[Elecraft] Microphone for the K3 questions

[Jim Brown]

On 6/7/2013 2:13 PM, Joe Subich, W4TV wrote:
> If you want a headset, I'd strongly recommend the Yamaha CM-500
> (< $50 on-line at places like B&H Photovideo, Sam Ash, etc.) it
> is not noise cancelling but it beats the Heil hands down for
> less than half the price. 

Strongly agree.  The CM500 headset is VERY comfortable, both mic and 
headset sound great, and plug straight into jacks on the rear panel.

On the other hand, as W2BLC observed, almost any mic that isn't "broken" 
can be tamed by first setting the Mic Gain correctly, setting 
Compression correctly, and using TXEQ correctly.

If you're getting reports of bad audio, go to the section of the K3 
manual that tells you how to set up the mic gain and compression. Set 
Mic Gain first, then set compression for no more than 10dB compression 
on peaks.  Use the display that gives you a readout of compression.

As to TXEQ -- most mics produce more "lows" than are needed for 
communications.  I always recommend starting with all TXEQ bands set to 
0 (no boost, no cut), then set the three lowest bands for maximum cut, 
readjust Mic Gain and Compression if needed, and get some audio 
reports.  It is rarely a good thing to boost any frequencies, except 
with a true professional mic designed for broadcasting or music. With 
one of those mics, it IS good practice to cut the lows and boost the two 
or three higher bands.

Each station giving you an audio report should have their IF bandwidth 
set wide (at least 2.8 kHz), and with no RX EQ.  You want your audio to 
sound fairly natural, but with no lows (because lows waste power, and 
contribute nothing to intelligibility).  Think "telephone quality."

The two big things that make audio sound awful are Mic Gain set too 
high, and Compression set too high.  99.9% of the bad audio I hear on 
the air would be fixed simply by turning down both settings.

73, Jim K9YC