[Elecraft] CM500 headset on K3S and KX3?

[Jack Brindle]

Frank;

The rear-panel mic input on the K3 and K3S is actually a stereo jack. The ring connector is not connected. Plug the CM-500’s mic plug in (as I do), and it will work just fine!
Remember to enable bias on the rear panel Mic as W3FPR noted.

The CM-500 is an excellent headset for use with the K3. You should get many years of excellent service form it.

73!
Jack, W6FB


> On May 5, 2020, at 7:43 PM, Frank O'Donnell <vfo77 at inkbox.net> wrote:
> 
> Thanks for the clear instructions from Don, and the helpful suggestions from everyone else. Piecing it all together, will this basically work?:
> 
> -- On the K3S, plug the CM500's mike and phone plugs into the respective jacks on the rig's rear panel. Wire a momentary-contact switch to an RCA plug inserted into the rig's PTT IN jack to serve as a manual PTT switch.
> 
> -- On the KX3, plug the headset's mike and phone plugs into the respective jacks, and use a momentary-contact switch on a mono-style 1/8" plug in the ACC2 jack as a manual PTT switch.
> 
> The only thing I'm concerned about is the issue of mono vs stereo plugs. For example, the CM500's mike plug has stereo-style contacts, whereas the mic in jack on the K3S is marked "mono." There aren't any issues there?
> 
> On other points, if I were going all-in on becoming a regular phone operator I might look at other headsets such as the Heils. But what I'm looking at is being a bit player on a couple of nets very occasionally at most, so the CM500 seemed like a decent option.
> 
> Re VOX vs PTT, I can understand the convenience of the former, but being an occasional throat-clearer I wouldn't want to become a distractions on those nets.
> 
> Thanks again,
> 
> Frank
> 
> 
> On 5/5/20 4:49 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote:
>> Frank,
>> 
>> For the K3S, just plug the microphone and headphone plugs into the rear panel jacks.  Set the MIC SEL to RP and turn bias on.
>> 
>> For the KX3. the easy way is to just turn MIC BTN off and plug it in. That microphone needs bias, and it will be supplied by the digital DC that normally is used for the MIC Button functions.
>> 
>> The harder way for the KX3 is to make an adapter (but it is not that hard)
>> Be aware that, like most computer microphones, the tip and the ring of the plug are wired together - so if you make an adapter, you must use a stereo jack so the audio is not shorted to ground.
>> 
>> If you make an adapter, you can include a connection for a PTT switch, but without that, you can put the KX3 into transmit with the XMIT button.
>> 
>> 73,
>> Don W3FPR
>> 
>> On 5/5/2020 7:31 PM, Frank O'Donnell wrote:
>>> Phone newbie here. Any recommendations on off-the-shelf cables or adapters, and a handheld switch, to enable use of a Yamaha CM500 headset along with PTT functionality on both a K3S and KX3?
>>> 
>>> Thanks much,
>>> 
>>> Frank K6FOD
> 
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