Heil handmike discontinued.

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Heil handmike discontinued.

PA3GYU

> > Heil discontinued the hand mic. Yes, we are working on a
> > new one, but it will be a little bit before we get them
> > to market.
Which leads to the question: why? Some of us who already have one may
wonder what's wrong with it....

BartW.

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re: Heil handmike discontinued.

aa7jc
I sure like my MH2 (athough it rarely gets any action).  I guess it's value
just went up ;) ....not for sale!   I can't imagine how it could be
improved.

No it's


Ken Lotts
aa7jc


-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]]On Behalf Of pa3gyu
Sent: Friday, May 27, 2005 5:12 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: [Elecraft] Heil handmike discontinued.



> > Heil discontinued the hand mic. Yes, we are working on a
> > new one, but it will be a little bit before we get them
> > to market.
Which leads to the question: why? Some of us who already have one may
wonder what's wrong with it....

BartW.

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RE: Heil handmike discontinued.

EricJ-2
In reply to this post by PA3GYU
Probably nothing other than low sales volume.

I think most hams equate hand mike = cheap mike. OK for mobile work, but not
in the shack. So a premium hand mike is probably not going to be a big
seller for any vendor. I have a drawer full of hand mikes from all the rigs
I've bought over the years that advertised "Mic Included!".

I wonder if a guy could just buy the Heil-Icom element and stuff it in one
of the thousand Kenwood hand mikes available at every swap meet? Anybody had
any experience with that?

Eric
KE6US

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of pa3gyu
Sent: Friday, May 27, 2005 5:12 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: [Elecraft] Heil handmike discontinued.


> > Heil discontinued the hand mic. Yes, we are working on a new one,
> > but it will be a little bit before we get them to market.
Which leads to the question: why? Some of us who already have one may wonder
what's wrong with it....

BartW.

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Re: Heil handmike discontinued.

Ken Bessler-2
----- Original Message -----
From: "EricJ" <[hidden email]>
To: "'pa3gyu'" <[hidden email]>; <[hidden email]>
Sent: Friday, May 27, 2005 10:26 AM
Subject: RE: [Elecraft] Heil handmike discontinued.


> Probably nothing other than low sales volume.
>
> I think most hams equate hand mike = cheap mike. OK for mobile work, but
> not
> in the shack. So a premium hand mike is probably not going to be a big
> seller for any vendor. I have a drawer full of hand mikes from all the
> rigs
> I've bought over the years that advertised "Mic Included!".
>
> I wonder if a guy could just buy the Heil-Icom element and stuff it in one
> of the thousand Kenwood hand mikes available at every swap meet? Anybody
> had
> any experience with that?
>
> Eric
> KE6US

I was told by a friend that the K2 prefers a 600 ohm mic and that
a electrec mic element wouldn't sound right. I've got both - an old
Cobra (label removed) CB 600 ohm dynamic and a boom headset
salvaged from a cell phone (2.2k).

I'm not able to test either right now as my K2 has no SSB audio
output. PTT & VOX work but no audio. :-(

I emailed Elecraft support and am waiting on ideas where to look
for the trouble. I'll get it working and get reports on both mics.

I'll let ya know.

Ken
--
 Just my 2¢ worth... 73's es gd dx de Ken KGØWX
Grid EM17ip, Flying Pigs #1055, Digital On Six #350,
      Proud builder & owner of Elecraft K2 #4913



--

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Re: RE: Heil handmike discontinued.

Mark J. Schreiner
In reply to this post by PA3GYU
For HF I don't use a hand mic anymore.  Instead I use the Heil BM-5 headset.  Solves a few problems.  I don't like to use an external speaker for HF mobile as there is so much road noise and band noise it is difficult to copy weak signals.  The headset is definitely the way to go to improve the "local signal to noise" ratio.  Also reduces noise for passengers who may not have an interest in listening to the HF noise either.  This situation is completely different than a VHF/UHF rig used on FM which doesn't have the same "local s/n" issues.  Only problem I still have is that I need a PTT switch or use VOX.  I don't like to use VOX because if I have passengers in the vehicle or  accidentally use an explative due to some other bad driver nearby I don't want to transmit.  For PTT I put a momentary pushbutton in a pill bottle.  Would be cool to mount it to the gear shifter directly, but I just hold onto the pill bottle.  

