Help with cheap headset and K2

[NZ0T]

Just for grins I bought a cheap Cyber Acoustics computer headset to use with my K3 when it arrives.  Others have said they got good reports with their K3 and this headset which uses an electret mic and a 3.5MM stereo mini plug.  Not wanting to cut off the plug which fits into the back of the K3 I made up an adapter for my K2 using an inline stereo jack, an 8 pin mike plug and a 9 volt battery through a 5K resistor to power the mic.  My K2 is wired for the Kenwood mics and I don't want to power the mic from the rig.  I wired the grounds to the base of the plug, 9V DC through the 5K resistor to the middle and the mic positive to the tip.  It works but my reports with the K2 have not been very good.  I also made up an adapter for my Drake TR7 and reports on that rig are fine.
Am I doing something wrong with the K2?  I know little about electret mics and maybe I am using too much voltage or the wrong resistor.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.
If I can't get it to work the headset was only about $15 shipped so no big deal.

73 Bill NZ0T

[N4LQ-2]

Bill
My warranty only covers use with the K3. :*)
Steve Ellington
[hidden email]
----- Original Message -----
From: "nz0t" <[hidden email]>
To: <[hidden email]>
Sent: Sunday, May 18, 2008 7:06 PM
Subject: [Elecraft] Help with cheap headset and K2

>
> Just for grins I bought a cheap Cyber Acoustics computer headset to use
> with
> my K3 when it arrives.  Others have said they got good reports with their
> K3
> and this headset which uses an electret mic and a 3.5MM stereo mini plug.
> Not wanting to cut off the plug which fits into the back of the K3 I made
> up
> an adapter for my K2 using an inline stereo jack, an 8 pin mike plug and a
> 9
> volt battery through a 5K resistor to power the mic.  My K2 is wired for
> the
> Kenwood mics and I don't want to power the mic from the rig.  I wired the
> grounds to the base of the plug, 9V DC through the 5K resistor to the
> middle
> and the mic positive to the tip.  It works but my reports with the K2 have
> not been very good.  I also made up an adapter for my Drake TR7 and
> reports
> on that rig are fine.
> Am I doing something wrong with the K2?  I know little about electret mics
> and maybe I am using too much voltage or the wrong resistor.  Any help
> would
> be greatly appreciated.
> If I can't get it to work the headset was only about $15 shipped so no big
> deal.
>
> 73 Bill NZ0T
> --
> View this message in context:
> http://www.nabble.com/Help-with-cheap-headset-and-K2-tp17308871p17308871.html
> Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
>
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[NZ0T]

Well understood Steve!  LOL

n4lq wrote

Bill
My warranty only covers use with the K3. :*)
Steve Ellington
[e-mail]
 Version: 8.0.100 / Virus Database: 269.23.20/1453 - Release Date: 5/18/2008
9:31 AM

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[oe9fwv]

hi Bill,

I have tried a Plantronics Computer Headset in the past with my K2.
I made an adapter like you did but with the internal 5V bias.
Audio reports were worse than with the dynamic Kenwood microphone I
used before.
I tried this special microphone because G4ILO recommended it on his
homepage. (http://www.g4ilo.com/k2_headset.html). I had hoped that I could
make better use of the VOX in the K2, but it was not good enough for my
low voice.
In the meantime I connected it to the K3 and listened to myself and now I
know why the reports were bad. The frequency response of the microphone
is not good for this purpose.
In the K3 I could compensate it with the equalizer, but together with the K2
you are probably lost.
Now I am waiting for the Sennheiser PC 150 now, maybe this is better.
My usual headset is the Heil Proset with HC5 element. The reason why I am
looking for an alternative is the weight of the Heil headset and the earpads
make a pressure on the arms of my glasses and this hurts after some time.

73! de Werner
OE9FWV



On 18 May 2008 at 16:06, nz0t wrote:

>
> Just for grins I bought a cheap Cyber Acoustics computer headset to
> use with my K3 when it arrives.  Others have said they got good
> reports with their K3 and this headset which uses an electret mic and
> a 3.5MM stereo mini plug. Not wanting to cut off the plug which fits
> into the back of the K3 I made up an adapter for my K2 using an inline
> stereo jack, an 8 pin mike plug and a 9 volt battery through a 5K
> resistor to power the mic.  My K2 is wired for the Kenwood mics and I
> don't want to power the mic from the rig.  I wired the grounds to the
> base of the plug, 9V DC through the 5K resistor to the middle and the
> mic positive to the tip.  It works but my reports with the K2 have not
> been very good.  I also made up an adapter for my Drake TR7 and
> reports on that rig are fine. Am I doing something wrong with the K2?
> I know little about electret mics and maybe I am using too much
> voltage or the wrong resistor.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.
> If I can't get it to work the headset was only about $15 shipped so no
> big deal.
>

--  
Genetic Engineering Splits Scientists



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[Daniel Schlieper]

Hi Werner,

maybe you could use a cheap headset and  optimise the frequency response?

Here are some ideas about using cheap lightweight computer headsets:
http://www.qrpforum.de/thread.php?threadid=3068
(This discussion is in German).

73 Daniel M0ERA

--
Oxted, Surrey, UK
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