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Old February 2nd 09, 12:59 AM posted to rec.radio.amateur.boatanchors
Richard Knoppow Richard Knoppow is offline
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First recorded activity by RadioBanter: Oct 2006
Posts: 527
Default Carbon microphone revitalization


"Antonio Vernucci" wrote in message
. ..
I do not. BUT, I would suggest first of all measuring
the static resistance
of the microphone and comparing that with the resistance
of a known-good
microphone.


The static resistance is about 100 ohm, but I do not have
another carbon microphone for comparison

I might also try using a telephone transmitter element
(in the US we have
lots of Western Electric T-1 transmitters everywhere) and
comparing that
with the test microphone in measured sensitivity.
--scott


I tried to power the microphone with 12 V through a 1200
ohm resistor. Talking loud into the microphone and with
the mouth very close to it, the scope (put across the
microphone leads) shows a peak voltage of about 600mV (or
1200mV p-to-p). Perhaps it is good enough, but I am not
sure on whether the bias current is too low, and I should
then try again using a lower resistance.

73

Tony I0JX

Microphones vary but 100 Ohms is about right. Take the
audio from the series resistor rather than the microphone.
Set the voltage so that the drop across the mic terminals is
about one to two volts. You can run more but the least is
the best. Most devices, transmitters, etc., using carbon
mics use an imput transformer with a primary of somewhere
around 100 ohms and a secondary suitable for what you are
feeding, usually a high impedance. The exciting voltage for
the mic goes through the primary usually with a capacitor
across the battery to insure a low impedance audio frequency
path and minimum noise.
See what you get and post again.


--

--
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles
WB6KBL