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Need help with President McKinley Microphone issue

w1av

New Member
Jan 7, 2022
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I just got my new McKinley today and I want to do the microphone mod because of all the reports of muffled audio. I did see posts on here about this, and how to fix but I need clearer instructions as far as drilling the hole in mic element. The pictures on here are not clear enough for me to understand exactly where to drill.I dont want to ruin the mic. Can someone give me detailed STEP BY STEP instructions? I can see how the actual mic element is located behind grille in upper right corner of mic. Its a small round element. The grill basically has nothing behind it, just an empty space. I can also see how you can remove the mic element. But why do you drill a hole? I am still not understanding what the problem is. I read there is a small piece of plastic covering the mic element. Is that what you drill thru??? How do you do this without destroying the mic element???? Please help!!!!:eek:
 
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I just got my new McKinley today and I want to do the microphone mod because of all the reports of muffled audio. I did see posts on here about this, and how to fix but I need clearer instructions as far as drilling the hole in mic element. The pictures on here are not clear enough for me to understand exactly where to drill.I dont want to ruin the mic. Can someone give me detailed STEP BY STEP instructions? I can see how the actual mic element is located behind grille in upper right corner of mic. Its a small round element. The grill basically has nothing behind it, just an empty space. I can also see how you can remove the mic element. But why do you drill a hole? I am still not understanding what the problem is. I read there is a small piece of plastic covering the mic element. Is that what you drill thru??? How do you do this without destroying the mic element???? Please help!!!!:eek:

Take the back cover off the mic and carefully dig off the glue holding the element in place. Carefully dislodge the element and you will find a white foam element behind the mic element, take that out and drill a small hole on center of the element port. I used a bit to fit between the louvers on center so I didn't spoil the looks of the mic from the outside. Take your time and think about the end result. remove burrs and backwards reassemble the way you took it apart. Good luck !
 
I was told the newer microphones had a silt in them from the factory? I seem to remember the original didn't and that's why I drilled mine out.
 
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I was told the newer microphones had a silt in them from the factory? I seem to remember the original didn't and that's why I drilled mine out.

Well there must be some New Old Stock still floating around out there and I ended up with one last summer. It came thru with the frequency way off and has been a huge disappointment ever since I owned it. The factory rep. ask me if I had been tinkering in there and I had to work at not spitting verbal bullets at him. I bought new because I didn't want to fix Junk. I'm going to send it 1 more time at my expense to a radio repair shop of my choice to get it adjusted proper before I fix it with a BFH. The factory repair shop did a quickie half hinney job. Of coarse mine might be the exception and not the rule but at my age I just want to talk a little Skip not fix junk anymore. End of Rant ! LOL
 
I just got my new McKinley today and I want to do the microphone mod because of all the reports of muffled audio. I did see posts on here about this, and how to fix but I need clearer instructions as far as drilling the hole in mic element. The pictures on here are not clear enough for me to understand exactly where to drill.I dont want to ruin the mic. Can someone give me detailed STEP BY STEP instructions? I can see how the actual mic element is located behind grille in upper right corner of mic. Its a small round element. The grill basically has nothing behind it, just an empty space. I can also see how you can remove the mic element. But why do you drill a hole? I am still not understanding what the problem is. I read there is a small piece of plastic covering the mic element. Is that what you drill thru??? How do you do this without destroying the mic element???? Please help!!!!:eek:
You are receiving reports of your microphone is muffled? Have you had someone talk on your radio and you listened to your mic on a different radio?
 

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