[Elecraft] DESK MICROPHONES FOR K3

[Phil Hystad]

Caveat:  I admit to being 90 percent and better CW only and it has probably
been a year or more since I have had anything like a ragchew on SSB and even
longer in ( > 3 years?? ) since I have called CQ on SSB.

But, I find that the simple hand mic, the Elecraft HM2, works very nicely.  And,
I have been given good reports on audio.

I know it is not a desk mic but I am thankful to have gotten rid of the desk mic
I had (the Icom SM20, I think that is the model number) when I sold my Icom
equipment.  The desk mic took up too much room on the desk and it was awkward
to squirt it out of the way when I did not need it which was most of the time.  In
contrast, the hand mic is easy to move out of the way.

But, I am still puzzled by the interest in high-quality broadcast type audio.  To me,
as long as the audio is clear, no RF on the signal, not overdriven, and so on, I am
fine with it.  Even if the other guy is a little off frequency I am OK as long as I can
understand them and they can understand me.

OK, again, I admit, I am mostly CW so my comments may not pile up much, even
a hill of beans (black beans preferred) -- but I just had to ask this rhetorical question
as to why broadcast style audio is important in a SSB signal.

73, phil, K7PEH


On Jul 9, 2014, at 10:18 AM, Ramon Tristani <r.tristani at gmail.com> wrote:

> After trying several microphones I decided to take the plunge and bought
> the Heil PR-40. What a difference does it make after proper equalization
> with the built in K3 equalizer!.  Some people answer my CQ's just to ask
> what my audio setup is. They like the "broadcast quality" of the audio. I
> know many hams prefer the "standard" SSB audio sound and many even say that
> the narrow filter bandwidth severely limits the usability of the PR-40. But
> I still remember the rationale for the 20-20000 response of the high
> fidelity equipment even though most people cannot hear beyond the usual 10
> Khz frequencies. The explanation was that there is a special feeling when
> you hear quality sound that is not experimented when listening to
> "telephone quality" sound. I know what they meant. Remember the difference
> between vinyl records and CDs? You might too. Just borrow one and do the
> testing. Adjust your equalizer in a wide "V" from 50 hertz to 3200 Hz. You
> will never go back to the telephone sound!
> 
> 
> 
> On Tue, Jul 8, 2014 at 3:49 PM, Jim Brown <jim at audiosystemsgroup.com> wrote:
> 
>> On 7/8/2014 10:40 AM, Mike Furrey wrote:
>> 
>>> I use a 50 year old Shure 444D, I did make an adapter from the K3 to the
>>> 1/4 phono plug on the Shure.
>>> 
>> 
>> Yes, this is one of the great communications mics. When it was developed,
>> many years ago, there were some serious hams at Shure.
>> 
>> As Don noted, virtually any dynamic mic, balanced or unbalanced, and any
>> unbalanced electret mic will work just fine with the K3 or KX3. All it
>> takes is the right connector with the right wiring, and the K3 and KX3
>> connector pinout is shown in the manual.
>> 
>> 73, Jim K9YC
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> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> Ramón Tristani
> Email: "r.tristani at gmail.com"
> Web: http://www.tristaniministries.org
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