[Elecraft] Desk Mike for the K3 Question

[Don Wilhelm]

Lee,

I use an Elecraft MD2, but you can't get them anymore.  I also have an 
old D-104 microphone that had a damaged crystal element in it - I 
replaced the element with a Heil HC-5 and a bunch of foam some time 
ago.  The mic plug is wired to mate with the Elecraft pinout.  Heil has 
a conversion kit for the D-104 that you may be interested in.

The later D-104s were amplified, and any of those will work with the K3 
if the plug is wired properly.
Most any desk microphone can be wired to use the Elecraft pinout, it 
does not even have to be a ham type if you use VOX or take care of the 
PTT with a footswitch.  Heil has several other microphone solutions and 
mic stands - some are quite nice, but expensive.

You may also want to look at the Ten-Tec PN 708 and 709 microphones 
(those two have a 4 pin plug, so you have to find an 8 pin elsewhere), 
or the 708A and 709A which come with an 8 pin plug, but the plug must be 
re-wired to work with the K3.  The 711 is a desk stand that is usable 
with the 709 and 709A mics.
Those looking for an inexpensive hand mic could consider the TenTec 701 
or 701A - the same thing goes for re-wiring the plug.

There are many, many other choices, but for most of those choices, plan 
to change the mic plug, or if it already is an 8 pin, plan to re-wire it 
for the Elecraft pinout. With the built-in K3 TX EQ, you can tailor the 
audio response of most any microphone to your liking.

Then at the high end, one can always use a ProAudio microphone along 
with an external mixer and feed the K3 line-in with the line level 
output from the mixer.

At the low end of the scale, find a desk type computer microphone (those 
are usually electret types), turn on the bias for the rear mic jack and 
plug it in - you have to make other arrangements for PTT if that is 
desired, but several K3 owners have reported good to great success with 
those mics.  Or see the "Shower Head" microphone featured in QST for 
November - that woks too (but looks ugly IMHO).

Be creative.

73,
Don W3FPR

Lee Buller wrote:
>
> Ladies "n" Gents....
>
> I use my Heil Headphones HC-4 most of the time for SSB operation, but 
> I was wondering what people use for a Desk Mike for the K3.  I don't 
> have one if the Heil set goes bad.  I thought I would pick something 
> up.  What are you using if anything?
>
> Lee - K0WA
>
>
>