K3 Microphone Choices
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Hi Guys, I am looking at purchasing a new K3 but am unsure of what would be a good microphone to use. I currently have a Kenwood TS-480s with their standard handheld mike plus I have an older TS-940s with a desk mike. I would think that neither one of these microphones would work on the K3. Any help would be appreciated. Mark KB3Z. ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
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Mark,
The K3 microphone pinout is "Kenwood compatible" - but that does not mean it is exactly equal. Pins 5 and 6 are differnet between the two. If the Kenwood microphones under consideration do not have any connections to either pins 5 or 6 at the microphone plug, then it is quite likely to work fine. If the microphone you intend to use has a connection to pin 5 or pin 6, then you will have to resolve the source of voltage for the microphone. Kenwood puts +8V on pin 5 where Elecraft puts +8V on pin 6. 73, Don W3FPR On 9/28/2010 9:50 PM, [hidden email] wrote: > Hi Guys, I am looking at purchasing a new K3 but am unsure of what would be a good microphone to use. I currently have a Kenwood TS-480s with their standard handheld mike plus I have an older TS-940s with a desk mike. I would think that neither one of these microphones would work on the K3. Any help would be appreciated. Mark KB3Z. > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:[hidden email] > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
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In reply to this post by pastormg
* On 2010 28 Sep 20:52 -0500, [hidden email] wrote:
> > Hi Guys, I am looking at purchasing a new K3 but am unsure of what would be a good microphone to use. I currently have a Kenwood TS-480s with their standard handheld mike plus I have an older TS-940s with a desk mike. I would think that neither one of these microphones would work on the K3. Any help would be appreciated. Mark KB3Z. Mark, my research revealed that the K3's mic jack is almost compatible with Kenwood mics, at least it's compatible with my Heil adapter I had for a TS-850S (only four pins needed). Per the '850 and K3 manuals, pins 5 and 6 are swapped on the K3 with 8V being present on pin 6 instead of pin 5 as with the '850S. HTH, 73, de Nate >> -- "The optimist proclaims that we live in the best of all possible worlds. The pessimist fears this is true." Ham radio, Linux, bikes, and more: http://n0nb.us/index.html ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
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In reply to this post by pastormg
This may be a stupid question, but why are you trying to make one of those mics work? Almost any inexpensive electret microphone will work great with the K3. I've tried four different computer headsets (microphone and earphones) and each one has produced terrific audio based upon literally dozens of on-the-air reports (both stateside and DX), listening to the K3 internal monitor, and recording myself from a secondary receiver in the shack. The headset I'm using right now only cost $10 and comes with a 3.5 mm connector that plugs directly into the rear mic jack with no modifications necessary. The ONLY Elecraft purchase I've ever regretted buying was the MH-2 mic ... it works fine but is totally unnecessary. 73, Dave AB7E On 9/28/2010 6:50 PM, [hidden email] wrote: > Hi Guys, I am looking at purchasing a new K3 but am unsure of what would be a good microphone to use. I currently have a Kenwood TS-480s with their standard handheld mike plus I have an older TS-940s with a desk mike. I would think that neither one of these microphones would work on the K3. Any help would be appreciated. Mark KB3Z. > ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
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Yes, this cheap thing worked for me like a charm. A 5€ micrphone and some homebrewing did it. Sorry, but my web page is only in spanish. http://ea1abz.ure.es/microk3/microk3.html I hace estimated a 19.6 € cost for this mic. Good luck ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
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In reply to this post by pastormg
Thanks Don. I will need to check that out. Mark KB3Z
