[OKDXA] Magic box supplier?

Tue Dec 14 00:56:52 EST 2010

MATCH ALMOST ANY MICROPHONE YO ANY RADIO, 
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-----Original Message-----
>From: Peter Laws <plaws at plaws.net>
>Sent: Dec 13, 2010 9:06 PM
>To: Discussion of OKDXA <okdxa at mailman.qth.net>
>Subject: Re: [OKDXA] Magic box supplier?
>
>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!
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