Intercom 4 pin to radio

[Zachary Tarantino]

Hello lovey people, lighting guy here

I have a SMH210 headset that I bring with me for ClearCom or equivalent systems. Some places I go to have 2 way radios, so I have to use those in-ear "headsets" that start to hurt by the time doors open. Instead if buying another headset that I like for these radios, does any manufacturer sell an adapter from Motorola 2.5+3.5 mm to 4pin xlr? I know the pin out is the same .

Thanks in advance

 

[Dionysus]

I think some research is in order before I make more of a comment. But a direct adapter MAY not be possible, may need to compensate for a few things...

I know there is an adapter to go to the RADIO that Production Intercom makes *looks it up* http://prointercomllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Cut_AD913_PRO.pdf
Generally look at this page http://prointercomllc.com/category/adapters/

Hope your search goes well... (might come back and do some further looking myself when I have time. Also check the Search on here if you haven't)

 

[Zachary Tarantino]

I think some research is in order before I make more of a comment. But a direct adapter MAY not be possible, may need to compensate for a few things...

I know there is an adapter to go to the RADIO that Production Intercom makes *looks it up* http://prointercomllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Cut_AD913_PRO.pdf
Generally look at this page http://prointercomllc.com/category/adapters/

Hope your search goes well... (might come back and do some further looking myself when I have time. Also check the Search on here if you haven't)

Thanks!

Yea saw that too but didnt want to shell out too much money up front if someone knew of a work around or cheaper solution. All of my searching has come up without much luck. I saw a couple posts of DIY solutions from years ago.

I'll be back at a venue with that uses the walkie talkies in a few days. Going to try my hand at making a Jerry rig solution and see what happens. Will update if it works!

 

[RonHebbard]

Thanks!

Yea saw that too but didnt want to shell out too much money up front if someone knew of a work around or cheaper solution. All of my searching has come up without much luck. I saw a couple posts of DIY solutions from years ago.

I'll be back at a venue with that uses the walkie talkies in a few days. Going to try my hand at making a Jerry rig solution and see what happens. Will update if it works!

@Zachary Tarantino Please also update if it doesn't work, share your findings / knowledge with others BEFORE they let the 'magic smoke' out of any of their NON Motorola walkies.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard

 

[Jay Ashworth]

The ProIntercom unit won't help you.

That interfaces the radio to *three-wire clearcom*, not to a headset. In short, it has a network inside, which you (hopefully) don't need.

 

[Malabaristo]

Radios typically are designed around an electret microphone, so they won't play nicely with the dynamic mic in your headset. Here's a link with more info and a schematic for a super simple preamp/adapter: http://www.epanorama.net/circuits/dynamic_to_electretinput.html

I did something like this a while ago in order to use Eartec headsets with Plantronics wireless telephone adapters to make some cheap wireless intercom. If interested, I can try to dig up the exact values I used, but I think I pretty much just copied this circuit (or one that looks awfully similar).

 

[Jay Ashworth]

Mal: Motorola industrial 2-way? Electret? Really?

 

[TimMc]

Intercom and RF Guru Pete Erskine has all kinds of com adapters and magic devices on his website:

Riedel, RTS, Clear-Com & Telex Intercom adapters & application notes for download & viewing. — Best Audio

www.bestaudio.com

You'll have to set up an account and log in, but it's free and Pete doesn't sell, rent, or disclose your existence to foreign powers, your significant otter, or harm animals in the process.

 

[Malabaristo]

Mal: Motorola industrial 2-way? Electret? Really?

He didn't specify what type of radios he's using other than the fact that they have the Motorola-style 2.5mm+3.5mm connector... which covers a very wide range of products. But yes, electret would be the default assumption in my experience. Depending on the specific model, there may also be configuration options for dynamic.

Also, I'm curious why that seems weird to you--especially in an industry that uses electrets all the time for body mics. Lots of industrial/pro applications for radios have some of the same requirements driving the design, so why wouldn't they use the same solution?

 

[Jay Ashworth]

Because I've been a ham since 1979, and the standard external mic input I'm accustomed to is dynamic, even if the internal mic on an HT is an electret.

 

[steine]

I have seen both, electret primary on Motorola, TyT, Danita, midland and similar radios.
But yeah, my Icom, CTE and Yaesu all used dynamic on the external.

ps: 73s de oz2aev

 

[Malabaristo]

Because I've been a ham since 1979, and the standard external mic input I'm accustomed to is dynamic, even if the internal mic on an HT is an electret.

That makes a whole lot more sense than the kind of bizarre, anti-electret bias I was imagining when I read your comment

 

[Jay Ashworth]

Oh ghod; yeah, I'm horribly anti-electret! They're disgusting, disgusting mic elements.

 

[Zachary Tarantino]

Hey all! Sorry for the long awaited reply.. holidays get in the way of work.

I built a direct adapter and it sorta works!

The headphone speaker portion works just fine, I can hear. And the mic works (very quiet) when just the mic cable is plugged in. But when both headphone and mic cables are plugged in, the mic is continuously on, so not a very useful radio if only I can talk! I think that's an easy fix with a switch built into the mic line, but i want to fix the mic level issue first, which I think Malabaristos linked circuit may help with.

Thanks all!