Sep 28, 2010 10:18:04 PM, [hidden email] wrote: > Mark, > >The K3 microphone pinout is "Kenwood compatible" - but that does not > >mean it is exactly equal. Pins 5 and 6 are differnet between the two. >If the Kenwood microphones under consideration do not have any >connections to either pins 5 or 6 at the microphone plug, then it is >quite likely to work fine. If the microphone you intend to use has a >connection to pin 5 or pin 6, then you will have to resolve the source >of voltage for the microphone. Kenwood puts +8V on pin 5 where Elecraft >puts +8V on pin 6. > >73, >Don W3FPR > >On 9/28/2010 9:50 PM, [hidden email] wrote: >> Hi Guys, I am looking at purchasing a new K3 but am unsure of what would >be a good microphone to use. I currently have a Kenwood TS-480s with their standard >handheld mike plus I have an older TS-940s with a desk mike. I would think that >neither one of these microphones would work on the K3. Any help would be appreciated. > Mark KB3Z. >> ______________________________________________________________ >> Elecraft mailing list >> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >> Post: mailto:[hidden email] >> >> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net >> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html >> > Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
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In reply to this post by David Gilbert
* On 2010 28 Sep 22:54 -0500, David Gilbert wrote:
> > This may be a stupid question, but why are you trying to make one of > those mics work? Because we already have a mic we like on hand? That seems to me to be a reasonable reason. (BTW, when the fifth word of a post is "stupid", however it is intended, it is difficult to put the rest of a post in the context of being helpful. Better would be to write, "Perhaps I don't understand, ...") > Almost any inexpensive electret microphone will work > great with the K3. I've tried four different computer headsets > (microphone and earphones) and each one has produced terrific audio > based upon literally dozens of on-the-air reports (both stateside and > DX), listening to the K3 internal monitor, and recording myself from a > secondary receiver in the shack. The headset I'm using right now only > cost $10 and comes with a 3.5 mm connector that plugs directly into the > rear mic jack with no modifications necessary. Good for you. I prefer a desk mic like my Yaesu MD-100A8X and am only interested in wearing a headset when I need it and then I have a Heil Proset Micro for those occasions. > The ONLY Elecraft purchase I've ever regretted buying was the MH-2 mic > ... it works fine but is totally unnecessary. As I already have a desk mic, I did not order the hand mic either. Should I decide to use the K3 of Field Day or some such, I'll probably consider a hand mic at that time. Technical advice is always welcome. I think we should strive to avoid opining on the choices of others unless there is a clear rules violation or would lead to improper on the air operation. Amateur radio is a free form hobby and there is room for all sorts of mic and filter choices. 73, de Nate >> -- "The optimist proclaims that we live in the best of all possible worlds. The pessimist fears this is true." Ham radio, Linux, bikes, and more: http://n0nb.us/index.html ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
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IMHO Kenwood mikes are better than Icom. If one uses the back connections, one needs to have a separate PTT connection or use VOC. I use a foot switch. With connection in front, everything can be connected altogether.
As everyone says, almost any mic can be equalized in K3. The difference comes with heavy processing, which is well implemented in K3 and very effective in pileups. Different mics have different noise level, some of them very high. From mics I tried, Heil HC-5 has the lowest noise and also sounds well without any equalization. Ignacy |
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In reply to this post by pastormg
Mark, > I currently have a Kenwood TS-480s with their standard handheld mike The hand held mic from the TS-480 will not work without a change in the connector (it uses an "RJ-45" connector). > plus I have an older TS-940s with a desk mike. Most desk mics that are used with a TS-940 will work with the K3. The exceptions are the MC-55, MC-60A, MC-80, MC-85 which use +8V on pin 5. The externally powered Kenwood desk mics can be used with the K3 by moving the wire on pin 5 to pin 6 in the 8 pin mic plug (or using batteries). Most non-Kenwood mics used with the TS-940 were dynamic and will work with the K3 with no modification. 73, ... Joe, W4TV >> On 9/28/2010 9:50 PM, [hidden email] wrote: >>> Hi Guys, I am looking at purchasing a new K3 but am unsure of what would >> be a good microphone to use. I currently have a Kenwood TS-480s with their standard >> handheld mike plus I have an older TS-940s with a desk mike. I would think that >> neither one of these microphones would work on the K3. Any help would be appreciated. >> Mark KB3Z. ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
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In reply to this post by Nate Bargmann
