Tips on Using the Yaesu DVS-2
Getting the Most out of your DVS-2 by VA3CR

New: Also see some of the troubleshooting hints below:

Purpose: You have probably read (or heard) a fair amount of negative comment about the DVS-2...things like distortion on playback, losing it's memories, etc. I like to have recording/playback features available, and just had to have one. When I got it home, I found that I had all the same problems that I had been reading about on the net.

After a fair amount of experimentation, I have learned to make it work fairly well, and outline below some hints. As always...I am no expert and believe the collective wisdom of my fellow hams is much greater than any one of us. I welcome suggestions at my email: va3cr@rac.ca

Recording (Other Off the Air)
(I find it does a very good job of this, and it is very handy to be able to record DX stations and be able to play the call back.) Press REC button - the recorder now runs continuously in a 16 second loop

Playback
Press PLAY button - to hear your recording through the rig's speaker

Playback over the Air
(This is nice feature I discovered, that is not covered in the manual and allows you to play back another station's signal or audio so that they can hear what they sound like. )
Press MOX to put the rig in transmit mode
Press PLAY to transmit the recording
Press MOX again to put the rig back in receive mode

Message Recording
(This is the most problematic and most difficult to do well because of the design of the unit)
Set the MESSAGE MODE switch to the size of message you want (4 second or 8 second)
Turn the RF PWR fully counter clockwise
Turn the PROC off
Turn the MIC fully counter clockwise
Press the MEMO button
Press one of the NUMBER KEYS and start recording
Now here is the most important part, I can't stress this enough...One mistake with the DVS-2 is, that you have to take MUCH MUCH care not to speak too(!) loudly into your mic while recording messages! Otherwise the recorded audio will sound distorted when played on air. It is very sensitive to the last db of how close the mike is to you mouth.
SPEAK into the microphone in a normal voice about 8 - 10 inches (15-25 cms) away from the mike
You will likely have to make several (if not many) attempts to get this right, and I found it most helpful to have someone else on the air with me to learn what sounds best at both ends.
The ideal message should exactly fill the 4 second or 8 second recording period (depending on which option you chose)
Return the MIC, PROC and RF PWR controls to their normal settings

Off Air Playback
Press MONI button
Press the NUMBER KEY with the recording you want to hear
If it sounds distorted and/or much too loud, you should probably re-record the message with the microphone farther away.

On Air Playback
(This is the easy part)
Press the appropriate NUMBER KEY
Note: Only number keys with recordings will have a red light on.

Other Comments:

DVS - 2 Try the following settings:

4-4 3
7-7 SSB Rx 100
7-7 SSB Tx 150
EDSP Leave on
Mike & Processor at about 11 o'clock WB9RJQ


Problem: I just got my new 1000mp this week and have benefited greatly by the info on this reflector. I bought the DVS-2 and seem to have difficulty with the audio being distorted when I play it out over the air. Has anyone had this problem and
if so what is the fix? Bill, W5VX

Solution: If it turns out that the only "problem" with the DVS2 is that people are cranking their mikes too high to record (a front-panel knob adjustment), is it really a problem? Back in the olden Bell System days, knob malaise was referred to as "cockpit trouble". Based on some of the audio I hear in contests, the heavily clipped compression beginning to obscure clarity, maybe the high knob setting is a problem all around. Try backing off the mic gain first. It's a digital recorder and exceeding the maximum digital sampling has to clip the audio. Unknown Ham

Solution 2: Hi Mick. Found that that reducing the output to ccw helped. More important in my case was the level of compression and mic gain. Back those way, way off, record, then readjust for live tx. I still have some (albeit it much better) clicking sounds after using suggestion. I believe it is stemming from the MD-100 mic itself. Good suggestion.
BTW, for whatever reason, Yaesu still will not acknowledge that there is a problem with the DVS-2. Cant understand why. They have otherwise excellent customer service. k2av

Overdriving problems corrected by the cockpit crew in proper set up of MP to record on the DVS-2. However, if there is an MP overdrive pot, that may be a good adjustment to make since this member of the cockpit crew will undoubtedly forget how to do the blamed thing! 73, Bob

