No, Ian, the mess of conflicting plug standards has not always been the case. There was a time when a 4 pin mic plug had pin one as mic and 2 as ptt and 3 as gnd. Johnson, Heath, and all the other xmitter makers AGREED. There was a time ... still somewhat with us... when the 6 pin Molex was the power connector of choice and AMAZINGLY K, I, Y, and others HAD THE SAME PIN OUT on these. The telephone style plug now arriving on so many rigs answers the manufacturers' dream because they are so difficult to self-install that the customer is nearly forced to purchase specific mics ... THEIR LINE. Too,There was a time when a ham would have sneered at a DIN plug, that nightmare--both to solder to and to cope with differences. So on and on. The use of different pin-outs is cause for consumer anger because the choice is not based on good engineering practice but on the desire to sell their own differentiated product to those who have also purchased their line of products. Because most of the K, I, and Y crop of mics are so equally bad, the only way to make their product different is not via quality but via a unique pin-out plug. Shameful business practice that only hurts the consumer. The reason Bob Heil's mics sell is that THEY ARE BETTER, and he has made an easy line of adapters, too. Elecraft made a good showing by trying to copy the Kenwood standard even if there is a problem with SOME CASES with pins 5 and 6 reversed. That I have the time to explain the obvious shows that I am retired, and ____ fill in the blank. 73,Charles [EMAIL PROTECTED] > On Wed, 13 Feb 2008 08:23:07 +0000, Ian J Maude wrote:> > I cannot keep quiet any longer! :)> >> > What is all the noise about microphone compatibility? We are > radio> > amateurs, it should be simple enough to wire a microphone for a > rig.> > Just look at the pin outs on the mic and the rig and wire > accordingly.> > The circuitry is not exactly complex!> > If we buy *any* radio we pretty much know that the mic wiring is > going> > to be different. 4-way, 8-way, RJ45 connectors, the list goes > on. What> > ever the manufacturer decides is the right way for them, this > has always> > been the case.> > It really is quite simple. Is your microphone a dynamic type? > If so,> > wire it for Kenwood and it will work. Does it need a voltage? > Look at> > the diagrams as I mentioned before. Good grief! Elecraft are > building> > the rigs for us now and we are still moaning! ;)> >> > 73 Ian> > > _______________________________________________> Elecraft mailing list> Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net> You must be a subscriber to post to the list.> Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm> Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com_______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
