[Elecraft] For Sale - Misc From a Station Build

[Fred Jensen]

The broadcast microphones I've been near [in the broadcast industry] 
have very broad frequency range, and close-talking them [pretty much 
what all hams do] boosts their low frequency output, exactly what we 
don't want.  The iconic prismatic-shaped RCA 44 velocity desk mics were 
extreme in this effect.  While in college and working at a local public 
FM station, I discovered I could crawl up to it and not sound like the 
teenager I was.

Set your panadapter to a 4-5 kHz span and examine the signals on the 
bands.  A majority will have most of the energy right next to the 
suppressed carrier, likely the result of very close talking the mic and 
no equalization.  Lots of RF power there -- very little intelligence.  
Broadcast mics are not only expensive, they're not effective in 
communications scenarios.

73,

Fred ["Skip"] K6DGW
Sparks NV DM09dn
Washoe County



------ Original Message ------
>From "Al Lorona via Elecraft" <elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
To "elecraft at mailman.qth.net" <elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
Date 4/11/2026 10:22:45 AM
Subject Re: [Elecraft] For Sale - Misc From a Station Build

>Using professional broadcasting and recording microphones
>is embarrassing overkill for ham radio. On the air, these
>mics are indistinguishable from much cheaper ones, if
>everything's adjusted properly. A ham who feels that he
>or she needs to spend gobs on a mic to sound good is
>misinformed.
>
>However, one factor at play here may be the pride of
>sitting in front of a big name mic as you transmit. I'm
>not going to take that away from any ham who wants that
>experience. Just don't claim that it makes you *sound*
>any better. It doesn't.
>
>R,
>
>Al  W6LX
>
>
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