[Elecraft] SB boom headset with K3

[Jim Brown]

On 4/29/2013 9:18 AM, Dominic Baines wrote:
>
> I have a K2 coming shortly and whilst it will be used for cw it will 
> have the SSB option fitted and would like to use the same mic. I note 
> the mic socket is 8 pin and has PTT. I assume I will have to fit the 
> 5k6 bias resistor between the pins 1 and 6 of the mic socket on the rig. 

Yes, and which pins get the resistor will depend on how the K2 mic jack 
was wired by the builder -- as I recall, build instructions are given to 
configure it for mics wired for use with Icom, Kenwood, Yaesu, and other 
rigs, all of which are different from each other. :)  The basic 
instruction is, a resistor in the range of 5K ohms, value not very 
critical, between +DC and the mic input pin.

There are mods to the K2, some of them quite simple, that can improve 
SSB TX performance. Most are on the Elecraft website, and I developed a 
simple one myself that I should write up but have not. It involves 
changing a coupling capacitor to roll off the low frequency response and 
changing a few resistor values to add a few dB gain so that you can hit 
the peak limiter harder and gain more advantage from it.

Good to hear that the Koss headset works well, and I'm not surprised.

73, Jim K9YC