You got it all backwards, Nate. I said "stupid" in reference ONLY to the question I was asking because I honestly figured I must be missing some obvious reason why he would take the trouble to rework a microphone, potentially spending half the cost of a new computer mic buying a different connector/adapter for the old mic. I even checked to see if his preference was a hand mic versus a desk mic, but since he spoke about one of each that didn't seem to be the issue. And since a hand mic and a desk mic are clearly different, having a "mic we like on hand" didn't seem likely to be the issue either. I have an Icom mic that I liked and it still works fine, but after seeing how easily the K3 accepts a standard, inexpensive, universally available computer mic available in almost every imaginable configuration from desk mic to hand mic to lapel mic it would never occur to me to spend the effort to modify an old one that almost certainly wouldn't work any better. But I'm not him, so I simply asked what to him might appear to be a stupid question, and I tried to let him know up front that I acknowledged the possibility of it being so. Thanks for the advice on how to wordsmith my posts, though. 73, Dave AB7E On 9/29/2010 5:08 AM, Nate Bargmann wrote: > * On 2010 28 Sep 22:54 -0500, David Gilbert wrote: >> This may be a stupid question, but why are you trying to make one of >> those mics work? > Because we already have a mic we like on hand? That seems to me to be a > reasonable reason. (BTW, when the fifth word of a post is "stupid", > however it is intended, it is difficult to put the rest of a post in > the context of being helpful. Better would be to write, "Perhaps I don't > understand, ...") > >> Almost any inexpensive electret microphone will work >> great with the K3. I've tried four different computer headsets >> (microphone and earphones) and each one has produced terrific audio >> based upon literally dozens of on-the-air reports (both stateside and >> DX), listening to the K3 internal monitor, and recording myself from a >> secondary receiver in the shack. The headset I'm using right now only >> cost $10 and comes with a 3.5 mm connector that plugs directly into the >> rear mic jack with no modifications necessary. > Good for you. I prefer a desk mic like my Yaesu MD-100A8X and am only > interested in wearing a headset when I need it and then I have a Heil > Proset Micro for those occasions. > >> The ONLY Elecraft purchase I've ever regretted buying was the MH-2 mic >> ... it works fine but is totally unnecessary. > As I already have a desk mic, I did not order the hand mic either. > Should I decide to use the K3 of Field Day or some such, I'll probably > consider a hand mic at that time. > > Technical advice is always welcome. I think we should strive to avoid > opining on the choices of others unless there is a clear rules violation > or would lead to improper on the air operation. Amateur radio is a free > form hobby and there is room for all sorts of mic and filter choices. > > 73, de Nate>> > Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
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* On 2010 29 Sep 11:47 -0500, David Gilbert wrote:
> > You got it all backwards, Nate. I said "stupid" in reference ONLY to > the question I was asking because I honestly figured I must be missing > some obvious reason why he would take the trouble to rework a > microphone, potentially spending half the cost of a new computer mic > buying a different connector/adapter for the old mic. Duly noted. :-) > Thanks for the advice on how to wordsmith my posts, though. Glad I could help. ;-) I suppose it never really occured to me to use a computer mic in an RF environment due to the possibility of a poorly shielded cable allowing RF into the transmitted audio. Evidently that hasn't been an issue at your shack (which is good) but some folks do seem to fight that issue. For my part, the junk box had everything I needed as the MD-100 has two jacks on the base, one an 8P8C and the other an 8 pin round. The supplied cable has an 8P8C plug and 8 pin round plug at either end so it can be used with certain Yaesu rigs that have either the 8P8C jack or 8 pin round jack. I made up a cable with an 8 pin round at each end, one wired for the MD-100 and the other for the K3. Should I want to use the mic with my FT-890 or another Yaesu radio, I can pull the stock cable out of the drawer and plug it in and away I go. It should be a very flexible solution for me. 73, de Nate >> -- "The optimist proclaims that we live in the best of all possible worlds. The pessimist fears this is true." Ham radio, Linux, bikes, and more: http://n0nb.us/index.html ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
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In reply to this post by Joe Subich, W4TV-4
I use a Radio Shack dynamic mic I picked up on Ebay for $15 NIB. I mounted it on an old lamp boom and it works great. I also have an MH2 and have used a couple of other hand mics all with good reports. The K3 equalizer allows just about any mic to work well.
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