[OKDXA] Magic box supplier?

[Peter Laws]

Ha, ha DX war machine.  :-)  For that I have the compressor, the TBW
set to NAR and the Heil HC4 in my Boomset.  The idea here is to have a
magical adapter box that I can just plug the D104 into and then it
plugs into the 746.  That way, I leave the D104 as is, high-impedance
element and all.  As I said, I may get a hankerin' to tune up that
HW100 some day as well (these both belonged to K5GOE, one of my
Elmers, when he was alive).

Admittedly, the Heil element kit is an attractive option, but I'd
still have to rewire it for the PTT ...

So no one sells magic adapter boxes?

Peter

On Sun, Dec 12, 2010 at 18:50, Jay Bromley <jayw5jay at cox.net> wrote:
> HI Peter,
>
> I am not sure about a magic box, but there are hundreds of mods and kits for
> changing mics like the D-104.  Here is one:
> http://www.rbmicro.com/index.php?page=browse&action=list&orderby=2&group=11&cat=6
>
> Several ways to go with this element kit.  The kit doesn't come with the mic
> elements, but you can use elements like a Heil HC5 for DX or since you have
> a 746 Pro  I would recommend using an electret condenser element that is
> already used in all stock Icom mics.  They use to sell these at Radio Shack
> for under $2, but I you can still get these from Mouser, Digi-Key, etc!
>
> If you want to use the stock crystal element, you can add a FET follower to
> the base of at D-104.  That provides a nice super high impedance load for
> the stock D-104 crystal element while providing a nice low impedance to
> drive the rig.  It is a common mis-conception that you can't get the old
> D-104's to sound good with the new rigs.  You just have to add a few parts.
> You can power the FET right from the audio line.  Most of the Icom manuals
> don't show it, but they have 8 volts on the audio line.
>
> Really either way is fairly easy to do, but takes an afternoon to study the
> schematic, which is usually on the D-140 bottom plate, and then get to the
> soldering.  This makes a great project for any mic you like the looks of
> with your modern rig!
>
> BTW, I never use those amplified base modules that were found in the later
> D-104's, they need a 9 volt battery and sounded pretty bad as far as
> quality.  They are super loud if you like that sort of thing.
>
> The electret condenser elements are in everything and cost only a few bucks
> new!  With your 746 Pro's menu you can change the audio from a rag-chew mode
> to a DX war machine if you use the little electret condenser elements.  They
> are very versatile, but you must provide a DC voltage to the element which
> is already on the Icom audio line.  That would need to be block that voltage
> if using the Heil element.
>
> They make two and three wire electret condenser elements.  So you may or may
> not need a blocking capacitor if you use those elements on a Icom rig.
>
> 73 de w5jay/jay..
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Peter Laws
> Sent: Sunday, December 12, 2010 3:04 PM
> To: Discussion of OKDXA
> Subject: [OKDXA] Magic box supplier?
>
> There is a market for making new mics that work with old rigs and
> obviously, there is a market for making new mics that work with new
> rigs.  There doesn't appear, to me, to be a market for folks making
> old mics that work with new rigs.  :-D
>
> I have a D-104 with the standard G base (not even UG and certainly not
> TUG!).  I'd like to use it with my IC746Pro.  I could pull it all
> apart (or more likely get someone who knows what they are doing to do
> it for me!) and make it work with the modern rig, but I'd like to
> leave it in it's existing condition.  After all, I may want to fire up
> the HW100 that came with it some day and I'd like to have a mic for
> it.
>
> Anyone known of a magic box that lets you plug in an ancient mic,
> transform the impedance all handle all the switching needed for a
> modern rig?
>
> --
> Peter Laws | N5UWY | plaws plaws net | Travel by Train!
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-- 
Peter Laws | N5UWY | plaws plaws net | Travel by Train!