[Elecraft] Voice is clipped K3s

[Wes Stewart]

And if all of this fails look for a blown HPA.

Wes  N7WS

On 10/10/2018 8:29 AM, Don Wilhelm wrote:
> Gary,
>
> If you just plugged in the MH4 and turned on bias, then I suggest that may be 
> the cause of the problem.
> Assuming you had the K3 set for the low output Heil microphone, you should 
> change the MIC SEL menu to FP.L bias.  If you have MIC SEL still set for FP.H, 
> you may be overdriving the mic preamp. The MH2 has a high output level, so you 
> need only low gain in the K3.
>
> Then initially set the compression to 0 and set the MIC GAIN to produce 5 to 7 
> bars on the ALC meter while speaking into the microphone in a normal voice.
>
> Once that is done, set the compression to a moderate level of your choice.
>
> As Bob K4TAX has pointed out and K9YC has long advocated, set the lower 2 
> bands of TX EQ to the lowest levels and set the 3rd band down a bit as well - 
> that will increase your "talk power" while not wasting power trying to 
> transmit those low frequencies which are not needed for intelligibility.  If 
> you are into ESSB, you may differ, but ham radio is not HI-FI in my opinion, 
> it is about communications effectiveness.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
> On 10/10/2018 2:10 AM, Gary Smith wrote:
>> My 30 year old heil element finally bit
>> the dust. I bought an Elecraft MH4
>> hand-held mic and am trying to get it
>> adjusted.
>>
>> I checked in with a local net and was told
>> there is a kind of clipping on my words,
>> like the ends of some word were being cut
>> off. Another report said it sounded more
>> like there was an artificial sound
>> in-between the syllables, that it wasn't
>> on the peaks but noted in the the troughs,
>> perhaps a bit of clicking in there.
>>
>> I don't hear any difficulties with the
>> monitor, everything sounds like normal
>> words with no distortion. I'm not using
>> VOX and have no idea what I might try
>> looking at to resolve this.
>>
>> As to the equalizing of the MH4, is there
>> a set of values with the 8 bands to give
>> it more of a character of a Heil HC4
>> element or something well suited for DX?
>>
>> Any suggestions on the clipping & Mic TX
>> EQ & what I might try doing to resolve
>> this?
>>
>> 73,
>>
>> Gary
>> KA1J
>> ______________________________________________________________