Don, Actually, I do have an MC-60A here I guess. It definitely does have the preamp, the battery pack underneath and so on but the mic label on the base says "MC-60". I read somewhere on the Internet that the "A" model is not identified by the label on the base.
There is a part of your message that I would like to clarify. I have examined the relevant material in the K3 user guide and still I am not sure. The K3 provides voltage on pin 6 but the MC-60 expects voltage on pin 5. What I don't understand is IF I were to rewire this so that the voltage was placed on pin 5 (I assume I would do this within the base itself and not rewire the actual connector) then do I create a problem for the K3?? I am assuming that I would have to make sure that pin 5 was NOT connected to anything but that I took the pin 6 voltage offered by the K3 and route it to whatever pin 5 was hooked up to. 73, phil, K7PEH On Mar 5, 2011, at 11:29 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote: > Phil, > > You have to get the K3 ALC meter to illuminate 5 to 7 bars with the > compression set to zero. That is true with any microphone. > > According to the G4WPW microphone information, the MC60 mic has no preamp, > but has a hi-Z, Lo-Z switch (it should be set to lo-Z for the K3). The M60A > has a preamp that needs voltage on pin 5, but unfortunately, that is the part > that is not compatible with the K3 which provides voltage in pin 6. > > In other words, the MC60 will work with the K3, but the MC60A will not work > unless you change the microphone plug. > > 73, > Don W3FPR > > On 3/5/2011 11:02 PM, Phil Hystad wrote: >> So, I asked a question late last night but no responses. So, either no one >> cares or maybe I got lost in the noise. But, that is OK -- I will try again. >> >> I am confused and mystified by a mic that I borrowed from a friend to try >> out with the K3. It is a Kenwood MC-60 and I think it is fairly new and I >> only have a day or two to play with this so I want to make use of that time. >> >> I am discovering that I don't understand all there is about microphones and >> the K3. For example, when you use the MENU to set the Mic to something like >> FP.L or FP.H, what is the true meaning of the L and H. I know that the >> document says Low gain and High gain but how am I to interpret this. Does H >> mean that the mic has high gain or does it mean that it needs high gain. >> >> This MC-60 mic has a preamplifier on it and when this amp is off, I have >> trouble getting the ALC meter to measure anything. I do the test of >> speaking normally into the mic but with the mic gain set to 60 I have to >> either shout or speak VERY CLOSELY to the mic to make the ALC meter move at >> all. This does not seem right. I get the same behavior whether the mic >> setting is FP.L or FP.H. By the way, Bias is set off as I believe it should >> be with a dynamic mic. >> >> Now, I have done some tests on-air with a few friends and they say my audio >> sounds OK. Right now, I have the compression either zero or very low and I >> am forgetting which audio report I got with which setting. But, the >> compression setting didn't seem to make a whole lot of difference. >> >> Also, another question --- this mic has a preamp and I am wondering if there >> is wisdom in using the preamp versus the mic gain set to a high value on the >> K3. >> >> And, lastly -- I checked the history of some discussion on Kenwood mics and >> the K3 and I see there is some discussion about the pin wiring of whether >> pin 5 is used or pin 6 for something or other. I was under the impression >> that the K3 was using the Kenwood mic wiring so what is this question on pin >> 5 versus pin 6? >> >> Yes, when it comes to microphones I do not know very much. I am about 90 >> percent CW so I obviously do not care about audio too much but I do want >> things to sound OK without over driving the K3. >> >> 73, phil, K7PEH >> >> >> ______________________________________________________________ >> Elecraft mailing list >> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >> Post: mailto:[email protected] >> >> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net >> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html >> ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
