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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
N2HUC Rating: 2012-02-17
Top Notch Audio Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Bob has done it again!

My new Icom IC-9100 came with the stock HM-36 microphone. This is a simple mic with basic functionality. I don’t need anything big and fancy, so getting this to sound “a little better” would be desirable. I did some audio checks with those who know good audio, adjusted the radio’s internal EQ some, and all reports coming back were basically “you sound fine with that stock mic”, and “it sounds clear”. No complaints at all, but no real compliments either. After all the unsolicited “great” audio reports I received with my IC-7000/HM-151 combo equipped with the AB5N mic mod, I decided to try his HM-36 mod on my 9100 to see if I could get the same type of reports. The price couldn’t be beat, and the mod took about a half-hour to do. Afterwards, the audio level came up significantly. I had to lower the mic gain immediately from about 80% to, at most, 40%. With some help dialing it all in, now I get those unsolicited “nearly the best audio I have heard” reports with this 9100 radio/modded MH-36 mic combo. There is something about Bob’s mic elements that come very close to matching those piles of expertly tuned, broadcast processed, studio miced mondo stations out there that spend thousands of dollars to get that type of audio quality. It has those guys mystified how this cheap mod can come so close to that sound. Really, it is just audio spectrum and not hard to balance if you know what you are doing (good ears help). But this is not just a ragchew mic. It also cuts through the DX just fine with the bottom end rolled off a bit. Just like my 7000, people think I’m running more than 100 watts when I’m not. These elements drive the full bandwidth of the TX without distorting. You get every last watt the radio has to offer and no “midrange scooped” holes in the sound. Simple!

After listening to my signal being recorded and sent back to me in a WAV file, I was able to hear what radio EQ adjustments and COMP adjustments were needed to balance the audio out bottom to top end. This is a slightly different animal than the 7000 mod. First, FM and DV levels are louder and have more midrange than SSB. The circuits for each mode sound different. It was hard to find one level setting that worked for both. The only way to do it was to use a little compression on SSB. This ended up having a positive effect by adding punch and ambiance. The mic mod produced a somewhat bass heavy sound, but the internal EQ can fix that and ad the crisp high end that cuts through without sounding harsh. These are the settings that everyone likes the best:

MIC GAIN 33% (ROUGHLY 10:00 TO 10:30)

SSB SETTINGS:
COMP LEVEL 4
TX BASS -2
TX TREB +4
TBW WIDE 100 – 2900 (rag chew)
TBW MED 200 – 2900 (dx)
TBW NAR 200 – 2800 (slightly softer)

FM SETTINGS:
NO COMP (even if it shows on, it isn’t on in FM mode)
TX BASS +2
TX TREB +1

DV SETTINGS:
NO COMP (even if it shows on, it isn’t on in DV mode)
TX BASS +2
TX TREB +1

NOTE: Talk across the mic (not directly into it) and hold it about 6 inches or more away from your mouth for clean full crisp strapping audio. ALC should not ever exceed the limit scale. If it does a little, back off even more. Use the same distance for FM and D-STAR (DV).

Now prepare for some good audio reports!

My thanks to Bob Nagy for supplying an inexpensive solution that really makes these ICOM radios sound great. He could put many others out of business. The best part is you really don’t have to mess with tons of hit or miss combos. Just get it done and rock and roll.

Phil
WB3FXW Rating: 2012-01-15
EXCELLENT!!! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I sent an HM-36 mic to Bob for modification. The mic was returned and is getting great audio reports on the air. I discovered that I had another HM-36 mic with the same problems ... that mic is winging its way to Bob for modification. Bob is great to deal with and does excellent work. He is very highly recommended.

Buzz, WB3FXW
W8OWL Rating: 2010-09-22
Superb Service Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Microphone was fixed the same day as Bob received it, great service and cordial email communication. Thanks to his work, another new HM-36 is excellent now. And the other microphone is gone from my desk. Bob has earned my best recommendation.
HK3PZ Rating: 2010-04-19
Excellent results; fuller, more natural, cleaner sound Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
This is the message I sent to AB5N after the modification
Good morning, Bob:
As promised, I am reporting on the HM-36, the Icom IC-7200's factory microphone, after your modification. The general opinion is that my equipment sounds a lot better (fuller, more natural, cleaner) than before the modification. The reports come from local contacts, contacts within Colombia, and a long QSO (for about half an hour) with two friends of mine, electronic engineers both, DX enthusiasts for 50 years or more, one residing in Houston, Texas, USA, the other a friend residing in Bogota visiting him.
I am using the microphone gain at the 25 mark (of 100 available), with no compression.
As last time, mission has been accomplished with "flying colors¨. Thank you again.
With best regards and best wishes, Alberto Ospina HK3PZ
KK4NK Rating: 2010-03-16
Worthwhile upgrade to HM-36 Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Bob recently modified the Icom HM-36 hand microphone (Chinese manufacture) for my IC-7600 transceiver and the audio is noticeably improved. The modifications (installation of Bob’s "Type #2" element and a different capacitor) have increased the drive level and the audio comes across as clearer, or “brighter”, with a fuller sound………a worthwhile upgrade, in my opinion, if you use the hand mike very often.

Although I wouldn’t expect this every time, Bob made the modifications the same day he received my HM-36, and got it back in the mail to me the same day. It arrived well packaged, in perfect condition, and with the original Icom parts that he removed. My thanks to Bob, AB5N!