[Yaesu] FT-847 audio / headset

[A10382]

I've had an FT-847 for almost a year now (purchased new), and have been =
a bit disappointed with the radio's audio.  ALL radios have some =
strengths and some weaknesses, and audio output always seemed to be an =
issue with the -847.

It's no surprise to anyone that has an -847 is that the digital audio =
control goes from too low to too loud when using the radio's built in =
speaker.  Radios just should not have speakers, but that's a separate =
subject.

I had tried a variety of speaker and headphone arrangements.  The radio =
seems to lack adequate audio drive to handle a large external speaker.  =
And my old aviation headset (with the typically high impedance speakers) =
would not work at all on the -847.  This despite the fact that is does =
work on my other radios.

I've finally settled on a solution that seems to solve most of the ills.

I've been using an old Motorola metal-case mobile speaker -- 4 ohms -- =
plugged into the rear speaker jack.

I just added a headset, with boom mike, that came with the 8pin mic =
plug, a 1/4" phone jack (front panel phone jack) and a hand held PTT =
switch wired to the 8-pin mic plug.  There is also a component or two =
(cap and resistor, I believe) wired inside the mic plug to compensate =
for the 847's audio peccadilloes.

For ME, this seems to have at least alleviated the issues I was having.  =
Both the 4ohm speaker (and the headset speakers do real well with the =
volume  setting on the 8 o'clock.  Unplugging just the 1/4" phones plug =
automatically enables the speaker.  With the phone plug in, I can =
operate without annoying the non-radio folks in the house....

Nice things about this particular headset...
    Headset speakers work well on the radio's low vol setting.
    The boom mic (an electret one) works very well... getting good =
reports on
        both FM and SSB.  Mic is powered/biased by the 5V available in =
the mic plug.
    The PTT switch works well and could even be velcro'ed to just about =
anything
    The whole thing came (new) assembled specifically for the -847, with =
both the
        8 pin mic plug, 1/4" phone plug, AND the PTT switch, including =
shipping for
         $110.

Now.. to look at the mods for 'smoothing out' the audio steps.

73, Frank
._._.=20





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