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Reviews For: ICOM SM-30 microphone

Category: Microphones for ham radio

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Review Summary For : ICOM SM-30 microphone
Reviews: 41MSRP: 195
Description:
Compact, lightweight goose-neck style desktop electret microphone with low cut function
Product is in production
More Info: http://icomamerica.com/en/amateur/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
15414.8
KI4WCA Rating: 2015-12-18
Excellent mic DX or ragchew Time Owned: more than 12 months.
My Icom 7410 has monitor built in so I was instantly horrified by the sounds I created just holding the fist mic.I decided to try the SM-30 to reduce the noise...and boy was it ever a good choice!The DX in the window on 80 thought I had improved my antenna and ragchews netted great audio reports.It is a perfect match for the 7410...and I am frankly amazed at how much better it is than the stock mic.An absolute must buy for Icom owners in my opinion.I thought it was expensive when I bought it...but in retrospect it is worth every penny and then some.

Excellent mic......very highly recommended!!!!
W1BG Rating: 2015-12-17
Works Great on The Kenwood TS-590 Too!! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Yes, of course a little rewiring is needed, but for those of you in possession of a soldering iron, it's easily done. Could probably use a 10db pad tho, as I had to turn the mic preamp almost completely off. Good audio reports.

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Earlier 5-star review posted by W1BG on 2014-11-16

SM-30 + IC-7200 = Perfection. Not much more I can say. I get numerous reports of stellar TX audio and inquiries as to what mic I'm using. It's a keeper.
EA5IGO Rating: 2015-12-15
Micro muy bueno Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Funciona estupendamente con mi IC 7100
W2UIS Rating: 2015-11-29
Excellent Mic on Icom 7100 Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Upgraded to the Icom 7100 operating in the ssb, dv, and fm modes. Mic gain setting at on the transciver 10% provides excellent audio.

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Earlier 5-star review posted by W2UIS on 2015-03-08

I agree with K5ML.

I use my SM30 on my ID880H D-Star transceiver that is set up as my VHF/UHF base station. The only complaint I have is that the mic requires a $36 modular adapter to connect to the unit.

The audio of this mic is an improvement over the stock microphone on FM.

A nice accessory for any Icom unit.
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Earlier 5-star review posted by W2UIS on 2015-02-14

I use this microphone on my Icom ID-880H DStar transceiver. Much better than the microphone included with the unit. Only drawback is a $36 modular adapter is required to use this microphone on a unit with a modular connection. Icom should had made this microphone with a reversible cord.
W6QT Rating: 2015-11-28
Plug and Play Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
One of the best desk microphones I've ever used. I operate overseas as DU3/W6QT. Many DX contacts compliment the sound of this mic on the air. Punches through rough conditions and QSN. A real winner. Highly recommend this mic for your Icom radio.
AD0AR Rating: 2015-03-08
Great sound but with some minor flaws Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have to admit that I work more digital modes than voice, but when I got my IC-7600 package, I purchased this SM-30 as after reading all the poor reviews of the dreaded fist mic that came included with the radio.
I knew I needed something better than that fist mic, but yet affordable while consuming relatively little space on the highly valued desktop real estate.
While the audio quality has been fine, I do find that without installing a proper windscreen you can generate some serious wind *POPS* when talking. ALC kicks in, and I see my peak power drop by half when this happens.
Installing a foam windscreen on the mic alleviated all of the wind pop issues.
Also if you aren't using VOX, be prepared to field some unsolicited comments on the noise generated by pressing the talk button. Mine makes a tiny, almost inaudible "creak" which must be being amplified quite substantially for all the "what the heck is that noise???" comments. I fixed this by disassembling the mic and cutting a piece of ESD (electro-static-discharge) foam to fit into the back side of the button. Problem solved, but now you really need to press much harder to activate the PTT.
Now after the modifications, the mic is super and awaits for when I will get back into some voice modes.
In God we trust, all others we monitor.
73 de AD0AR
K5ML Rating: 2015-03-07
Just What I Was Looking For Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
When I bought an Icom-756 Pro III in late 2006, I bought an SM-20 mic to go with it. The audio was fine but the up-down frequency switch that I never used always bothered me. On occasion I would accidentally hit the switch and the frequency would change from where I was listening. If this bothers you too, the SM-30 is a great alternative because there is no up-down frequency switch. In on-air checks with my best friend, he preferred the audio of the SM-30 to the SM-20. Two additional things I prefer about the SM-30 are that it is smaller, weighs less and has a smaller footprint on the desk. I'm currently using it with an IC-7600 and it works great. Highly recommended.
K6BBB Rating: 2015-02-14
Geat Mic, highly recommended! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
The SM-30 even works with a 718. I didn't care for using the stock HM-36 at the home QTH so I went shopping and had pretty much decided on a Heil. I was chatting with another ham using the SM-30 and the rest is history.

When my mic arrived, it was out of the box, on the bench, and plugged in. No muss, no fuss and didn't change the factory settings on it or the radio either. Speech compressor shows just peaking just short of max.

The "lock on" button is a nice feature I use and I get many compliments on my good audio.
AG4F Rating: 2015-02-13
Great Mic for my IC-7800 Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Just got this to replace a Heil iCM. I always had issues with hum with the iCM, so I finally gave up and ordered this. It's smaller, has a PTT switch on the base and sound every bit as good as the Heil (minus the hum :-). I like that the built-in mic pre-amp is adjustable. I also like the low cut switch. All in all, a very nice mic at a reasonable price.
W2LTD Rating: 2014-09-19
Sleek, well built and functional. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Just bought one of these for my IC-706 MKIIG and my first QSO after installing was on 10 meter SSB with a fine fellow from the Seattle area. Great audio reports. Sleek design and doesn't take up much space on my desk which is great for me since I'm always jotting down notes.