Also found headsets a great asset for contesting as well.  I doubt I'll ever use hand mics again on HF!

Mark, NK8Q
K2 4786

>From: EricJ <[hidden email]>
>Date: Fri May 27 10:26:47 CDT 2005
>To: 'pa3gyu' <[hidden email]>, [hidden email]
>Subject: RE: [Elecraft] Heil handmike discontinued.

>Probably nothing other than low sales volume.
>
>I think most hams equate hand mike = cheap mike. OK for mobile work, but not
>in the shack. So a premium hand mike is probably not going to be a big
>seller for any vendor. I have a drawer full of hand mikes from all the rigs
>I've bought over the years that advertised "Mic Included!".
>
>I wonder if a guy could just buy the Heil-Icom element and stuff it in one
>of the thousand Kenwood hand mikes available at every swap meet? Anybody had
>any experience with that?
>
>Eric
>KE6US
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: [hidden email]
>[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of pa3gyu
>Sent: Friday, May 27, 2005 5:12 AM
>To: [hidden email]
>Subject: [Elecraft] Heil handmike discontinued.
>
>
>> > Heil discontinued the hand mic. Yes, we are working on a new one,
>> > but it will be a little bit before we get them to market.
>Which leads to the question: why? Some of us who already have one may wonder
>what's wrong with it....
>
>BartW.
>
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>
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>
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Mic Options (WAS: Heil handmike discontinued.)

Ron D'Eau Claire-2
In reply to this post by Ken Bessler-2
Ken wrote:
I was told by a friend that the K2 prefers a 600 ohm mic and that a electrec
mic element wouldn't sound right. I've got both - an old Cobra (label
removed) CB 600 ohm dynamic and a boom headset salvaged from a cell phone
(2.2k).

----------------

A typical electret does very well on a K2. Electrets are not necessarily a
high-impedance element. The impedance the rig "sees" will be the value of
the dropping resistor used to supply d-c bias to the mic element "hot" side.
Since the d-c voltage source for the bias is grounded for audio (has large
capacitors to ground in the circuit), the resistor becomes the audio load
between the audio line and ground. My electret uses a 1k resistor, so its
impedance is 1k ohms.

It is true that a high-impedance mic won't normally sound good on a rig
expecting a fairly low impedance mic, like the K2. Connecting a typical
high-impedance mic to a low impedance will normally cause the lows to be
lost, making the mic sound very "bright" or "tinny". Very few such mics are
still around. Even the venerable "D-104" was updated with an amplifier in
the base to convert the very high (appx 0.5 megohm) impedance of its crystal
element to the lower impedance most current Ham rigs want.

My mic is 'homebrew' - using an inexpensive (< $5 USD) electret element
mounted in a hand mic enclosure that originally contained a cheap dynamic
element. The electret element has a frequency response far, far greater than
the K2 needs: from about 30 Hz to about 16 kHz. The transmitted bandwidth is
controlled entirely by the K2's SSB module filter.

People tell me it sounds excellent on the air.

Ron AC7AC


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Re: Mic Options (WAS: Heil handmike discontinued.)

Bill Steffey NY9H
I go with RON on this one.

After 30 years working ( under contract) with companies
that include Sennheiser, AKG and Shure Brothers, all who
actually  manufacture microphone elements. They taught me some things.

I have bought a few Sennheiser boom headsets on Ebay... great headphones ,,
and i have some mics for my K2 icoms and tentecs made from
electret elements scrapped from telephones...nortel, panasonic.

ALL electrets  are WAY TOO GOOD for communications audio....
even the one you get at radio shack for $ .99 US. Just stuff it in a gooseneck
and you have a GREAT base station mic.... don't forget the ptt switch...
another $ 1.29.....

  It's Sooo cheap you owe it a try.

