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Visualizzazione post con etichetta Tips. Mostra tutti i post

domenica 13 aprile 2014

Using ICOM HM-118 Microphone on 706!


I've bought a (fake) ICOM microphone for using with my 706, an ICOM HM-118.The mike was bought on the 'Bay from a Cinese seller, and costs less than 10 euros included shipping! This microphone is not compatible with 706, but is very easy to adapt, only two wires to cut!

Look at the job of Greg AC2MC link The mod is very easy: cut the wires connecting to pin 3 and pin 8 of the RJ-45 plug. DONE. I've opened yhe HM-118, the internal view is below:


Using a multimeter I verify which wire connects to which pin of RJ-45. In my microphone, the pin 3 is yat disconnected (there is a cut blue wire from curly cable thet is non connected toPCB). If you cut the yellow wire you have finished the job. (WARNING: the color of the wires may vary on different mikes, check the wires before cut anything!).

Instead to using the board circuitry, I decided to apply a mod similar to the HM-36 mod. The circuit of the SE5X mod is this:


For this mod I need to:
  • cut the mic wire on PCB board (in my mike, is the black wire) - circled in RED in the image
  • connect 2k Ohm Resistor and 0.01uF Capacitor in parallel (R//C)
  • connect R//C with black wire coming from curly cable
  • disconnect the red wire on electret capsule
  • connect the other side of the R//C with hot side of the electret capsule
  • connect a 4700 pF capacitor in parallel with the electret capsule

Is easy to see the mod in the following image:



The blue rings os microphone wire are two ferrite beads; between R//C and PCB I put a little strip of self-adesive foam to prevent short-circuits.

Job done! The mike seems to be ok, on-air test and reports in the following days.

PS: Greg AC2MC reports that UP and DOWN stiches are reversed if referred to 706, but in my HM-118 the switches are in the righrt order.

lunedì 12 novembre 2012

Alternative microphone for Yaesu FT-817

Since I'm using the 817 mainly in /P, the original mike supplied with the radio is very stressed for the job. I've found an alternative one wich seems very useful for me: Vertex MH-67A8J. This mike is pin-compatible with MH-31 and is factory-supplied with Yaesu Ft-450 and also with some Yaesu/Vertex Land Mobile Radios (like VX-2100).



Is very big (almost twice that MH-31) and looks very rugged.

I've got one for few euros for an Italian ham and I've done a few on-air test on last sunday, and other hams reports that sounds identcal to MH-31.

giovedì 9 agosto 2012

Cheap ICOM tuner connector

Playing around with an LDG Z-100 Plus which I've bought for my Kenwood TS-50, I've seen the ICOM cable which is delivered in the box of the tuner.


If you look at ICOM tuner connector, seems really very similar to Personal Computer hard drive supply connector

The PC molex plug fits near perfectly on ICOM connector! Great, anotter connector for free!

Cheap Kenwood ACC connector

I need an ACC 6 pin connector for my Kenwood TS-50:



The connector seems very similar to ATX power supply connector (the power supply of the modern Personal Computers):



When I'm approaching to do some saw wors to cut six pins from the 20-pins connector, I've found that the LDG ATU cable for Kenwood rigs have only FOUR pins connected:
Looking at Kenwood docs, I've found that the two left pins (Transceiver side...) are the lower not connected and the upper connected at a signal ground. If LDG thinks that the signal ground is of little or no use, I'll follow the boss! I use the 4 pins in the detachable section of the connector (lower in ATX conn. image)



A little work with a screwdriver blade (light and softly!!!) in the middle of pins and...VOILA'! The connector is found for free!