Re: [Elecraft] Astatic D-104 Microphone
I am currently in the middle of converting a D-104 Eagle into a usable mic and have had a bit of experience in the past with them. I am trying to recapture a bit of the nostalgia from my early ham days. I paid too much for it, but not only is the chrome flawless, but it came with the original box which surprisingly is in really good condition. Anyway what Don says is true, there were several models and until you dismantle it you will not know what one you have. BUT on the plus side, when I removed the bottom plate, looky-looky there was a schematic diagram pasted to the inside with the wire colors for my model listed. My mic had a large element (probably carbon) and an amplifier circuit with 9V battery (still in there---yuck) in the base. So remove the bottom, and if there is no schematic, but your mic sounds like it is the same model I described, let me know and I will try to send you a picture of the schematic. I ordered a Heil 5.1 rebuild kit from: * http://www.dxstore.com/heil_parts.html http://www.dxstore.com/heil_parts.html * for $50. I needed some small parts for several of my older head sets like foam pads and so forth, so perfect timing. -- John Fritze Jr K2QY k...@arrl.net ACACES president 2014 Albany County RACES Radio Officer ARES ENY DEC Northern District Hudson Div. Asst. Director Twitter: @k2qy 401 261 4996 (cell) Owner: K2, K3, P3, KPA500, KAT500, KX3 and still waiting: KXPA100 and a large vat of purple kool aid and proud of it! __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Astatic D-104 Microphone
The easiest way to use an unamplified D-104 with the K3, or replace a bad/noisy transistor preamp is this single FET circuit from W9AC: http://72.52.250.47/images/D104.pdf The single FET is uniquely suited for the high impedance crystal element and bias on the mic power. When handled properly the Astatic crystal element is far superior to the commodity dynamic elements sold at tremendous mark-up by the name amateur vendor. 73, ... Joe, W4TV On 1/28/2014 8:40 AM, John Fritze wrote: I am currently in the middle of converting a D-104 Eagle into a usable mic and have had a bit of experience in the past with them. I am trying to recapture a bit of the nostalgia from my early ham days. I paid too much for it, but not only is the chrome flawless, but it came with the original box which surprisingly is in really good condition. Anyway what Don says is true, there were several models and until you dismantle it you will not know what one you have. BUT on the plus side, when I removed the bottom plate, looky-looky there was a schematic diagram pasted to the inside with the wire colors for my model listed. My mic had a large element (probably carbon) and an amplifier circuit with 9V battery (still in there---yuck) in the base. So remove the bottom, and if there is no schematic, but your mic sounds like it is the same model I described, let me know and I will try to send you a picture of the schematic. I ordered a Heil 5.1 rebuild kit from: * http://www.dxstore.com/heil_parts.html http://www.dxstore.com/heil_parts.html * for $50. I needed some small parts for several of my older head sets like foam pads and so forth, so perfect timing. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Astatic D-104 Microphone
D-104 microphones with the amplifier in the base work just fine with modern rigs. Look at the bottom of the microphone - if it has a hole with an adjustable potentiometer below the hole, it has the amplifier. The Heil rebuild kit is not needed unless the mic element is bad. The frequency shaping of the Astatic mic element is very similar to the Heil HC-5 mic element, but the Astatic element needs to work into a high impedance (100k to 1 megohm) to preserve that shaping. In an all-tube transmitter, that high impedance was presented by the grid of the microphone amplifier. Those D-104 mics with an amplifier will work into a much lower impedance mic input without any change. The old crystal elements could go bad if exposed to temperature extremes or rough handling, but the more common ceramic elements are practically indestructible. Astatic made these microphones over a long period of time dating back to the 1950s or before, and there were changes from time to time. 73, Don W3FPR On 1/28/2014 8:40 AM, John Fritze wrote: I am currently in the middle of converting a D-104 Eagle into a usable mic and have had a bit of experience in the past with them. I am trying to recapture a bit of the nostalgia from my early ham days. I paid too much for it, but not only is the chrome flawless, but it came with the original box which surprisingly is in really good condition. Anyway what Don says is true, there were several models and until you dismantle it you will not know what one you have. BUT on the plus side, when I removed the bottom plate, looky-looky there was a schematic diagram pasted to the inside with the wire colors for my model listed. My mic had a large element (probably carbon) and an amplifier circuit with 9V battery (still in there---yuck) in the base. So remove the bottom, and if there is no schematic, but your mic sounds like it is the same model I described, let me know and I will try to send you a picture of the schematic. I ordered a Heil 5.1 rebuild kit from: * http://www.dxstore.com/heil_parts.html http://www.dxstore.com/heil_parts.html * for $50. I needed some small parts for several of my older head sets like foam pads and so forth, so perfect timing. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Astatic D-104 Microphone
I might add that if one has an amplified D-104, but wants to remove the dependency on the battery in the base, that single FET addition can replace the amplifier in the mic. Yes, I have done that in one of my D-104 mics. It also works for the K2 when the microphone configuration header is wired for the Elecraft MH2 microphone (with the bias resistor). 73, Don W3FPR On 1/28/2014 8:58 AM, Joe Subich, W4TV wrote: The easiest way to use an unamplified D-104 with the K3, or replace a bad/noisy transistor preamp is this single FET circuit from W9AC: http://72.52.250.47/images/D104.pdf The single FET is uniquely suited for the high impedance crystal element and bias on the mic power. When handled properly the Astatic crystal element is far superior to the commodity dynamic elements sold at tremendous mark-up by the name amateur vendor. 73, ... Joe, W4TV __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] Astatic D-104 Microphone
All, I recently was given an Astatic D-104 mic. I have not opened the mic yet and it has been modified with a ptt switch. I assume to lock the mic in transmit without holding the grip. I have the pin out for the K3 connector but I was wondering if anyone has used this mic. If so, what were the wire colors to the 8 pin K3 connector. TIA Dale K3SEN Sent from my iPad __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Astatic D-104 Microphone
On Mon, Jan 27, 2014 at 5:29 PM, Don Wilhelm w3...@embarqmail.com wrote: The D-104 is still a great microphone when adapted to modern low impedance rigs. Each time this subject comes up, I say the same thing, and it is true. Old D-104s, crystal or cermanic, do not need any adaptation to the K3. I have used my classic crystal D-104 as-is with the K3. On-the-air checks with audio maestro K9YC confirm that it gives outstanding audio. As Don, suggests just be careful with gain settings. Try it for yourself without the FET amplifier. 73, Hank, W6SX __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Astatic D-104 Microphone
My favorite is the D-104 base with the Astatic 10-DA dynamic head. Sounds very nice. Brian KB1VBF Sent from my iPad On Jan 28, 2014, at 12:49 AM, Hank Garretson w...@arrl.net wrote: On Mon, Jan 27, 2014 at 5:29 PM, Don Wilhelm w3...@embarqmail.com wrote: The D-104 is still a great microphone when adapted to modern low impedance rigs. Each time this subject comes up, I say the same thing, and it is true. Old D-104s, crystal or cermanic, do not need any adaptation to the K3. I have used my classic crystal D-104 as-is with the K3. On-the-air checks with audio maestro K9YC confirm that it gives outstanding audio. As Don, suggests just be careful with gain settings. Try it for yourself without the FET amplifier. 73, Hank, W6SX __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net 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:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
