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Microphone/Headset for K3S

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Juliean Galak

Microphone/Headset for K3S

I'm a new ham, just licensed a few months ago, and am planning on a K3S as
my first HF radio. To that end, I'm a bit confused by the issue of
headphones/microphones. Specifically, what kind of plugs do I need to use?

For example, I have an excellent, high-quality, computer headset with
mike. Can I use it? It has the standard PC 1/8" jacks, so I assume I'd
need some sort of adapters. For headphones, that's likely just a 1/8"
stereo to 1/4" stereo adapter, right? But what about for the mike? And
how do I add a PTT pedal or switch?

Thanks,

--
Juliean Galak
[hidden email]
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Mike Reublin NF4L

Re: Microphone/Headset for K3S

Hi Juliean -

Welcome to the hobby. You're starting off with the best. Yes, you can use your computer headset. The K3s has an 8-band equalizer for both receive and transmit, so with a bit of tinkering, you can get excellent sound.

My headset came with 1/8 plugs for both mic and phones. I plug them into the jacks on the back panel. No adapters needed. And I'm not continually bumping them. A foot switch plugs into the 1/4" jack labeled "PTT In" on the back panel.

73, Mike NF4L

> On Dec 18, 2015, at 2:58 PM, Juliean Galak <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> I'm a new ham, just licensed a few months ago, and am planning on a K3S as
> my first HF radio. To that end, I'm a bit confused by the issue of
> headphones/microphones. Specifically, what kind of plugs do I need to use?
>
> For example, I have an excellent, high-quality, computer headset with
> mike. Can I use it? It has the standard PC 1/8" jacks, so I assume I'd
> need some sort of adapters. For headphones, that's likely just a 1/8"
> stereo to 1/4" stereo adapter, right? But what about for the mike? And
> how do I add a PTT pedal or switch?
>
> Thanks,
>
> --
> Juliean Galak
> [hidden email]
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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
> Message delivered to [hidden email]

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Bill Frantz

Re: Microphone/Headset for K3S

Welcome to the hobby. Mike has it exactly right about the K3S.

With an adapter, you can use the front panel jack for the
headphones. Using it makes it easy to switch to the internal
speaker when you want to. (Just unplug the 1/4 inch adapter.)

73 Bill AE6JV

On 12/18/15 at 1:02 PM, [hidden email] (Mike Reublin NF4L) wrote:

>Hi Juliean -
>
>Welcome to the hobby. You're starting off with the best. Yes,
>you can use your computer headset. The K3s has an 8-band
>equalizer for both receive and transmit, so with a bit of
>tinkering, you can get excellent sound.
>
>My headset came with 1/8 plugs for both mic and phones. I plug
>them into the jacks on the back panel. No adapters needed. And
>I'm not continually bumping them. A foot switch plugs into the
>1/4" jack labeled "PTT In" on the back panel.
>
>73, Mike NF4L
>
>
>>On Dec 18, 2015, at 2:58 PM, Juliean Galak <[hidden email]> wrote:
>>
>>I'm a new ham, just licensed a few months ago, and am planning on a K3S as
>>my first HF radio. To that end, I'm a bit confused by the issue of
>>headphones/microphones. Specifically, what kind of plugs do I need to use?
>>
>>For example, I have an excellent, high-quality, computer headset with
>>mike. Can I use it? It has the standard PC 1/8" jacks, so I assume I'd
>>need some sort of adapters. For headphones, that's likely just a 1/8"
>>stereo to 1/4" stereo adapter, right? But what about for the mike? And
>>how do I add a PTT pedal or switch?

Cady, Fred-2

Re: Microphone/Headset for K3S

Lots of us program a function key (PF1) to toggle between SPKR+PH On and Off.
73,
Fred KE7X

________________________________________
From: Elecraft <[hidden email]> on behalf of Bill Frantz <[hidden email]>
Sent: Friday, December 18, 2015 3:29 PM
To: Juliean Galak
Cc: Elecraft List
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Microphone/Headset for K3S

Welcome to the hobby. Mike has it exactly right about the K3S.

With an adapter, you can use the front panel jack for the
headphones. Using it makes it easy to switch to the internal
speaker when you want to. (Just unplug the 1/4 inch adapter.)

