testing microphone - how?

[Lisi Reisz <lisi.reisz@gmail.com>]

I am trying to test a microphone by some method other than ringing the same 
poor person repeatedly by VOIP.

I have tried to run record applications, but cannot seem to get the 
applications going (so far Audacity and KRec).

I have tried to run tests, but either I get an error message that the device 
is busy or I get the following:

user@localhost:~$ cat /dev/dsp1 > /dev/dsp
cat: /dev/dsp1: No such file or directory
user@localhost:~$

So - help!  I need to be able to test the mike simply in order to see whether 
I have got it going or not.

TIA
Lisi