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Reviews For: AB5N - HM-36 IC-7200 / -7600 Mic. Modification

Category: Microphones for ham radio

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Review Summary For : AB5N - HM-36 IC-7200 / -7600 Mic. Modification
Reviews: 25MSRP: 32.90
Description:
Modification of recent-manufacture Icom HM-36 hand microphones that come with the Icom IC-7200 and IC-7600 to improve frequency response and drive. The modification replaces the microphone element and capacitor.
Product is not in production
More Info: http://www.7000mic.com/IC7200.htm
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00255
KK7XE Rating: 2014-07-11
Makes the 7200 Great! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This is the second mic that Bob has done for me on a 7200. It really makes the radio a joy to use with outstanding audio.
Everyone has a preference as to how they like to set the parameters on their radio, but how ever you like it, it will work very very well.

I think the 7200 for the money, is the best. It's too bad they went for a poor quality manufacture of the HM-36 but Bob's mod makes it a very complete radio. I enjoy using a hand mic and no matter what else I try, always come back to the hand mic.

The mod is done at a very fair price and with very quick turn around time on getting your mic back.

Thank you very much Bob. You do an awesome job at a very fair price.

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Earlier 5-star review posted by KK7XE on 2011-12-12

On the 1st of Dec. I received my new IC-7200 and new the mic would need help. Had a desk mic I used till I sent the HM-36 to Bob. I forgot to take off the mic cord, but Bob was very kind about my neglect. I like using the hand mic due to limited space and upon the return of the mic which was very quick, have had nothing but positive comments on my audio. He was very quick to answer emails and appreciate his good vision to do what would be a task I could not see well enough to do correct. Thanks again Bob. God Bless.
KF5FHV Rating: 2014-04-30
Outstanding performance Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Ive been using my upgraded HM-36 for about a week now and can say that this was WELL WORTH THE MONEY! My IC7200 was getting almost no drive with 100% mic gain from the original mic now getting full ALC with about 40-50% mic gain. Huge improvement! Very fast turn around time as well from Bob. Thanks!
WG7GW Rating: 2014-04-02
Great Work! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I sent Bob my HM-36 mic from a new IC-7200. Turn around was 4 days ... from the time I dropped the package at the post office until the box came back to my door. Outstanding service.

Bob tested that mic and gave me a written summary of how the sound was improved on his test equipment. I had previously tested the mic through a dummy load to my primary transceiver in the shack. When the mic was returned, I tested again. Didn't change any settings. Wow! What a difference. I'll need to re-adjust the transmit audio now.

I also sent him 2 HM-133 mics from my ID-880H radios. Although Bob was concerned that the difference in transmit quality might be small, the reports that I have received on DSTAR and Analog have been great. "Sounds just like you, Gene."

Overall, this is a service I would recommend to anyone.

73!
WD9HOT Rating: 2014-01-08
Lighting Fast Return Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Wow, Mic arrived on Monday, Was modded and shipped out at 3 pm Tuesday, Arrived at my door on Wednesday. And like the other reviews...Cost effectiveness with great performance, Bob Rocks
KD8IGK Rating: 2013-11-04
Fixed my Audio Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I made a mod to the HM-36 ICOM Mic but while it made some improvement in audio lows it did nothing about the lack of gain. So I sent this to AB5N for a replacement element. His turn around time was less than a week and I tried it out for a SOTA event last weekend with my ICOM 7200. Wow, I got one compliment after another during the event working SSB on 20M with 50 Watts. I have been able to back the gain and compression down to a very low level and still am able to get the WM-1 peak meter to indicate 100 Watts, which my previous modification could never do.
WS9E Rating: 2013-07-21
Great job on HM-36! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I sent the stock HM-36 hand mic. that came with my IC-7410 to AB5N. Very short turn around time. I had it back in a couple of days.
The modified mic. works great. The first day I put it on the air, a station, from Italy, broke into the QSO and said: "I just want you to know that you have the most wonderful audio of anyone on the band."
AB5N gives great service and his mod really does the job.
KC8Y Rating: 2013-06-17
Super Mic after his modification :) Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Have an IC-7410 transceiver; sure glad I had him preform modifications to the stock hand-mic that originally came with this set :)

Got the rig when it first came into production.

Now, my voice is excellent in quality.
TF3JB Rating: 2013-06-17
Excellent upgrade of the Icom HM-36 by AB5N. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Approx. 2 years ago (2011) Bob, AB5N, modified my Icom HM-36 hand microphone (Chinese manufacture) for my then new IC-7600 transceiver and the audio was noticeably improved.

Although I had (and still have) the Heil PR-40 microphone for base station use along with the W2IHY 8 Band Audio Equalizer and Noise Gate and the EQplus Adjustable Compressor, I wanted the hand microphone to be workable.

The reason I discuss this now, is that the other day I purchased a new IC-7410 transceiver (for the summer residence and for backup). And what do you know, it comes with the same Chinese made hand mic as the 7600, i.e. the HM-36! I plugged the modified mic from AB5N into the 7410 and the result is a much improved audio over the 7410 stock mic. Consequently, it seems that Icom has yet to upgrade the Chinese version of the HM-36, but I am told that earlier Japanese versions of the mic work well.

My thanks to Bob, AB5N, for an excellent job!
K5EBQ Rating: 2013-01-24
Bob has done it twice! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I have used Bob's services to modify two HM-151 Microphones for my IC-7000's. The quality of the work has been documented on here several times, and I agree with all the positives. The radio sounds better after the mods.

I have been very impressed with the level of communications and how fast the work is done. After all, a guy can't be without his microphone very long, and Bob clearly understands that. It only took him one day to do the mod and I had my HM-151 back two days later.

Good job! Thanks for the great work and great service.
N4QQZ Rating: 2012-03-02
5/5 Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Fantastic.... received it back in a week, I no longer need compression on my new IC-7200. Get this mod! Great job Bob!