[AMRadio] Dreaded D-104

[Rob Atkinson]

they probably sound "tinny" when they are mismatched for the rig's
audio input stage.

My recommendation is go to hamfests looking for D104s.   But not any
one.  ignore the ones with coiled cords, preamps in the base, gold
leaf, "special editions," and "eagles" and look for the oldest
crustiest ones you can find.  They are pretty easy to take apart and
clean up.  If they lack PTT that's even better.   At the Indianapolis
Hamfest last summer there must have been at least 30 of them for sale.
 It seemed every other table had at least one; many had half a dozen.
If you find an old one it might go for 20 bucks.  That's probably your
best bet for finding a ceramic old Astatic high Z element.  Obviously
you'll have to buy more than one unless you get lucky.
That's the only way I know of.  I tried buying a vintage 10 meg xtal
element tape recorder mic and doing a transplant but you get into
issues trying to get a non-D104 element to fit and it usually doesn't
work out.  I wound up breaking the cartridge I had trying to get it to
fit.

Rob
K5UJ