I found Chris’s Compressor is a good simulation of the US Broadcast Compressor.
http://theaudacitytopodcast.com/chriss-dynamic-compressor-plugin-for-audacity/
Change the first number, Compression, from the default 0.5 to the new 0.77 and the compressed sound appears remarkably like the local KPCC broadcasting the same show. Some shows I listen to in the car are unlistenable without that.
Yes, unprocessed podcasts are a big surprise for someone used to the highly processed broadcast sound. I’ve never run into this problem, but people post that the first and last handful of seconds could experience unusual behavior. Put some silence into those areas and the problem should go away.
Koz