I mix a D-104 with an electrovoice dynamic mic that has very poor high frequency response, but good low frequencies, using a homebrew 2-channel mixer. In addition, I add some pre-emphasis in one channel to give the D-104 additional presence rise. My D-104 is the classic unamplified version, and right now I have it working into a 10 megohm load.
If your rig has a high-Z mic input, I would say the best thing to do is to gut the built-in CB "power mic" rubbish, and run the output of the xtal element directly thru the shielded cable to the input of the first stage. Make sure the load (grid resistor if it is a tube type pre-amp) is at least 5 megohms, and 10 megs is better still. If the mic input is low-Z, you probably could homebrew something that would be much better quality than that stock built in pre-amp.
There's nothing more frustrating to have a lot of money wrapped up in your station and try to have a decent QSO, open the RX bandwidth to enjoy those beautiful tones of another BA station and then a SSB station or AM station starts a QSO 2KC away, like they can't hear the QSO in progress!! The bands are so crowded these dayz...
The bands are
not that crowded these days. Last night after about 10PM local time, it was all empty space between 3880 and 3900. This is typical of weeknights here. There is no excuse for this business firing up 2 kc/s away from an AM station's carrier frequency.
I was on 160 last night (Thursday) in the early evening, on 1985 talking to some of the regulars from central KY. Condx were good and QRN low, but even 160 went long. I very rarely hear a skip zone on 160, but some of the stations were weak, although still readable.
And then I heard some slopbucket splatter. I tuned around, and found it coming from a SSB group that had settled in about 2 kc/s above our frequency (even though there were gobs of unoccupied frequency space +/- 15 kc/s either side of us), and naturally, "AM QRM" was one of their topics of discussion. They didn't really bother us; it was just annoying so I just tuned back to our operating frequency and carried on. After we finished, I listened to see exactly what was going on. Guess what?? It was the infamous
MARCONI NET! Apparently they have decided to QSY to 160 due to the long band conditions on 75 of late. Well, at least maybe the AM guys on 75 will be rid of them for a while.
Although I don't advocate the idea that anyone regardless of mode "owns" a frequency, I nevertheless find it quite a coincidence that when they moved operations from 75 to 160, that they "just happened" to land 2 kc/s away from a spot that has long been frequented by AM stations.
Some of these slopbucket operators remind me of white-tailed deer that have a bad habit down here of hanging out along the edge of the road and as soon as they see a car coming they jump right out in front of it and get plastered all over the highway as they destroy the car.