73 Bill AE6JV

On 12/18/15 at 1:02 PM, [hidden email] (Mike Reublin NF4L) wrote:

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Bill Frantz |Security, like correctness, is| Periwinkle
(408)356-8506 |not an add-on feature. - Attr-| 16345
Englewood Ave
www.pwpconsult.com |ibuted to Andrew Tanenbaum | Los Gatos,
CA 95032

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______________________________________________________________
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Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
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Mike Reublin NF4L

Re: Microphone/Headset for K3S

In reply to this post by Bill Frantz

I have PF1 programmed to toggle spkr+phones, phones are on all the time.

73, Mike NF4L

> On Dec 18, 2015, at 5:29 PM, Bill Frantz <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> Welcome to the hobby. Mike has it exactly right about the K3S.
>
> With an adapter, you can use the front panel jack for the headphones. Using it makes it easy to switch to the internal speaker when you want to. (Just unplug the 1/4 inch adapter.)
>
> 73 Bill AE6JV
>
> On 12/18/15 at 1:02 PM, [hidden email] (Mike Reublin NF4L) wrote:
>
>> Hi Juliean -
>>
>> Welcome to the hobby. You're starting off with the best. Yes, you can use your computer headset. The K3s has an 8-band equalizer for both receive and transmit, so with a bit of tinkering, you can get excellent sound.
>>
>> My headset came with 1/8 plugs for both mic and phones. I plug them into the jacks on the back panel. No adapters needed. And I'm not continually bumping them. A foot switch plugs into the 1/4" jack labeled "PTT In" on the back panel.
>>
>> 73, Mike NF4L
>>
>>
>>> On Dec 18, 2015, at 2:58 PM, Juliean Galak <[hidden email]> wrote:
>>>
>>> I'm a new ham, just licensed a few months ago, and am planning on a K3S as
>>> my first HF radio. To that end, I'm a bit confused by the issue of
>>> headphones/microphones. Specifically, what kind of plugs do I need to use?
>>>
>>> For example, I have an excellent, high-quality, computer headset with
>>> mike. Can I use it? It has the standard PC 1/8" jacks, so I assume I'd
>>> need some sort of adapters. For headphones, that's likely just a 1/8"
>>> stereo to 1/4" stereo adapter, right? But what about for the mike? And
>>> how do I add a PTT pedal or switch?
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
> Bill Frantz |Security, like correctness, is| Periwinkle
> (408)356-8506 |not an add-on feature. - Attr-| 16345 Englewood Ave
> www.pwpconsult.com |ibuted to Andrew Tanenbaum | Los Gatos, CA 95032
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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
> Message delivered to [hidden email]

Joe Subich, W4TV-4

Re: Microphone/Headset for K3S

In reply to this post by Juliean Galak

> For example, I have an excellent, high-quality, computer headset with
> mike. Can I use it?

Yes, you will likely need to have bias on for whichever mic jack you
use.

> It has the standard PC 1/8" jacks, so I assume I'd need some sort of
> adapters. But what about for the mike? And how do I add a PTT pedal
> or switch?

You can either plug it directly into the 3.5mm jacks on the rear panel
and program a function key (typically PF1) to turn the speaker(s) On/Off
or you can use an 1/8" to 1/4" adapter for the headphones and a Heil
AD1-K (Kenwood) adapter to connect the mic to the front panel (Foster)
mic jack. You could also build your own equivalent of the AD1-K with
an 8 pin mic plug and a couple in-line female jacks for the 1/8" mic
plug and PTT.

73,

... Joe, W4TV

On 12/18/2015 2:58 PM, Juliean Galak wrote:

> I'm a new ham, just licensed a few months ago, and am planning on a K3S as
> my first HF radio. To that end, I'm a bit confused by the issue of
> headphones/microphones. Specifically, what kind of plugs do I need to use?
>
> For example, I have an excellent, high-quality, computer headset with
> mike. Can I use it? It has the standard PC 1/8" jacks, so I assume I'd
> need some sort of adapters. For headphones, that's likely just a 1/8"
> stereo to 1/4" stereo adapter, right? But what about for the mike? And
> how do I add a PTT pedal or switch?
>
> Thanks,
>