[Elecraft] [K3] Mic Experimentation with Kenwood MC-60

[Joe Subich, W4TV]

Phil,

The K3 provides voltage on pin 6 but the MC-60 expects
 > voltage on pin 5.  What I don't understand is IF I were to rewire
 > this so that the voltage was placed on pin 5 (I assume I would do
 > this within the base itself and not rewire the actual connector) then
 > do I create a problem for the K3??  I am assuming that I would have
 > to make sure that pin 5 was NOT connected to anything but that I took
 > the pin 6 voltage offered by the K3 and route it to whatever pin 5
 > was hooked up to.

I have sent you separately the MC-60A manual.  In it is a schematic
for the microphone/base.  The documentation shows that pin 5 is
currently connected to the collector of the voltage regulator
transistor and pin 6 is currently empty.   You should be able to
move the wire from pin 5 to pin 6 without difficulty.

73,

    ... Joe, W4TV


On 3/6/2011 11:24 AM, Phil Hystad wrote:
> Don,
>
> Actually, I do have an MC-60A here I guess.  It definitely does have
> the preamp, the battery pack underneath and so on but the mic label
> on the base says "MC-60".  I read somewhere on the Internet that the
> "A" model is not identified by the label on the base.
>
> There is a part of your message that I would like to clarify.  I have
> examined the relevant material in the K3 user guide and still I am
> not sure.  The K3 provides voltage on pin 6 but the MC-60 expects
> voltage on pin 5.  What I don't understand is IF I were to rewire
> this so that the voltage was placed on pin 5 (I assume I would do
> this within the base itself and not rewire the actual connector) then
> do I create a problem for the K3??  I am assuming that I would have
> to make sure that pin 5 was NOT connected to anything but that I took
> the pin 6 voltage offered by the K3 and route it to whatever pin 5
> was hooked up to.
>
> 73, phil, K7PEH
>
>
> On Mar 5, 2011, at 11:29 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote:
>
>> Phil,
>>
>> You have to get the K3 ALC meter to illuminate 5 to 7 bars with the
>> compression set to zero.  That is true with any microphone.
>>
>> According to the G4WPW microphone information, the MC60 mic has no
>> preamp, but has a hi-Z, Lo-Z switch (it should be set to lo-Z for
>> the K3).  The M60A has a preamp that needs voltage on pin 5, but
>> unfortunately, that is the part that is not compatible with the K3
>> which provides voltage in pin 6.
>>
>> In other words, the MC60 will work with the K3, but the MC60A will
>> not work unless you change the microphone plug.
>>
>> 73, Don W3FPR
>>
>> On 3/5/2011 11:02 PM, Phil Hystad wrote:
>>> So, I asked a question late last night but no responses.  So,
>>> either no one cares or maybe I got lost in the noise.  But, that
>>> is OK -- I will try again.
>>>
>>> I am confused and mystified by a mic that I borrowed from a
>>> friend to try out with the K3.  It is a Kenwood MC-60 and I think
>>> it is fairly new and I only have a day or two to play with this
>>> so I want to make use of that time.
>>>
>>> I am discovering that I don't understand all there is about
>>> microphones and the K3.  For example, when you use the MENU to
>>> set the Mic to something like FP.L or FP.H, what is the true
>>> meaning of the L and H.  I know that the document says Low gain
>>> and High gain but how am I to interpret this.  Does H mean that
>>> the mic has high gain or does it mean that it needs high gain.
>>>
>>> This MC-60 mic has a preamplifier on it and when this amp is off,
>>> I have trouble getting the ALC meter to measure anything.  I do
>>> the test of speaking normally into the mic but with the mic gain
>>> set to 60 I have to either shout or speak VERY CLOSELY to the mic
>>> to make the ALC meter move at all.  This does not seem right.  I
>>> get the same behavior whether the mic setting is FP.L or FP.H.
>>> By the way, Bias is set off as I believe it should be with a
>>> dynamic mic.
>>>
>>> Now, I have done some tests on-air with a few friends and they
>>> say my audio sounds OK.  Right now, I have the compression either
>>> zero or very low and I am forgetting which audio report I got
>>> with which setting.  But, the compression setting didn't seem to
>>> make a whole lot of difference.
>>>
>>> Also, another question --- this mic has a preamp and I am
>>> wondering if there is wisdom in using the preamp versus the mic
>>> gain set to a high value on the K3.
>>>
>>> And, lastly -- I checked the history of some discussion on
>>> Kenwood mics and the K3 and I see there is some discussion about
>>> the pin wiring of whether pin 5 is used or pin 6 for something or
>>> other.  I was under the impression that the K3 was using the
>>> Kenwood mic wiring so what is this question on pin 5 versus pin
>>> 6?
>>>
>>> Yes, when it comes to microphones I do not know very much.  I am
>>> about 90 percent CW so I obviously do not care about audio too
>>> much but I do want things to sound OK without over driving the
>>> K3.
>>>
>>> 73, phil, K7PEH
>>>
>>>
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