[Elecraft] K3 mic cmp settings with kenwood mc-43s mic

[Bob McGraw - K4TAX]

First from your description, you may have RF getting into the transmit 
audio.  This will sound like distortion and will get worse as the CMP 
value is increased.

I use a Heil PR 781 mike which is a dynamic mike and has much lower 
output level than the Kenwood MC-43.    I run with mike gain such that I 
see 4 to 5 bars of ALC, no more, and 2 to 4 bars on the CMP scale.   
This has the CMP value at 12 to 15.

With the Kenwood mike, the MIC SEL should be set to FP.L.  Then adjust 
the MIC gain value such that you get 4 to 5 bars of ALC indication.  
Then set the COMP value such that you get 2 to 4 bars of CMP.  In all 
cases, the CMP indication should not be greater than 10 on the scale.

By pressing an holding the MODE switch to get to the TEST mode, and then 
setting the MON value to about 30, while using headphones you can 
activate transmit mode and listen to your audio with compressing, EQ and 
ALC characteristics.  If it sounds good in TEST mode it will most likely 
sound good over the air unless one is getting RF back into the audio.

73
Bob, K4TAX

On 10/2/2015 10:54 AM, way235 wrote:
> Jim
> I set MIC GAIN to Low in the Menu, then I followed the  instructions
> in the Manual for setting Mic Gain and COMP.  I was just giving the number
> to indicate my settings I am using.  I can set the MIC by the instructions
> but if I set the CMP by the instructions I have distortion.
> I know a lot of people use the Kenwood MC-43S but maybe it is not the best
> choice.  By talking on the air I had to set CMP to 3 to have good audio. 3
> does not even give me an indication on the CMP meter scale.