[Elecraft] RE: "Mic for K3" (was #309 first issues)

[starmike at bellsouth.net]

Hi Joe,

I had a QSO with VP6DX last night on 17m and the K3s sounde great.  I can't wait to get mine.

73, Mike, N4GW
awaiting my K3

-------------- Original message from "Joe Stofko" <w1aiu at snet.net>: -------------- 


> Hi Gary... 
> 
> Right you are... I stand corrected ! The MC60 
> does play well with the K3... I've also used my 
> Behringer B1 to a Behringer UB802 mixer and then to 
> the line input on the rear panel. BTW - It took a bit 
> of fiddling to get the TX audio shaped the way I wanted 
> it. It is still lacking at the low end... but it is 
> extremely clean... no compression/processor pumping, etc. 
> I like a "fuller" sound for rag-chewing... but out of 
> the box the K3 TX audio is perfect for contesting and 
> DX chasing... Give a listen to the gang on Ducie Island, 
> VP6DX... The K3's sound great. 
> 
> 73, 
> Joe - W1AIU 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message----- 
> From: Gary Hvizdak [mailto:garyhvizdak at cfl.rr.com] 
> Sent: Wednesday, February 13, 2008 1:34 AM 
> To: w1aiu at snet.net 
> Cc: k4vud at hotmail.com; elecraft at mailman.qth.net 
> Subject: RE: "Mic for K3" (was #309 first issues) 
> 
> On Tue 12 Feb 2008 22:42:18 EST Joe Stofko (W1AIU) wrote ... 
> 
> -Front mic socket not compatible with any other mfg. that I can find. 
> 
> Actually, it is!.. and it is well documented.. the front panel mic connector 
> conforms to the Kenwood pin-out. I am using a Kenwood MC-60 on my K3 (#269) 
> with no modifications and no problems. 
> 
> -- 
> 
> As Don has already stated the Kenwood standard wants power (+5V ~ +8V) 
> on pin-5, whereas the K3 Elecraft standard has FUNC on pin-5 and what 
> Elecraft calls "bias" on pin-6. 
> 
> See < http://elecraft.com/K3/K3FAQ.1.jpg > for the K3 pin-out and 
> < http://homepage.ntlworld.com/rg4wpw/kwood.jpg > for the Kenwood pin-out. 
> 
> If this < http://homepage.ntlworld.com/rg4wpw/kwoodcompat.pdf > partial 
> Kenwood microphone compatibility table is correct, one can rule out plug- 
> compatible interoperability of many Kenwood mics with the K3, based solely 
> on the fact that they have an Electret element. 
> 
> From the available information, it appears that your MC-60 and just two 
> other Kenwood mics (the MC-42 and MC-43) are the only 8-pin round connector 
> models that will work with the K3 without some sort of adaptor to swap pins 
> 5 and 6. 
> 
> My conclusions are based on available information. There may be addi- 
> tional Kenwood mics that will simply plug in and work properly with the K3. 
> 
> 73, 
> Gary KI4GGX 
> K3 S/N TBD 
> 
> P.S. I don't see this issue as a good reason to sell the K3! 
> 
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