Icom 7300 Microphone Christmas Savings Plan

K0PIR

I'm an Amateur Radio enthusiast. I love the hobby and experimenting with radios, antennas and software. On my YouTube channel I upload videos on the Icom 7300 and Icom 7610 along with Ham radio software programs. I hope to inspire people to try new things in Amateur Radio.

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Kevin
7 years ago

I was wondering what all I would need to get the same mic setup as you do for my Icon 7300. Thanks in advance. KI7KWH. 73

Guest
Tony
7 years ago

Great Info!! thanks. One question. You put directly BM800 to IC7300 (1) mic pin and (7) Gnd pin?? or use +8v to feed BM800?.
Thanks for answer.
Regards

Guest
Angel Iñiguez EA1GQ
5 years ago
Reply to  K0PIR

Dear Rick, I followed your recommendation to get a BM400 micro and tried to connect it as it came from the factory, with the 8 pin connector of the IC7300, the 1 to In the Mic and the 7 to micro gnd, without feeding by pin 2. But it does not work for me, you could check the connection of your “Y cable”, thank you very much and happy Christmas.
It’s a Google translation, sorry for the inconvenience.
EA1GQ Angel (Spain)

Guest
Wes Jones
7 years ago

Hi Rich:

I am investigating mic’s to use with the 7300.
In the course of doing my reading, besides reading about mic gain and compression settings, I read that some say “for DX, use a narrow bandwidth” whereas another says “Narrow setting does not work well for DX”.
Problem is, I can’t figure how to “set:” the bandwidth they’re talking about.
I see under Tone Control that there are SSB TBW (transmit band width??) of Wide, Mid, and Narrow.
But I don’t see any way to choose one of these and make it “stick” or be in action.
Can you tell me what I’m missing here??

Thanks, Wes AI4FH

Guest
Wes Jones
7 years ago

Thanks Rich – great answer!

Since you mentioned using the Monitor – I have tried that and had miserable results.

Can you outline how you use it successfully? – I didn’t use headphones – is that the trick?

I got a squeal that scared me and i gave up.

Thanks, Wes.

Guest
shaun dennis
7 years ago

hi rich what y conector did you use as heres so many thanks shaun

Guest
Jeff Neely
6 years ago

Hi Rich, Your website is awesome! I asked Santa for a BM-800 for Christmas. I installed it this am and have received many un solicitaed audio reports using your recommend settings on the “mid” profile. This is a great microphone if your looking for something that is not the Big price of th Heil and still has th great results. I also have been using my Yamaha CM-500 and this is a great Headset/Microphone setup! Again, thanks for taking the time to create such a helpful and informative webpage!!
Thanks… W7NEE, Jeff

Guest
James Idone
6 years ago

Hi Rich, have a 7300 here and use a Heil 6 Boom/headset but I have to drive the snoot out of the mic gain and possessor to get any output and I am using the IC adapter from Heil as well. The boomset works fine on my Yaesu FTDX3000 but I would like to get a little more audio out of the 7300 so I am looking at the Yamaha CM500 boom/headset combo to use with the 7300. What adapter would I need to use the CM500’s with the 7300 cause I would really like a hot mic on this radio. I have been using Heil for years but to be honest have been not as satisfied with his newer headsets or boomsets, very pricey for something that is more than likely made in china with there name on it, I get the feeling its become a label and not the quality they once produced.

Guest
Jordan
5 years ago
Reply to  K0PIR

Hi Rich

I purchased a similar adaptor from an Ebay Online Store called TechnoFix UK that allows you to connect PC Microphones to your 7300/7610.

Are you able to tell me if this can be used with the Yamaha CM500 headset?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cable-PC-headsets-3-5mm-jack-8-pin-Icom-IC-756Pro-IC-7300-IC-7610-etc-/192761121429?hash=item2ce1754a95

If this is unsuitable I will purchase the one mentioned in the above comments.

Guest
James Idone
6 years ago

Thank Rich, I think I will try the Yamaha CM500 and I will order up the HS-01C adapter cable for use on the Icom 7300, may try that BM800 mic as well cause I have seen some great packages when bundled with shock mount, foam wind screen, pop filter, adjustable desk stand for around $35 not to shabby. I have a 781 on my FTDX3000 but may be selling that radio and trying the new Flex 6400 and will keep that mic with that radio set up.
I have watched all your reviews on the 7610, would love to get one of those but its a little higher priced right now for my retired pockets so the no knob basic Flex will have to replace the 3000 but that Icom is nice. I am just soo amazed how well the 7300 works and if they made a model between the 7300 and the 7610 with some upgrades I would be in but I have a feeling they will only make one higher end model above the 7610.
Would love to see an Icom SDR radio with an in band dual watch, digi select pre selector, adjustable step attenuator( but the RF gain control on the 7300 works about the same) slightly larger display, maybe just a few more controls on the front panel, better rear panel connectivity(like 2 antenna ports or configure one of the two for RX only like Yaesu does, HDMI or some kind of video) and a price range around $2k or somewhere between the 7300 and the 7610. They would hit it out of the park!
Enjoyed all your video’s and enjoy those Icom’s at your station.
TNX
73’s
Jim
KE2TR

