[Elecraft] George's headset mod messages

Sat Feb 15 12:59:01 2003

Here Fellers.  Knew I'd kept them around.

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Date:   Fri, 8 Mar 2002 20:23:57 -0600
From: George Franklin <[email protected]>
To: "Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion" <[email protected]>
Subject: Ref. El Cheapo  Headset for K2

Hi Fellow K2ers,

If you have wanted to use a headset for SSB but didn't want to spend $50
to $100 bucks here is an inexpensive way to go.

Radio Shack has currently on sale (half price) computer headset PN
33-1107 for $9.98.
Other headsets would very likely work just as well, but I haven't tried
any except this one.

Add a tantalum cap (I used 0.1uF) and a resistor (I used a 560 ohm 1/4 W)
inside the RS 8-pin mike plug (PN 274-025) and you have an excellent
headset for about $15.00.

Use the 3.5mm plug as is into the K2 headphone jack.

Cut off the 2.5mm (mike) plug and wire the RS 8-pin as follows:

                           A.  Mike lead through the tantalum cap to pin
1 on the 8-pin.
                                          (positive side of cap to mike
side of the cap)
                           B.  Resistor from pin 5 of 8-pin to pin 1.

                           C.  Shield to pin 7 of 8-pin

The above assumes you have wired your K2 to be "Kenwood compatible."
If not, consult your K2 manual for proper pins to use.

Be sure to insulate the components with plastic tape before sliding them
inside the 8-pin plugs housing to avoid shorts.

I've been receiving glowing TX audio reports and the K2 RX audio sounds
great.

A friend told me my Heil Gold Line mike (which I normally used) really
sounded great on the K2.  Then I told him it was the el cheapo unit!

This setup keys the K2's VOX very nicely.

Try it; you'll like it.

FWIW.

72/73/74 de George/W0AV
Hamming since '35
SOC#101, COG#1, PITA (# TBA)

Date:   Fri, 8 Mar 2002 20:36:51 -0600
From: George Franklin <[email protected]>
To: "Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion" <[email protected]>
Subject: Ref. CORRECTION to El Cheapo Headset for K2

Hi K2'ers,

I had a senior moment when I typed the wiring instructions for the
headset.

The resistor must connect (inside the 8-pin connector housing) to the
mike side of the tantalum capacitor, NOT TO PIN ONE (which is the radio
side).

The resistor is obviously required to provide operating voltage for the
electret microphone element and must therefore be connected as above.

Sorry about that.

Hey, no body's perfect, not even an old QRPer.

72/73/74 de George/W0AV
SOC#101, COG#1, PITA (# TBA)

Gary Lee
kb9zuv

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