What control is typically adjusted for proper ALC setting on a single sideband transceiver?

Automatic Level Control (ALC) is a crucial protective circuit in a transmitter. It monitors the RF output power and automatically reduces the system's gain to prevent the final amplifier stages from being overdriven by excessive audio. On a Single Sideband (SSB) transceiver, the primary control used to set the ALC to its proper operating range is the microphone gain (or transmit audio control). By adjusting the mic gain while speaking normally, the operator ensures the ALC meter peaks within the manufacturer's recommended limits. Setting the mic gain too high will drive the ALC too hard, resulting in audio distortion, wider bandwidth, and splatter on adjacent frequencies. Controls like antenna capacitance or RF clipping are unrelated to setting the baseline ALC levels.