bill

>----------------
>
>A typical electret does very well on a K2. Electrets are not necessarily a
>high-impedance element. The impedance the rig "sees" will be the value of
>the dropping resistor used to supply d-c bias to the mic element "hot" side.
>Since the d-c voltage source for the bias is grounded for audio (has large
>capacitors to ground in the circuit), the resistor becomes the audio load
>between the audio line and ground. My electret uses a 1k resistor, so its
>impedance is 1k ohms.
>
>It is true that a high-impedance mic won't normally sound good on a rig
>expecting a fairly low impedance mic, like the K2. Connecting a typical
>high-impedance mic to a low impedance will normally cause the lows to be
>lost, making the mic sound very "bright" or "tinny". Very few such mics are
>still around. Even the venerable "D-104" was updated with an amplifier in
>the base to convert the very high (appx 0.5 megohm) impedance of its crystal
>element to the lower impedance most current Ham rigs want.
>
>My mic is 'homebrew' - using an inexpensive (< $5 USD) electret element
>mounted in a hand mic enclosure that originally contained a cheap dynamic
>element. The electret element has a frequency response far, far greater than
>the K2 needs: from about 30 Hz to about 16 kHz. The transmitted bandwidth is
>controlled entirely by the K2's SSB module filter.
>
>People tell me it sounds excellent on the air.
>
>Ron AC7AC
>
>
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>
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Re: Heil handmike discontinued.

Mark J. Schreiner
In reply to this post by Mark J. Schreiner
Great point, sorry I forgot the normal <lawyer speak> disclaimer.  
Please note that the headset I mentioned is only a single hearpiece
headset specifically chosen for that reason.

For all future correspondence from myself and others it is suggested
that common sense and failing that adherence to the applicable laws
which are put into place for those who don't have enough of the former. ;^)

Mark, NK8Q



Wayne Reed wrote:

> I hope we all remember that it is illegal to drive with headsets of
> any kind covering BOTH ears, or did I dream that?
> Wayne, K9NE
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: <[hidden email]>
> To: "EricJ" <[hidden email]>; "'pa3gyu'" <[hidden email]>;
> <[hidden email]>
> Sent: Friday, May 27, 2005 10:52 AM
> Subject: Re: RE: [Elecraft] Heil handmike discontinued.
>
>
>> For HF I don't use a hand mic anymore.  Instead I use the Heil BM-5
>> headset.  Solves a few problems.  I don't like to use an external
>> speaker for HF mobile as there is so much road noise and band noise
>> it is difficult to copy weak signals.  The headset is definitely the
>> way to go to improve the "local signal to noise" ratio.  Also reduces
>> noise for passengers who may not have an interest in listening to the
>> HF noise either.  This situation is completely different than a
>> VHF/UHF rig used on FM which doesn't have the same "local s/n"
>> issues.  Only problem I still have is that I need a PTT switch or use
>> VOX.  I don't like to use VOX because if I have passengers in the
>> vehicle or  accidentally use an explative due to some other bad
>> driver nearby I don't want to transmit. For PTT I put a momentary
>> pushbutton in a pill bottle.  Would be cool to mount it to the gear
>> shifter directly, but I just hold onto the pill bottle.
>>
>> Also found headsets a great asset for contesting as well.  I doubt
>> I'll ever use hand mics again on HF!
>>
>> Mark, NK8Q
>> K2 4786
>>
>>> From: EricJ <[hidden email]>
>>> Date: Fri May 27 10:26:47 CDT 2005
>>> To: 'pa3gyu' <[hidden email]>, [hidden email]
>>> Subject: RE: [Elecraft] Heil handmike discontinued.
>>
>>
>>> Probably nothing other than low sales volume.
>>>
>>> I think most hams equate hand mike = cheap mike. OK for mobile work,
>>> but not
>>> in the shack. So a premium hand mike is probably not going to be a big
>>> seller for any vendor. I have a drawer full of hand mikes from all
>>> the rigs
>>> I've bought over the years that advertised "Mic Included!".
>>>
>>> I wonder if a guy could just buy the Heil-Icom element and stuff it
>>> in one
>>> of the thousand Kenwood hand mikes available at every swap meet?
>>> Anybody had
>>> any experience with that?
>>>
>>> Eric
>>> KE6US
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: [hidden email]
>>> [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of pa3gyu
>>> Sent: Friday, May 27, 2005 5:12 AM
>>> To: [hidden email]
>>> Subject: [Elecraft] Heil handmike discontinued.
>>>
>>>
>>>> > Heil discontinued the hand mic. Yes, we are working on a new one,
>>>> > but it will be a little bit before we get them to market.
>>>
>>> Which leads to the question: why? Some of us who already have one
>>> may wonder
>>> what's wrong with it....
>>>
>>> BartW.
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Elecraft mailing list
>>> Post to: [hidden email]
>>> You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
>>> Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
>>> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>>>
>>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
>>> Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Elecraft mailing list
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>>> Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>
>
>

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