Mike - thanks for the reply, but I believe we may be miscommunicating.
First off, per ICOMAmerica's service desk, the A-21 uses a condenser
mike. He didn't say electret and because the A-21 is old, probably
isn't an electret element. And talking into the body of the handheld
works fine, as does the accessory "speaker/mic" - however, please note
we are talking about neither. We're discussing the problem of
connecting the AvComm AC-450 to the A-21.

Second, the electret mike element does require power for the FET
contained therein (this may be the root of my problem; OTOH, if the
'speaker/mic' works, then power is coming from somewere!)

"Not true, see above." - I'm not sure what we're disagreeing on.

Condenser mics and electret condenser mics both require power.Granted,
for different reasons. My source for that statement is based on the
following URL, but also on other reading concerning how condenser mics
operate:
http://www.seed-solutions.com/gregor...Microphone.htm

Would you consider the use of the word "incorrect" vice the phrase
"not true". "Not true" has the implication the other person is
intentionally making a misstatement. I'm sure if we were face-to-face
the problem wouldn't exist. - Regards, Mike





Mike Weller wrote:

On Fri, 26 Sep 2003 05:00:26 -0400, Michael Horowitz
wrote:

Folks - I'm having difficulty getting audio from my Avcomm headset to
my Icom A-21 handheld.

Your Icom A-21 uses an internal electret mike. There is no reason
your headset electret won't work. I use my headset with an A-3 and it
works fine. Are you sure you're putting the mike about a half inch
from your lips and speaking directly into it?


The Icom requires a condenser microphone and the Avcomm has an
'electret' element, which as I understand is a variety of condenser
mic.

Not true, see above.

Has anyone had a similar problem and how was it solved? - Mike

PS- I see a variety of circuitry on the 'net describing how to power
the microphone, but I was hoping not to have to go off building
another box.

Just not true. The only headset interface that I've seen that
requires power is for active noise cancellation.

Mike Weller