As a user of the Icom IC-7000 as a base station I understand that it is a compromise between a big base station rig and a mobile. So being all things to all generally is. One of the problems I have faced with my 'minnow' set up of the IC-7000 and Hustler 6-BTV is that I sometimes struggle to be heard and for a while I had convinced myself that there was somebody or something plotting against me. Googling the rig I happened across Bob Nagy's AB5N pages for the microphone modification tht replaces the existing element with his one which in turn gives a much improved audio output. Especially in SSB mode.
After some brief email conversations with Bob I decided to send for the kit and do it myself. Partly to help with my own learning and soldering skills and partly to save time. I payed the small fee and within a few says got a small package with the components and a short video on a CD.
A quick aside about the CD. It is excellent and if I had access to one of these when I was attempting my softrock then a lot of worry would have evaporated. I can't praise it enough.
I won't go through the whole nod here but suffice to sy a few pictures below tell the story. All done in less than an hour for a novice solder-er and the end result is a much improved microphone. Thanks Bob. There was a slight deviation in as much as I didn't have lead shot or bb's as Bob suggested but used a spare string of lead weights that are used or weighing down net curtains (so I am told!). they come in a string and the individual weights needed cutting out which only took a few minutes. Here I am half way through the process
Following the video was so easy I almost didn't need to pause it to catch up but here are a few more stills of the process.
I managed to fit in 4 weights in the webs in the back of the mic. This and a few others in wet hot melt glu have added some good mass to the mic now and it feels as though its packed full of top quality stuff....sshhhhhh don't tell them its lead curtain weight pinched from my long suffering mother!
A slightly fuzzy image of the board with the old element removed and also cap taken off prior to me going at it with a soldering iron to put the new ones on
All done in no time at all and much improved. Re-assembly was a doddle and in fact if you have any concerns about doing this mod yourself chat with Bob, because he put my concerns to bed and I can safely say this is one of the cheapest and most effective changes I have made to my rig. I really enjoy going on air now as I'm getting nice comments back about the audio quality and I'm also being heard where as before I may have struggled a bit.
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