tips

The Yaesu MH-31 hand mic, which comes with various radios including the FT-891, doesn’t impress most people.  I find that some EQ’ing can turn the sound into a very pleasing one.

Not that your adjustments may differ slightly in the mid settings, depending on your voice (I have a mid-trebly voice).  I made these adjustments while listening to myself over another radio, then by listening with a remote station.

First, even before EQ’ing, it’s very important that your ALC is set to peak at 1/4 to never much higher than 1/2, for clear audio (the FT-891 gets wacky above 1/2).  You’ll want to adjust the ALC after EQ-ing, and watch it between band changes, as my levels change.  I have not installed the most recent Yaesu FT-891 update, per this writing, so I cannot say if this has changed.

Next, I prefer Menu 11-09 TX bandwidth set to the stock setting of 300-2700 for DX, or for rag chew, set to that or 200-2800.  There isn’t a lot of difference, but the 2nd choice adds a bit more bass and clarity for those rag chews with better machines on the other end.

As for EQ, notice that Yaesu gives you 2 EQ lists.  One is for compression when on (menu 15-10), and the other when off (15-04).  I roll-off all lows below 300Hz. This is very important Also, I leave Compression (PRC in quick menu, set to my preference, between 25 to 50) on all of the time. I find that for DX, I want the compression around 10 to 15%, max.  For local stuff, around 5-10% (or less) is fine.  These settings ONLY work if you are using compression (PRC highlighted)

Next, we’re looking at the longform menu P-EQ1 settings, starting with Menu 15-10 (settings for compression ON):

P-EQ1 FREQ 300  (adjust the low bass freq center point in Hz)
P-EQ1 Level -15    (adjust how much you add/subtract from low bass setting)
P-EQ1 BWTH 8     (adjust the bandwidth area covered by low bass frequency peak)
P-EQ2 FREQ 1300 (adjust mids frequency center point in Hz)
P-EQ2 Level 8        (adjust how much you add/subtract from the mid setting)
P-EQ2 BWTH 8     (adjust the bandwidth covered by mids frequency peak)
P-EQ3 FREQ 2300 (adjust the highs freq center point in Hz)
P-EQ3 LEVEL 10  (adjust how much you add/subtract from the highs setting)
P-EQ3 BWTH 8     (adjust the bandwidth covered by the high freq peak)

I set the switch on the hand mic to 1 for local rag chew, and 2 for DX.

AGAIN:  Please note, if you do not like to use compression, you must make the same settings beginning with menu 15-04 (settings for compression OFF), which is the same EQ list, but only affect when not using compression.  Yaesu gives you 2 EQ lists.  There is a group of setting for both compression on and compression off.  The compression menu items begin with a P (15-10, as noted above).

I hope these settings provide some guidance.

Let me know in the comments area if you have other ways of handling this.