Guest
James Idone
6 years ago

Hi Rich, well if I had the extra cash I would have a 7610 but I also like having a backup rig since I bought the 7300 and to be honest for most of my operating it would suffice but the only contesting I really have always liked or at one time was addicted to them were the DX contests, just look at the bottom of my QRZ page of the antennas I had up in the mid 1990ies on a suburban back yard 1/3rd acre plot here on LI but that was in a galaxy long ago and far away before I got re married again, lol. The stories and fun I had with a group of close ham buddies was total radio fun with even the visits by Mr Murphy during the middle of the night and a 40 meter beam boom to mast clamp broke and it was holding on by the RG213 coax so we climbed the tower and roped the boom to the top of the tower pointed NE for the rest of the weekend.
I would hope that Icom would expand there line up of radio’s and I feel that they dont really need the 7851 type radio any more but I do know they look at these blogs from users today so you never know what will be next. Hell they not going to design a radio just for me but I feel many of use would like something in between.
When you look at the design of the 7610 it has as much going on inside that radio as the 7851 on the RX side, two independent RX with separate Digi select front ends so with a classic tri band antenna you can really look at 10m real time while running station on 15m without the RX sensitivity dropping by much at all which is true dual band RX. The SO2R stuff is way overrated plus being proficient enough to be able to make your brain/ears to do it well takes time and to be honest your best to be able to concentrate on the band you are on and just use the second RX for a look see if a higher band does open. I have severely down graded as far as my antennas at my qth but have learned to work with allot less and still have FUN which is what it should be.
I am looking at e bay for the Yamaha’s CM 500’s and will order the adapter for them as well. If I do send up selling the FTDX3000 and go with the basic Flex 6400 I’ll keep the Heil Pro set 6 for either use with the Yaesu or Flex but at a later date I want to try the BM800 mic, there seems to be so many sources for them on e bay plus different packages between $25-$35 for complete systems w/adjustable deck mounts.
CUL
Jim

Guest
James Idone
6 years ago

I am sure that rig will keep you happy for a long time, I noticed you live in DS my mother when she was very young grew up as a girl in Fargo, way way way before any movie, back in the early 1900’s. One day I hope in a few years my wife and I will end up on the west coast of Florida and buy a tow type camper RV and travel the states and that little 7300 will be going along for the ride. I just ordered the two different adapter cables one for the Icom and the other for the Yaesu plus the Yamaha CM500, I will compare them to the Pro set 6 Heil set and let you know. The ProSet 6 on the Yaesu can be set up for real DX meat grinding audio but I have a feeling on the Icom the mic stage runs a little to short of the right amount of gain so the condenser mic element will drive the dickens out of the Icom and I will do comparo’s. After I get them here and set up maybe will set up a call on 20m and you can see for yourself. The Heil headphone part of the Pro set has been improved over the years from the original, far better audio on RX but I feel the mic element is not as good as the old HC5 that why my comment on why I think Heil is going to china for his lower price pro sets which at $150 are not cheap.
I would love a 7610 but I will slowly wait for the backlog orders on the plain jane Flex 6400’s to be delivered and pic one of those up, at $2k its a decent TRX and besides I mainly use point and click mostly with my two radio’s now so its no big deal not to have knobs anymore.
CUL
Jim

Guest
James Idone
6 years ago

Hi Rich, received the CH500 and the adapter cable yesterday, man is this mic hot and the setting show it mic gain at 30%, comp at 3, moni at 15%, TX bass at -2, TX treble at-2, RX bass +1, RX treble +1, a complete opposite from the Heil Pro set 6. So far most seem to like it but if pile up busting is your only game the Proset 6 is slightly better but overall audio the Yamaha is more pleasing. Its hard to find a really good all around Boom set and that’s why I have both but on recording back to me from other stations the Heil sounds pinched. Hope this helps.
Jim
KE2TR

Guest
Scott Jones
5 years ago

Question re Headsets. Trying to use an older Heil Proset with a HC5 element. Works, but running gain and compression full bore to get any real audio out and the VOX is sketchy. I do use a foot switch as well which helps.

The Yamaha might be a better solution. Was wondering what cable is needed to connect it to the radio? I have the HC5 proset adapter and I also incorrectly had purchased an AD-1-iC adapter cable from Heil.

Thanks in advance for any insight.

73, Scott, N3RA

Guest
Scott
5 years ago
Reply to  K0PIR

Thanks for the info. I have that ad-1-iC adapter already (bought by mistake) so that is good.

