I was at customcbradios.com the other day looking at some pics and I saw the review for the new Stryker SR-65SB noise canceling mic. I am always on the lookout for a good noise canceling mic since my truck has about 11 fans/blowers etc and I really need something to cut the noise down. I was about to go get a noise gate but I decided to try one more mic.
The best candidates I have had so far are an RK-56, which is my favorite, a little low on talk power but good overall tone and clarity, has a bit more bass than most folks like but I like it. The Astatic 636l works well with my keydown radio but is very, very flat. Not all that much talk power but then again I realize that's the case with a noise canceling mic.
The above website had a 2 or 3 part video review and I saw a clean, sparse mic interior which would allow the end user to configure it with switches etc should you have a 2510, 2950 etc. this alone is worth the price. Try fitting switches in a D104M6B handheld (yikes).
I also liked the way it looked and liked the idea of a real environmentally selaed push button switch which is a lot more tactile and clicks when activated and doesn't slide. Slide switches can cut the receive off before transmit etc. and annoy me.
I bought the mic on Ebay for around $29 shipped, a value to be sure. The only written comments any sellers had were the ones from the Stryker website which stated the following:
Stryker radios
The new Stryker SR-65SB features best-in-class Noise Canceling and combines incredible performance with bold sexy styling. We've designed the SR-65SB to provide maximum clarity even when used in noisy environments such as a tractor trailer. Our premium dynamic element provides excellent intelligibility and talk power for CB, Amateur and SSB Communications.
The ergonomically designed chrome key provides easy operation. A heavy duty steel grill and rugged ABS housing mean this microphone is built to last! We've used a quality six conductor, 9FT flexible coiled cord that is pre-wired for most 4-pin radios.
Anyway, like most things I don't believe the hype. I got it home plugged it in and i was disappointed. It looked cool, it was light, had a great button but the audio sucked. It barely even tickled my hottest radio with the mic gain way up! They say you might actually have to turn the mic gain down? yeah right...
I opened it up and i saw a 1000 ohm resistor soldered inline with the positive lead of the element, I also saw an isolation transformer (we will discuss this further later), and a .1uf 100v poly capacitor. I got rid of the 1000 ohm and connected the wire directly to the element and voila' I had audio. NOW everyone could hear me, I even tried a test with my base amp which has 3 fans on it and not one person heard them so it still had the power but NONE of the background noise. No matter how far I used to walk away with my D104 you could always hear the fans ever so slightly. On air reports were that I was pretty clear, intelligible but too narrow banded. I sounded like i had no treble or bass, just a slim section of midrange, I went back in and added 2 .1 uf 50v ceramic disc caps in paralell with the one on the output of the isolation transformer.
Another on air check revealed I sounded great, I can use all the talk back I want, no squeals, NO background/fan noise etc. I had enough tone to sound like myself and I didnt sound all muddy.
Isolation transformers:
I love isolation transformers because they allow you to match and combine signals that never would be possible without. They eliminate ground issues between components and even solve tube to solid state coupling issues... anywhoo... I have no idea if it is a 1:1 or a step up or down transformer but i wondered if it was limiting anything so I replaced it with the $3 radio shack 600 ohm 600 ohm version to see any differences, NONE reported... ok put a stancor version in... NO difference, I put the stock one back in and called it done.
I am happy to see the isolation transformer in this one because anyone who has owned an ac mobile can tell you steel mic grills can bite when rf is on the shield. an isolation transformer and a plastic mic solve this issue.
So in summation, the removal of the resistor had no ill effects, rather it is almost necessary. It still doesn't pick up noise, adding 10 cents worth of caps to it makes a GREAT $29 mic.... oh remember to talk close, it has a lip guard to help distance yourself from the front so use it.
enjoy.
The best candidates I have had so far are an RK-56, which is my favorite, a little low on talk power but good overall tone and clarity, has a bit more bass than most folks like but I like it. The Astatic 636l works well with my keydown radio but is very, very flat. Not all that much talk power but then again I realize that's the case with a noise canceling mic.
The above website had a 2 or 3 part video review and I saw a clean, sparse mic interior which would allow the end user to configure it with switches etc should you have a 2510, 2950 etc. this alone is worth the price. Try fitting switches in a D104M6B handheld (yikes).
I also liked the way it looked and liked the idea of a real environmentally selaed push button switch which is a lot more tactile and clicks when activated and doesn't slide. Slide switches can cut the receive off before transmit etc. and annoy me.
I bought the mic on Ebay for around $29 shipped, a value to be sure. The only written comments any sellers had were the ones from the Stryker website which stated the following:
Stryker radios
The new Stryker SR-65SB features best-in-class Noise Canceling and combines incredible performance with bold sexy styling. We've designed the SR-65SB to provide maximum clarity even when used in noisy environments such as a tractor trailer. Our premium dynamic element provides excellent intelligibility and talk power for CB, Amateur and SSB Communications.
The ergonomically designed chrome key provides easy operation. A heavy duty steel grill and rugged ABS housing mean this microphone is built to last! We've used a quality six conductor, 9FT flexible coiled cord that is pre-wired for most 4-pin radios.
Anyway, like most things I don't believe the hype. I got it home plugged it in and i was disappointed. It looked cool, it was light, had a great button but the audio sucked. It barely even tickled my hottest radio with the mic gain way up! They say you might actually have to turn the mic gain down? yeah right...
I opened it up and i saw a 1000 ohm resistor soldered inline with the positive lead of the element, I also saw an isolation transformer (we will discuss this further later), and a .1uf 100v poly capacitor. I got rid of the 1000 ohm and connected the wire directly to the element and voila' I had audio. NOW everyone could hear me, I even tried a test with my base amp which has 3 fans on it and not one person heard them so it still had the power but NONE of the background noise. No matter how far I used to walk away with my D104 you could always hear the fans ever so slightly. On air reports were that I was pretty clear, intelligible but too narrow banded. I sounded like i had no treble or bass, just a slim section of midrange, I went back in and added 2 .1 uf 50v ceramic disc caps in paralell with the one on the output of the isolation transformer.
Another on air check revealed I sounded great, I can use all the talk back I want, no squeals, NO background/fan noise etc. I had enough tone to sound like myself and I didnt sound all muddy.
Isolation transformers:
I love isolation transformers because they allow you to match and combine signals that never would be possible without. They eliminate ground issues between components and even solve tube to solid state coupling issues... anywhoo... I have no idea if it is a 1:1 or a step up or down transformer but i wondered if it was limiting anything so I replaced it with the $3 radio shack 600 ohm 600 ohm version to see any differences, NONE reported... ok put a stancor version in... NO difference, I put the stock one back in and called it done.
I am happy to see the isolation transformer in this one because anyone who has owned an ac mobile can tell you steel mic grills can bite when rf is on the shield. an isolation transformer and a plastic mic solve this issue.
So in summation, the removal of the resistor had no ill effects, rather it is almost necessary. It still doesn't pick up noise, adding 10 cents worth of caps to it makes a GREAT $29 mic.... oh remember to talk close, it has a lip guard to help distance yourself from the front so use it.
enjoy.
