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microphone issue on K3

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sp5apw

microphone issue on K3

Today, during mobile operation on battery powered K3 I experienced a
modulation problem. When I started to transmit my signal became over
modulated (even mic gain was low) and I didn't hear my voice in headphones
(I have switched on voice monitoring) but heard noise. Even in case when I
stopped to talk (but PTT was pushed) the signal was still over modulated by
noise. Only in case when PTT was pushed by I didn't started to talk the
transmission wasn't modulated. But as soon as I started to talk it started
to be transmit noise. On the beginning I taught that my mic was
out-of-order but I tried to use computer mic connected to rear mic socket
(of course I changed configuration :) to rear mic) but the problem appeared
again. So, it means that this is not a mic issue but a damage of the rig.
May somebody advise what to do? Sorry for my poor English.
Jacek SP5APW
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M0XDF

Re: microphone issue on K3

Did you check the battery voltage? This sound rather like a problem I experienced when on an adjustable PSU - I later found the voltage from the PSU was low (although I haven't yet checked the K3 is still ok).
73 de David, M0XDF (K3 #174, P3 #108)

On 29 Dec 2012, at 15:54, sp5apw wrote:

> Today, during mobile operation on battery powered K3 I experienced a
> modulation problem. When I started to transmit my signal became over
> modulated (even mic gain was low) and I didn't hear my voice in headphones
> (I have switched on voice monitoring) but heard noise. Even in case when I
> stopped to talk (but PTT was pushed) the signal was still over modulated by
> noise. Only in case when PTT was pushed by I didn't started to talk the
> transmission wasn't modulated. But as soon as I started to talk it started
> to be transmit noise. On the beginning I taught that my mic was
> out-of-order but I tried to use computer mic connected to rear mic socket
> (of course I changed configuration :) to rear mic) but the problem appeared
> again. So, it means that this is not a mic issue but a damage of the rig.
> May somebody advise what to do? Sorry for my poor English.
> Jacek SP5APW

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Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

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sp5apw

Re: microphone issue on K3

David,
Thanks for quick answer!
I operated using car battery. Voltage was about 12.3V and during
transmition sometimes decreased to 11.x. But in October I have been using
also 12V battery working a few hours from the beach and had no problem.
However thank you so much for your advise. I will check tonight how it will
behave when I use a power supply. By the way - the issue appered after a
few QSOs. I am very angry because I heard on my car mobile antenna many DX
station with reports 59+ (e.g. VK3LPG, VK8GM, RW3LG/mm - operating form
Indian Ocean) and couldn't call them. I came for a short visit to 5B land
and I am not able to use my radio :(.
Best 73 & HNY!
Jacek SP5APW

2012/12/29 David Ferrington, M0XDF <[hidden email]>

> Did you check the battery voltage? This sound rather like a problem I
> experienced when on an adjustable PSU - I later found the voltage from the
> PSU was low (although I haven't yet checked the K3 is still ok).
> 73 de David, M0XDF (K3 #174, P3 #108)
>
> On 29 Dec 2012, at 15:54, sp5apw wrote:
>
> > Today, during mobile operation on battery powered K3 I experienced a
> > modulation problem. When I started to transmit my signal became over
> > modulated (even mic gain was low) and I didn't hear my voice in
> headphones
> > (I have switched on voice monitoring) but heard noise. Even in case when
> I
> > stopped to talk (but PTT was pushed) the signal was still over modulated
> by
> > noise. Only in case when PTT was pushed by I didn't started to talk the
> > transmission wasn't modulated. But as soon as I started to talk it
> started
> > to be transmit noise. On the beginning I taught that my mic was
> > out-of-order but I tried to use computer mic connected to rear mic socket
> > (of course I changed configuration :) to rear mic) but the problem
> appeared
> > again. So, it means that this is not a mic issue but a damage of the rig.
> > May somebody advise what to do? Sorry for my poor English.
> > Jacek SP5APW
>
>

OE5CSP-Chris

Re: microphone issue on K3

In reply to this post by sp5apw

Dear Jacek,

Maybe rf is getting into the microphone.I had exactly the same problems here!!
There is a wonderful article in the latest issue of German´s FUNKAMATEUR.
I´m using the Heil MH2 microphone and I had always problems on 40m with rf getting into the microphone.
The modification is very easy:
Solder a ground strap (I used a "ground strap" for desoldering), to the ground connection of the microphone and connect it to the metal housing of the microphone connector.
This solved all my problems.
You can find the whole story in the December issue on page 1280.Hope that helps.
73,Chris-OE5CSP

tnnyswy

Re: microphone issue on K3

In reply to this post by sp5apw

You may be having problems with " Common Mode Current "
Tell us about your Antenna setup!
1) Type of Antenna?
2) Are you using any Balun/Choke at the feed point?

Here is a good site for setting up your Mobile .... www.k0bg.com

Happy Trails!

(((73))) Milverton.

>________________________________
> From: sp5apw <[hidden email]>
>To: [hidden email]
>Sent: Saturday, December 29, 2012 9:54 AM
>Subject: [Elecraft] microphone issue on K3
>
>Today, during mobile operation on battery powered K3 I experienced a
>modulation problem. When I started to transmit my signal became over
>modulated (even mic gain was low) and I didn't hear my voice in headphones
>(I have switched on voice monitoring) but heard noise. Even in case when I
>stopped to talk (but PTT was pushed) the signal was still over modulated by
>noise. Only in case when PTT was pushed by I didn't started to talk the
>transmission wasn't modulated. But as soon as I started to talk it started
>to be transmit noise. On the beginning I taught that my mic was
>out-of-order but I tried to use computer mic connected to rear mic socket
>(of course I changed configuration :) to rear mic) but the problem appeared
>again. So, it means that this is not a mic issue but a damage of the rig.
>May somebody advise what to do? Sorry for my poor English.
>Jacek SP5APW
>______________________________________________________________
>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
>
>
>