Radioddity QT-60 *Pro*

[BC Coyote]

I wired up a desk mic with the same 3 hand mic buttons on it

I've been considering doing that as well. I would only have to add the channel up and down buttons so it wouldn't be that difficult. It would be nice to find a mic cable with enough conductors for both the existing mic wiring and the new switches. As opposed to having two cables going from mic to radio.........

 

[fourstringburn]

I've been considering doing that as well. I would only have to add the channel up and down buttons so it wouldn't be that difficult. It would be nice to find a mic cable with enough conductors for both the existing mic wiring and the new switches. As opposed to having two cables going from mic to radio.........

All you need is a 4 conductor shielded cable which is easy to find. For mic up/down, PTT, and audio only uses 3 wire connections. You could use the 4th wire in the future if you decide to add another button for the user programmable features.

The switches can be internal if your mike has room or make an external box.

 

[fourstringburn]

If you haven't seen these inexpensive desk mics with electret elements, these ones are good. Just order it with a 4 pin for an Older Ten Tec Orion radio and cut off the connector.

This is what I'm using and it works well and has room inside the base for the switches.

Desk Mic by W2ENY

 

[TimmyTheTorch]

As for the rotary encoder, I wonder if the defect was caused by the operator spinning it too aggressively or too fast espcially if you are making big jumps in frequency. That can play a factor in it wearing out prematurely.

I learned my lesson doing that doing it on one of my Kenwoods and had to replace it.

Doubtful, I'm a one channel at a time bloke. I like to investigate and see what's going on, not spin it like Wheel of Fortune. Six months of what I consider to be light use should not wear out anything. Hopefully I'll have better luck with the replacement even though it will have the same potential defect from new. Then by the time that one wears out, maybe a permanent fix will be available.

What I don't know is if the permanent encoder fix will have to originate with Anytone, then make its way to all the "clones", or if Radioddity can use a different encoder than Anytone.

 

[TimmyTheTorch]

If you haven't seen these inexpensive desk mics with electret elements, these ones are good. Just order it with a 4 pin for an Older Ten Tec Orion radio and cut off the connector.

This is what I'm using and it works well and has room inside the base for the switches.

Sounds like an interesting project.

I am using a Zetagi MB+5 Desktop Electret Condenser Microphone that's been working well for a few years. I was using a K-PO NM532 but that only worked for a few months before it croaked. At least it sounded good until it died.

 

[Shadetree Mechanic]

Flash Sale Bundle comes with 5 items, $229!

Radioddity QT60 Pro 10 Meter Radio | Max 60W | FM AM SSB PA CW | TX &

Elevate your communication game with the Radioddity QT60, a versatile and robust 10-meter radio that delivers 60W of high-power performance. Whether you're an amateur radio enthusiast, an off-road adventurer, or a first responder, the QT60 offers unmatched capabilities to keep you connected in...

www.radioddity.com

 

[TimmyTheTorch]

I received the replacement radio very quickly and it works well with both the stock Radioddity mic and the stock mic that came with my Q5N2.

But a strange thing happened when I plugged in my Zetagi MB5 desktop mic and found its modulation first humming in my check radio then nadda. It would not work at all with another handheld power mic I sometimes use either. I do believe I found the culprit, or at least the first culprit, in the little 6 pin to RJ45 adapter I use. Time to dig out the acetylene torch and have at it.

To be clear, this is in no way/shape/form due to anything Radioddity did/did not do. I didn't even get this adapter from them.

 

[TimmyTheTorch]

I received the replacement radio very quickly and it works well with both the stock Radioddity mic and the stock mic that came with my Q5N2.

But a strange thing happened when I plugged in my Zetagi MB5 desktop mic and found its modulation first humming in my check radio then nadda. It would not work at all with another handheld power mic I sometimes use either. I do believe I found the culprit, or at least the first culprit, in the little 6 pin to RJ45 adapter I use. Time to dig out the acetylene torch and have at it.

To be clear, this is in no way/shape/form due to anything Radioddity did/did not do. I didn't even get this adapter from them.

View attachment 71888

Very frustrating getting older. I just could not see the wire well enough to get it securely reattached. And as a bonus, with my finagling trying to do this, the two other wires are no longer attached. Life it too short to fret over this, time to find a suitable replacement. Let's see, 6 pin mic plug on the Zetagi mic I have converting to an RJ45 for the Anytone/Radioddity radio. Should be some out there on eBay or Amazon already made up for purchase.

 

[TimmyTheTorch]

The replacement 6 pin to RJ45 plug arrived today and works well with the K-Po NM-532 power mic on both the QT-60 Pro and Q5N2. The QT-60 also works great with the stock mic, very good reports on the sound from it.

However, the same can't be said of the Zetagi MB+5 desktop power mic that was my main mic. It still hums like a herd of angry hornets when I use it with either radio and into either an antenna or dummy load. It had started doing this before I replaced the QT-60 and also before I replaced the cord adapter. It sounds like this Zetagi mic is kaput, or at least quite ill. I may post a question about it on a different thread so I don't pollute this one too much more.

So, the replacement QT-60 radio is working great and Radioddity did a great job with their customer support and warranty replacement process.

 

[TimmyTheTorch]

Does anyone have an opinion on using a D104 desk mic with the QT-60 Pro? I'm feeling a bit more nostalgic these days and thought it'd be cool to use if it works properly with a modern radio. Finding a D104 in great working shape is probably a big challenge too!

I know other desk mics out there are probably cheaper etc (suggestions?) but my neighbor's Dad (handle Starfish, long since passed away) when I was a kid had one on his Golden Eagle connected to a Super Scanner 3 element antenna and he just boomed out of there. I think he was a retired Navy man and spent a lot of time using a radio in noisy environments so he tended to really project his voice. His yelling at his own kids scared the crap out of me too.

 

[SuperLid]

Does anyone have an opinion on using a D104 desk mic with the QT-60 Pro? I'm feeling a bit more nostalgic these days and thought it'd be cool to use if it works properly with a modern radio. Finding a D104 in great working shape is probably a big challenge too!

I know other desk mics out there are probably cheaper etc (suggestions?) but my neighbor's Dad (handle Starfish, long since passed away) when I was a kid had one on his Golden Eagle connected to a Super Scanner 3 element antenna and he just boomed out of there. I think he was a retired Navy man and spent a lot of time using a radio in noisy environments so he tended to really project his voice. His yelling at his own kids scared the crap out of me too.

If it is just nostalgia, you *could*, replace the crystal element with an electret. You could DIY or, buy a kit to do it, like the W2ENY D104 kit. That would be e good match with the QT.

 

[Shadetree Mechanic]

Amazon has it on sale now for prime members, $199!! Prices may never be this low again with the price of imports expected to go up...

https://a.co/d/9LjtE3N

 

[GlocknSpiel]

WoW! That ship has already sailed.. I just checked out the link and the price has already escalated to $260!! This is gonna be the downside to tariff revenue instead of income taxes, i guess.
The 'gubment' is still going to get their 'cut' --- one way or the other.

 

[Eldorado828]

You can alway go with the radioddity version and use the wwdx discount. They do sales often and you're still allowed to combine the wwdx discount with it. The qt60 pro was just 179 yesterday on the radioddity site and with the discount was a steal.