The Heil microphone preamps are required for the Heil microphones using the HC4 and HC5 elements. The electret elements do not need a preamp (but they do need a resistor at the mic jack). The Heil mics designated for use with Icom transceivers are usually of the electret typw and work quite well with the K2.
Remember that Heil has a wide variety of mics, just saying that you are using a Heil mic is not sufficient information, one must specify WHICH Heil mics - they are not created equal. I guess an anology is that you would not refer to an automobile as a General Motors car - you must specify if it is a Chevrolet, a Buick, a Cadillac, etc., and in many cases one must also specify which variety of Chevrolet, Buick, etc. Heil mics are much like that. So, yes choose the Icom mics if possible, but if you prefer those with the HC4 or HC5 elements (those elemetns have low ouput), you should plan to add a mic preamp. As far as I know, no PC boards or kits are available for the mic preamps. 73, Don W3FPR > -----Original Message----- > > Hi, sorry if this repeats previous information request, but I did > a lot of > searching and didn't find anything directly on point (even though > there were > several threads on preamps and Heils, etc.) > > > I downloaded the Microphone Pre-Amp for Heil schematic on the Elecraft > website. > > My questions are: > 1. Does anybody make a PCB for this project? I imagine all > these parts are > available from Radio Shack or Mouser? > > 2. Does the preamp make the microphones work really well, or is it just > something that "gets you by?" > > 3. As far as Heil microphone modules go, if I build the preamp, > and want to > buy the Classic, can I use any module, like the Pro, HC-5, HC-4, > etc., or > should I get the ICOM only module, which I believe is an > electret module. I am > a bit confused about all this. I asked Elecraft and they said I > should get > the electret module. Bob Heil said the Classic was not a good > choice for the > K2 and he suggested his iCM mic for ICOM. Doesn't the iCM mic > have the same > electret element that the Classic with the IC element has? If > all I needed > was an electret element, do I need the preamp at all, or does it > make the > electret work even better? > > 4. Once I build the preamp, is it something that I can tuck into the > microphone itself (like a Heil Classic) or does it go inside the > K2 or do I need to > put it into it's own little enclosure. > > Thanks for your help. I am a new ham, and am trying to sort through all > this stuff. > Christ Kacoyannakis > K4CMK > > -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.441 / Virus Database: 268.17.39/686 - Release Date: 2/14/2007 7:54 AM _______________________________________________ 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
