Lightweight microphone recommendations

Hi, I am looking to buy a new lightweight PTT microphone with 3.5mm jack plug. Does anyone have any experience of good quality kit, but avoiding the cost of branded gear?

Not keen on using headphones as usually activating with others (non SOTA) and the pile up (I wish) gives them something to listen to on the summit while they wait patiently (usually) for me to finish! So just microphones being considered.

Any recommendations for kit available here in the UK?

Thanks

MM0YCJ

Why not be brave and make your own.

Electret insert, with voltage feed and conditioning circuit ( several circuits and advice on the web) containing one capacitor and 2 resistors, bit of twin - screened mike cable, small plastic box and ptt switch.All available from Maplin and other suppliers.

Make it up into a tie clip mike with a small bulldog clip and small plastic tube. Then experience the satisfaction following the great reports from your < £5 investment. If it is a stereo mike jack it should be able to provide the 5V for the electret, if not, consider fitting a 3V lithium battery in the ptt box with an on - off switch.

Ingenuity rules OK.

Regards
David G0EVV

2 Likes

A very good suggestion from David.

I’m not aware of anything that fits your requirements, although perhaps one of those cheap speaker mics sold for handhelds might work.

Doug Hendricks used to do a kit to build a microphone for BITX and similar radios, it’s along the same lines as that suggested by David. If you download the .pdf, it might give you some practical values for the components.

73, Colin

I have one of these which works very well and is not too big

However most PC mic’s will work OK

You don’t say what this will be used with but I’ll assume a handheld. I’d be looking for a waterproof one to give it some durability. You can either go for same make as the radio which will be pricey or buy something cheap from China. The named stuff is so overpriced as it gives the shops a chance to make some profit. Everyone wants the radios for no cost and that means the shops need to cut margins, the accessories is where the shops get the money back. The Chinese stuff may well be made by the same sub-contractors who make the “genuine” items. What you don’t know is if the item will be any good as it will have been made cheaply. It wont be a lot of money and these Chinese eBay companies jump through hoops to avoid negative feedback so perhaps it’s worth a punt.

But TBH you know you want the named one really, you just haven’t conditioned your wallet to agree with you heart yet! :grin:

Search Amazon for “laptop mic”. There are lots of options. This is a tiny one for $5.

wunder

5 years ago, I bought a small handheld mic on eBay with PTT switch that I use with my KX3 and seems to work very well. It was out of China and I paid $11. It was described thusly: “Speaker Mic for BAOFENG UV-3R UV-100 UV-200 radio microphone hand shoulder”, and had a 3.5mm TRRS plug and the PTT works fine with my KX3.

This current listing looks like it: https://www.ebay.com/itm/2pcs-x-PTT-Speaker-Mic-41-27B-for-BAOFENG-UV-100-UV-200-UV-3R-106304-/111592716584?hash=item19fb71b928:g:YwUAAOSwECZUpfOS

It requires Bias from the rig.

Here’s what it looks like:

73, Barry N1EU

Wow, it doesn’t get anymore lightweight than that!

Thanks, lots of good ideas but the prospect of a homebrew microphone may well have to wait until after my retirement.

However, as a start, I have acquired a Yaesu MH34 speaker microphone from MM0DHY which looks suitable. Yet to try it but as Andy comments I just haven’t conditioned my wallet to agree with my heart yet!

73s

I just want to post an update to my previous recommendation. I had the chance to compare the inexpensive Chinese eBay mic to a new Elecraft MH3 microphone. Although the Chinese mic is quite decent, the Elecraft mic has a definite edge in terms of clarity. The Elecraft mic also weighs about 65g more.