A Speech Compressor for the Backpacking Radio

As discussed in a recent review of the Yaesu FT-817nd qrp radio, five watts...  it's not a lot, so every trick in the book needs to be employed to help it along.  Digital modes like PSK-31 generally get through at low power, but it'll take something more to help along voice communications.  Well, speech compression is a pretty powerful trick.  Here's here's how it works:

And here's what it achieves:

Last weekend one arrived from SOTAbeams, and in testing everywhere from 80 to 20 meters, it works as promised.  Previously I hadn't made more than a couple of voice contacts at 5 watts, but augmented with this device it was fairly easy to knock out conversations from FL to PA to AZ.  It weighs hardly anything, and bumps the FT-817nd up to being a practical radio for voice comms.  At almost exactly 1/3rd the all-in weight of a similar 100 watt radio, this makes a big difference for backpacking.