[Elecraft] MH2 Microphone audio quality

[Don Wilhelm]

  Roy,

With the Elecraft MH2, set the Mic Gain to 1 and the compression as you 
desire, but I like to use 3:1 for normal operation.  Watch the bargraph 
to see an indication of your peak power output - the peaks should be 
somewhere near the power requested level.

I usually find with any microphone on the K2, the compression needs to 
be advanced to obtain the proper leak power output.

Try it with your MH2 and see what the reports are.  Better yet, operate 
into a dully load and couple another receiver with a short wire antenna 
so you have about an S-9 signal - then record the audio output and 
evaluate the results.  Unless you are well acquainted with the operator 
on the other end, on-the-air reports of quality can be taken with a 
"grain of salt".

Did you purchase this K2 used, and/or do you know what is inside it?  
What I am asking is if any mods have been made to the KSB2 option, or 
maybe a mic preamp has been installed.  There have been several 
non-Elecraft mods to the KSB2, and some will work with the MH2 
microphone while others could cause distortion.

73,
Don W3FPR


On 2/25/2011 6:42 PM, Leroy Marion wrote:
> I just purchased a MH2 to use with K2.  I'm getting reports of 5/9 but with
> some distortion or "rattle" audio with mic gain on 1.
> If I try other mics, I get clean audio reports but way down in signal
> strength. The resistor is installed and jumpers there.
> A Kenwood dynamic mike wired for K2 gets the best audio quality report, but
> with mic gain on 3, I barely put out any power.
> Did I get a bad one or I am I doing something wrong?  What is the ideal
> impedance? I guess you need to use power required
> mics only?
>                                                    Thanks, Roy AB7CE
> I
>