No Sound Output
Symptom: You don't hear anything when others transmit on your channel.
Check List
Check Volume
Make sure your Media volume is turned up (not Ringtone or Call volume). Press the volume buttons while on the PTT screen to adjust the correct volume stream.
Check Connection
Look at the connection quality indicator on the PTT screen. If it shows no connection, the audio relay hasn't connected. Try leaving and re-entering the hub.
Check Channel
Verify you're on the same channel as the person talking. You'll only hear audio from your active channel and monitored channels.
Check Bluetooth
If you have a Bluetooth device connected, audio may be routing there. Check if sound is coming from your headset instead of the phone speaker.
Restart the App
Close CrewTalk completely and reopen it. Navigate back to your hub. This resets all audio connections.
Audio from Earpiece
Symptom: Sound comes from the tiny earpiece speaker (for phone calls) instead of the main speaker.
This is most common on Samsung devices due to their custom audio HAL.
Fix
- Check that no call-related apps are active in the background
- Toggle Bluetooth off and back on
- Press volume up/down while on the PTT screen — ensure "Media" volume is being adjusted
- Restart CrewTalk
- If persistent, restart your device
Samsung devices have a unique audio routing implementation. If you consistently experience earpiece routing, try disconnecting all Bluetooth devices, then restarting CrewTalk. This forces the audio system to re-evaluate routing.
No Microphone Input
Symptom: Others can't hear you when you press PTT.
Check List
- Permission: Ensure CrewTalk has microphone permission (device Settings > Apps > CrewTalk > Permissions > Microphone)
- Hardware: Make sure nothing is blocking or covering the microphone
- Other apps: Close any other apps that might be using the microphone (voice recorders, video calls, etc.)
- Bluetooth mic: If using Bluetooth, check that the headset's microphone is active and not muted on the device
- PTT state: Confirm the PTT button is visually active (solid color) when you press it
Echo or Feedback
Symptom: You hear your own voice echoed back, or there's a feedback loop.
Cause
Echo occurs when a device's speaker output is picked up by its own (or a nearby device's) microphone.
Fix
- Use headsets — The simplest and most effective fix
- Reduce speaker volume — Lower the volume on one or both devices
- Increase distance — Move devices further apart
- One speaker per area — If multiple crew members are in the same room, only one should have their speaker active; others should use headsets
Audio Cuts Out Intermittently
Symptom: Audio drops or breaks up during transmission.
Possible Causes
- Poor connection — Check the connection quality indicator (Fair/Poor = potential audio issues)
- Network congestion — Too many devices on the same Wi-Fi network
- Background downloads — Large downloads consuming bandwidth
- Network switching — Moving between Wi-Fi and cellular
Fix
- Move closer to your Wi-Fi access point
- Switch to cellular data if Wi-Fi is congested
- Pause background downloads
- Check connection quality after moving to a new network
Bluetooth Audio Routing Issues
See the dedicated Bluetooth Issues article for detailed Bluetooth troubleshooting.