[Elecraft] Boom mounted Mike for a KX3

[Gwen Patton]

I have a KX3/PX3 shack at home, and rarely, if ever, take my KX3 into the
field. (I know, it's a field rig, but it's also pretty darned 'spensive!) I
have lots of other rigs for field use, some of which I built. For me,
that's half the fun. But I ADORE my KX3 at home. Because of my particular
needs, the rig and panadapter are attached to a RAM mount via SideKX
adapters. The RAM adapter is itself attached to a vertical post of a "bread
rack" style shelving unit next to my powered recliner. I have the KXPA100
and power supply on a shelf of this unit, and my computer is behind that
shelf on another similar shelving unit.

Everything is run to my PC and I use WinKX3Suite to operate the rig from my
computer. The monitor is on a special swing mount that is sadly no longer
available called "The Easy Chair Mount". So I can look straight ahead and
operate my KX3 without putting strain on my neck. I listen to the rig
through the computer's sound system, including headphones if I need them. I
also use a boom mike, the same mike I use on my computer, thanks to the USB
interface in the microphone I chose.

It's not *exactly* a microphone. It's a Zoom H4n Handy Recorder, powered
through my PC and is the default microphone for my system. My computer has
a separate USB sound dongle, set to 48k sample rate, so I can get the most
out of band display. (I know, I could set it to much higher sample rates
and get even more bandwidth, but I can't look at that much bandwidth and
make sense of it. 48k is enough.) All of my sound devices are run through a
virtual mixer, Voicemeeter. I use the most recent version, that they call
"Potato". It gives me lots of options when setting up audio devices on my
PC. I not only run my rig through it, but I can run all of my digital modes
through it, and also run a full suite of MIDI music tools and the DaVinci
Resolve video editing suite.

The H4n has a magnificent set of microphones. It has two built-in
microphones for stereo input, that can be rotated to widen or narrow the
angle in which they will pick up sound. I have it set to the narrowest
configuration, so it has a very cardioid pattern. This device is designed
as a fully-functional 4-track editing deck, with support for up to 32gb on
an SD card (only 32, and using a full-sized SD or a microSD with an
adapter). It has combination XLR/Phono jacks on the bottom for use with
musical instruments or additional microphones, and is compatible with
phantom power requirements for such gear.

You can power the device with 2 AA batteries for portable use, or use an
external 5v wall wart. But if you use the USB interface, it is powered
through that and doesn't need batteries or a wall wart. With a standard
1/4" stud mike stand adapter, it fits right onto a microphone boom with no
trouble. I haven't needed a shock mount, but they are available for it.

The H4n is a really old model, though. The H8 is the new Handy Recorder on
the block, and it has a lot of new stuff the H4n didn't have. Zoom
instituted a removable module system for its attached microphones on their
Handy Recorder line with the H5, I believe. Different mike modules are
available for different purposes, from a cardioid stereo capsule system
similar to what I have on my H4n, to a shotgun microphone for distant
sounds.  Here's the page for the H8:
https://zoomcorp.com/en/us/handheld-recorders/handheld-recorders/h8/. It
goes for around $399. That's a fair bit of money, but it has better sound
than my venerable Heil HM-10 I got almost 20 years ago. And that doesn't
take into account any of the other features that might be useful for other
hobbies or jobs.

There's a fair bit of information out there on how to use your Zoom Handy
Recorder as your computer's main mike, like I do. With the Voicemeeter
virtual mixer, I have very little difficulty using my H4n for just about
anything, and I've always gotten good reports on my sound.

Tutorial on using the H4n as your computer's microphone:
https://www.videoschool.com/how-to-use-the-zoom-h4n-as-a-usb-microphone-video-school-online-tutorial/
It's not the greatest tutorial, but it's okay.

H4n Manual:
https://www.zoom.co.jp/sites/default/files/products/downloads/pdfs/E_H4nSP_0.pdf
(No relation to the Zoom teleconferencing system.)

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
73,
Gwen, NG3P


On Wed, Apr 6, 2022 at 4:18 PM Jim Brown <jim at audiosystemsgroup.com> wrote:

> On 4/6/2022 12:54 PM, Bill Frantz wrote:
> > They were advertising it as having a dynamic microphone, but that was
> wrong.
>
> Yep, written product lit has always been wrong. It plugs straight into
> the rear channel jacks on the K3/K3S, turn bias on. As noted earlier,
> you'll need TRRS male to two TRS females adapter.
>
> 73, Jim K9YC
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