Solution 3: My DVS2 works FB (no distortion at all) with the stock mike that came with the MP. When you record, moderate the audio processing, and lower the mike level until the monitor sounds clean.  It's a *digital* recorder, for the price about the same you would get in a high-end digital telephone answerer. A digital recording does not (& won't any time soon for that price) have the volume range of an analog device. You have to fit the audio inside the range of numbers that the DVS2 uses to digitize each sample. It has no AGC device in it. *The operator* has to get the inpt audio inside it's range. If you don't, it will distort. That's not a flaw, it's a characteristic, unless you want to spend the big bux. For an exercise, check out what the studio-quality digital audio processing stuff is going for. 5 kilobux is a minimum, & some really neat stuff goes for close to 100K. Makes the DVS2 price look dime-store by comparison. I took a look at the modification some others were doing, and it looks like all it's doing is allowing them to operate it with higher knob settings on the MP during the recording phase. Heinz NR0X

Solution 4: Hi Mick. Found that that reducing the output to ccw helped. More important in my case was the level of compression and mic gain. Back those way, way off, record, then readjust for live tx. I still have some (albeit it much better) clicking sounds after using suggestion. I believe it is stemming from the MD-100 mic itself. Good suggestion.

Solution 5: I accidentally discovered that turning the power output knob down to Ø (fully CCW) cleared up the distortion in my Mp, DVS-2 combo. That is; turn your output power down to zero, make your recording and then turn it up to normal
and proceed. I don't know why but it worked in my case. Mick W4YV

Solution 6: I have a question regarding audio adjustments. Because I was having trouble with distortion using my DVS-2, I reread the instruction manual regarding the setting of the audio. (If nothing else works, read the manual?)
According to the manual, you set the alc with the microphone (I'm using a Heil HC4) control to read in the upper part of the read ALC one. ----No problem. Then, turn on the compressor/and change the meter to compression and set between 5 - 10 db. No problem Then, set the meter back to alc and "reduce the rf power" till the alc reads the upper part of the red section of the alc. It is reading slightly above the red region. To get it into the red section, I have to turn the RF power control "way down". Virtually no power output, maybe 5 watts into the amp. Am I reading this correctly? Bill, W5VX

Solution 7: I have just gotten into SSB, so please take my comments with a grain of salt. A key problem with DVS-2 seems to be too high audio gain. This is most noticeable with Heil mikes. I have found that recording made with the
stock Yaesu hand mic are almost OK. So plug in your Yaesu mic for recording and then unplug it an use any other mic for operating. Rajiv, N2RD

Problem: My DVS-2 only retains messages while the rig is switched on. Is this normal? I wondered if there was a backup battery that needs replacing.John G4ZTR

Solution: Hi John, I will try to give you detailed description of what to do. In order to do this change you will need a twin AA battery pack, a fine tip Welder, some thin flat head and X head screwdrivers and a long nose player.
1. First disconnect the DVS from the MP.
2. I do not remember exactly, I think there are some screws at the back to release, and with a thin flat screwdriver carefully inserted between upper and lower DVS plastic cases will open the case.
3. Now identify the battery location and mark the exact polarity on PCB.
4. Carefully release the welding of the battery out from the PCB.
5. Carefully weld a 7-8 inches long twin leads (black and red preferably) to battery connections on upper side of the PCB.
6. At the side of the DVS plastic case (away from the cable to MP) make asmall hole and push the twin leads through that hole.
7. Close the DVS case and tighten the screws (if there are any)
8. Use the twin AA battery case connecting the batteries in serial (that is 3 V output and not 1.5 volts) and weld the twin leads from the DVS to the battery pack. Pay attention to the polarity.
9. Insert 2 alkaline batteries to pack and fasten the battery pack to the back of the DVS (you can use a strap for this)
10. Reset the DVS
11. Connect DVS to MP
12. Record a memo on one of the memory banks
13. Turn the MP off for 1 minute and turn it back on again
14. Verify the red led at the recorded bank turn on.

Yoram Gottesman (4Z1GY)

Addendum: Turn the DVS-2 face down on the bench. Pry off the little rubber foot which is nearest to the cable entry. Voila - a screw to undo. Then pry apart the two parts of the plastic case. Separate the two pcbs and there is the battery CR3032.