icom 229a

[KC0TXW]

my icom 229a when the microphone is plugged in it will send a carrier as if the microphone is keyed.  when unplugged it will release. i have used a different mic and still does the same thing. HELP

[K0BG]

This begs the question, what mic? Is it the one that came with the radio? As I recall, the 221 is old enough to have a 4 pin mic connector. If you plug in a mic wired for a Yaesu, the Icom will transmit. A little more info would help.

Alan, KØBG
www.k0bg.com

[KC0TXW]

THE MIC IS 8 PIN W/ PTT # 2 PIN THIS IS THE ORIGINAL MIC I HAVE TRIED ANOTHER ICOM MIC PINNED OUT THE SAME AND PROBLEM PRESISTS

[WA4BLM]

I had this same problem with an IC-229H a few years back.  Stretching my memory to the breaking point, it seems like it was a bad transistor in the mic that would key the radio every time the mic was plugged in.  Think the transistor was used to hold the radio keyed while entering touchtones from the keypad so you would not have to hold down the PTT button all the time.  Seems like I just cut the transistor collector in the clear and it worked fine after that.  The only downside was that I had to hold the PTT down while sending touchtone codes (not a big deal).

However, after saying all that, if you had the same result from another correctly wired mic it seems unlikely that both mics would have the same problem, though not impossible.

Good luck,

John WA4BLM

[K7VO]

This is a VERY common problem in the HM-56A mic. used with the Icom IC-229A/H.  One of my Icom IC-2330As had the same problem.  If you have an HM-14 around (or can find one) this will work very well with your radio though you won't get all the advanced functionality the HM-56A and HM-56B offered.

If you disconnect the CPU the problem will go away but nothing on the tonepad will work and neither will the up/down controls.

Sometimes moisture in the mic. will be the culprit and not an actual failure.  You may want to take the mic. apart, clean all the connections, and make sure everything is dry.  It *may* start working again.  It may not.

Thankfully this mic. is no longer made.  The HM-14 will at least keep what is otherwise a very good radio working.

73,
Caity
K7VO

[WD8KDG]

More of the same, this is a common glitch in the get-a-long for the Icom 229A & H. Had to send mine back to Icom in Jan. 2002, just under $90 to fix the problems in the mic. Not a bad 2 mtr transceiver, can't say a mic is worth that much. Aren't solid state devices wonderful?

wd8kdg
73's
Craig