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Re: [TenTec] Adding headset boom mic to headphones

To: tentec@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Adding headset boom mic to headphones
From: Jim Brown <k9yc@audiosystemsgroup.com>
Reply-to: k9yc@arrl.net, Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment <tentec@contesting.com>
Date: Fri, 28 Oct 2011 08:55:22 -0700
List-post: <tentec@contesting.com">mailto:tentec@contesting.com>
On 10/28/2011 6:49 AM, W8KZW wrote:
> I recently elisted a computer-type headset for ham use.

I've had similar great results with some Plantronics miniature 
headset/mics that I bought several years ago at the Milwaukee hamfest. 
Made adapters to use them with all my rigs, which at that time included 
an Omni V, k2, TS850, and IC746.  All of the mics worked fine and 
sounded really good with all of the rigs.

>   They use an
> electeret element, so you need to apply about 8 volts DC through a dropping
> resistor (2,200 ohms or so, value isn't critical)to protect against the
> short to ground that occurs upon insertion and removal of the plug.

That's NOT why you need the dropping resistor (but you DO need it) -- 
the resistor prevents low impedance of the 8VDC power supply from 
shorting out the audio.  I'd use a higher value, more like 4.7K.

>   You
> also need to keep the DC off the mic line to the rig with a capacitor

I've never seen the need for this.  Most rigs are designed to accept 
electret mics that are biased in this manner.

>   Very inexpensive and great results.

Yes.

Bob Heil has done lots of advertising in the ham world and sells his 
very cheaply mics for a lot of money.  They are no better than the Shure 
mics designed for communications use, like the 444 (look for it used for 
$25), or the mic in the Yamaha CM500 (about $45 new from many online 
sources).  The CM500 is so good that it doesn't make sense to try to add 
a boom mic to another good set of headphones. I have two pairs of 
MDR7506s, both of which now sit on the shelf. All you need to do to use 
a CM500 (or other good headset designed for use with computers) on your 
Ten Tec rig is a simple connector adapter for the mic, and a 1/8-inch to 
1/4-inch adapter for the phones.

See the Solving Problems in the Shack chapter of 
http://audiosystemsgroup.com/RFI-Ham.pdf  and also the appendix on audio 
for details on how to hook up the mic, and sources for good connectors 
from a good US online source.  The same info is in a power point of a 
presentation I've done to a bunch of ham clubs.

http://audiosystemsgroup.com/HamInterfacing.pdf

73, Jim Brown K9YC
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