[arm-allstar] Is there a quick and dirty how-to, on how to get your rx tx levels in the right ballpark...

[kd4ont]

Without thousands of dollars of test equipment? I listened to my rx audio, on the target repeater. I did not set the levels. It was beyond my ability at the time. My audio, according to usb tune rx levels, was going past the max value. Granted, it gave me a very loud and commanding audio level, being too loud, compared to other audio, made me decide to break out the golden screwdriver and turn my fob levels down. 
I first set rx tx levels to midrange 500. Then i got my lowest audio level ht out. I hooked up to a very busy node with a *2node command. My audio would not pass. I have 2 tx hts. One has more low end, less upper, and less agressive agc, plus it has "noise cancelling" characteristics from the mic. A baofeng uv-82hp, with the mic hole slightly drilled out mod. I also have an Alinco dj-500 (new) with the same bigger mic hole mod done. The alinco seems to have less low end and a more agressive agc, but is so sensitive, it can hear a frog farting underwater.
I used the 500 as my test level setting radio. I *2'd into the node, and made all kinds of racket, while trying to get my peak level at 5k. My uv82 drives the audio harder during tests. I discovered my tx A level was jacked up to 999. I set it at 500, then gave the pot on the fob an ever so slight increase.
Have I figured out level setting without having deviation hardware? I know I'm not clean, but I'm not as loud as I used to be. I'm not a wide area repeater. I'm a personal, 1 mile max portable moble node.