Thanks for 40m FT8 earlier. Trying to get RuMlogNG, 7300, WSJT-X and JT Bridge all working. Started with JT bridge recently and very helpful finding States. 🙂

73

Guest
Scott
5 years ago
Reply to  K0PIR

Got the mic and works well. Thanks much. I just have to figure out which side of the mic is which. 🙂

73, Scott

Guest
JAMES F EADS
5 years ago

I just wanted to thank you for all the good info you provide on the 7300. I just got a BM 800 and I am getting great reviews on my audio. I also have a Heil Pro Set for the Icom which works really well but dont like using the head set all the time. When I read your report on the Christmas gift I wanted to try the BM 800 glad I did very happy with the results.

Guest
Jordan
5 years ago

Hi Wes & Rich

I finally received my Yamaha CM500 and have connected it to my Icom 7300. But when I listen in the monitor it doesn’t sound clear, sometimes distorted sometimes not, but people I’ve had listen to me on the air say they don’t notice is this normal?

Guest
Jordan
5 years ago

The CM500 Requires voltage to work is that correct?

Guest
Eric
4 years ago

Hi Rich,

Great info on the Icom 7300 and 7610 radios!

I was looking for info about VOX.

I got the CM500 for my Birthday recently and I was wanting you use the VOX feature on my 7300,
but I’ve never used VOX before, so I don’t have a clue.

I was hoping you could point me in the right direction or a brief explanation.

I watched a video by HamCuredSmoke on YouTube, but it seems that I have to practically
yell to activate it… frustrating!

Thank you for any help in this matter and thank you for all your good work in Ham Radio
and especially the IC-7300!

Eric
w7igc

Guest
Herb Baldwin
2 years ago

Rich, thanks so much for all the great posts on your web site and videos on You Tube – I don’t know how you keep up with it all, but it’s all great info!
I just received (Amazon) my new BM-800 and I also ordered a Heil CC-1-XLR-I adapter cable (XLR to Icom 8 pin round). Out of the box there’s no audio. I’m using the RECORD function on my 7300 to be able to compare the BM-800 to the stock Icom hand mic. I’m wondering now if there’s some wiring modification I need to make to the cable, or maybe I just received a defective mic. Reading the other comments on this thread it seems that most other ham’s experiences have just been “plug n play”. Is that right? Maybe I’m missing something. Thanks. Looking forward to hearing from you. 73 de Herb WB8BHK

Callsign
WB8BHK
BM 800 Mic.jpg
Guest
Herb Baldwin
2 years ago
Reply to  K0PIR

Rich, I’m actually not using the 3.5 mm jack (that would be for a headset). I’m using the Heil XLR to Icom 8 pin adapter. Please see the attached photo. I can’t be the only one out there using this setup, but I can’t find any reference online that mentions any problem. I don’t know however if these I’ve been reading are using XLR 3 pin to 8 pin Icom adapters like I am.

Callsign
WB8BHK
hls-cc-1-xlr-i.jpg
Guest
Herb Baldwin
2 years ago
Reply to  K0PIR

Rich, I sent an email to Heil and got an answer almost immediately! Turns out I just needed to cut (remove) the blocking capacitor they had installed on pin 2 of the XLR connector in their harness. They do this because their harness is designed to be used with Dynamic mics and not electret condenser mics. The capacitor prevents voltage from damaging the dynamic mic. The photo shows the small blue cap unsoldered from pin 2. I then just needed a short jumper to connect the cable wire direct to pin 2. There was some question by Heil as to whether or not the 8v supplied by the 7300 would be enough to drive the BM-800 and to my surprise the new mic was quite hot! Using the stock hand mic I had Mic Gain at 65% and Comp at 5. Now with the BM-800 I turned down Mic Gain to 50% and Comp at 3 to keep from overdriving.
Here is the text of the email from Heil;
“The reason you have no output from your BM800 is that our CC1-XLR-I has a DC blocking capacitor installed on pin 2 of the XLR connector. The cable is designed for use with a DYNAMIC microphone, NOT an electret or studio condenser microphone. The reason we did that is not all Icom radios can turn bias off in the setup menu (it’s on ALL the time) so for those radios we put the DC cap in the cable preventing voltage from damaging the dynamic mic element. That is why your BM800 is not working. And no, the cable is NOT wired incorrectly……. 

Also the BM800 is a condenser element requiring 48 volts phantom power so you will just have to see if the 7300s 3-5 volts will be enough to power the element.

You can do one of two things. 1. Remove ( or just cut the loop wire) the DC blocking capacitor on pin 2 of the XLR if you want to use the cable. 2. Return the CC1-XLR-I and make your own cable with no DC blocking capacitor so your voltage can go through to the element.”

I hope this info helps others using the BM-800 with the Heil adapter cable (XLR to 8 pin Icom)

Herb, WB8BHK

Callsign
WB8BHK
IMG_20221105_110100178.jpg
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