D 104 Microphones History and Lore

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

Those spring mounted D-104s were the bees knees!

[W1GFH]

:idea: Shouldn't be too hard to make a ring and spring D-104. I got one in surgery already started....

[Ed KB1HVS]

Rochester salt. One of the stories out there is they are low on rochester salt used for the crystal elements. I read it somewhere. Do not know how true.

Actually Ed, when I heard that they were going to stop making the D104 I called and ordered several elements for the shelf. The marketing gal that I spoke with said that the reason that they decided to halt production on the D104 was becasue the molds were needing reworked and the cost was staggering. In that year they only sold 35 D104's and there was no way to justifiy the cost of the mold work.

It appears to be a case where the product was so cheap and so good that obsolence became a big factor. I've got 3 D104's here and just about every ham I know has a few on the shelf. Why buy a new one when you could order a new element and get a few more good years with it?


--Larry W8ER

  Yes I also heard that too. I have 3 d-104s here. One  modified with a j-fet preamp and a phase switch. Works nice. I also have a DN HZ dynamic Astatic mic. Is very tinny but it really cuts through the fog.

[k4kyv]

A closeup of the ring mounted D-104.

Careful examination of the photo reveals that the spring hooks are not spaced exactly 90 degrees apart around the rim of the head,  to avoid interference with the four screws and their spacer sleeves that hold the head together.  So the springs don't sit exactly symmetrically with the same tension when the mic is mounted in the ring.  In this photo, notice the horizontal springs at the top.  The one on the  left is stretched longer than the one on the right.  Same with the vertical springs.  On the left, the upper one is stretched longer, but on the right, the lower one is stretched  longer.  Of the bottom horizontal springs, notice the one on the right is stretched longer.

This head is a full 1" thick, unlike modern heads which are 13/16" thick.

[k4kyv]

:idea: Shouldn't be too hard to make a ring and spring D-104. I got one in surgery already started....

Wrong type of head.  Notice the difference in the knurling on the front and back plates, plus the difference in thickness.

[W1GFH]

Wrong type of head.  Notice the difference in the knurling on the front and back plates, plus the difference in thickness.

True, it would be a modern D-104 head with a HB ring and spring mount.

And depending on mounting points of the springs you can make the suspension a square or a diamond shape.

(Carbon example)

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

Here's the schematic for the preamp for those who have the amplified D-104s.

[Vortex Joe - N3IBX]

Here's an outfit that is offering a newer style head for Astatic users.

http://www.rmscomanagement.ca/canadianastatic/images/2002-05-08_018.jpg

You mean someone mixed "viagra" in with their D-Ten-Four??

[Vortex Joe - N3IBX]

Wrong type of head.  Notice the difference in the knurling on the front and back plates, plus the difference in thickness.

True, it would be a modern D-104 head with a HB ring and spring mount.

And depending on mounting points of the springs you can make the suspension a square or a diamond shape.

(Carbon example)

The microphone in this picture is a "Universal" model BB double button carbon job.

[Vortex Joe - N3IBX]

Bacon....I tried the Mouser xtal and  another in ceramic from mouser... Both worked OK....Steve

Steve,
        How did the element stack up against a crystal Astatic element in frequency response and fit/function? I'd like to buy a few as replacements for D-Ten-Fours I have that have crapped out their crapstal elements. Any info will be appreciated.

[k4kyv]

Bacon....I tried the Mouser xtal and  another in ceramic from mouser... Both worked OK....Steve

Steve,
        How did the element stack up against a crystal Astatic element in frequency response and fit/function? I'd like to buy a few as replacements for D-Ten-Fours I have that have crapped out their crapstal elements. Any info will be appreciated.

I attempted to contact Canadian Astatic about their version of the D-104:

To: <sales@canadianastatic.com>
Sent: Monday, 21 March, 2005 09:30
Subject: D-104 replacement cartridges

> Do you supply replacement crystal elements that will fit the classic D-104
> with the flat profile screen?  I notice in the photo that the 1075 Window
> Microphone has a different screen on the front of the  head that protrudes
> outwards.  Would the element used in this microphone fit the older style
> head that lacks the bulge?
>
> Thank you.

This is the reply I got:

   ----- The following addresses had permanent fatal errors -----
sales@canadianastatic.com>

   ----- Transcript of session follows -----
<sales@canadianastatic.com>... Deferred: Connection refused by canadianastatic.com.
Message could not be delivered for 1 day
Message will be deleted from queue

[Ed Nesselroad]

Anyone replaced the Astatic cartridge with a Heil 5?  I have a number of 104's, an N 30, and a JT 30 and had thought this might be a workable swap when they require replacement.

[Jack-KA3ZLR-]

Here's another version i found on the net:

http://bobscb.com/microphones/super_star/silver_salute.htm

[W8ER]

Anyone replaced the Astatic cartridge with a Heil 5?  I have a number of 104's, an N 30, and a JT 30 and had thought this might be a workable swap when they require replacement.

Ed I tried this and was not pleased with the results. It worked but   :cry:

--Larry W8ER

[W8ER]

Here's another version i found on the net:

http://bobscb.com/microphones/super_star/silver_salute.htm

Jack ... THAT is the ugliest microphone that I have ever seen!  :lol:  :lol:

--Larry W8ER

[Jack-KA3ZLR-]

Hi Larry   ,

 http://bobscb.com/images/super_star/silver_salute.jpg

here's another pic of it:

http://www.wb0w.com/workman/images/silver-salute.jpg

It is kinda unique...

Here's the characteristics:

http://www.bellscb.com/products/microphones/Superstar/Superstar_Silver_Salute.htm

[KL7OF]

Joe....The mouser xtal element that I tried had sensitivity and freq response very similar to the Astatic xtal element...can't tell much difference in that respect......The outside diameter of the mouser element is smaller than the original and fit into the head easily...I used some foam from an old pop screen to make a doughnut shaped piece that  fills the voids and centers the element.. Someone with a little more acoustical savvy could come up with a better mounting I'm sure...The ceramic element is not as sensitive and requires more mic gain and it doesn't sound as good as the xtal ...The cartridges were tested on Viking 2 and 32V-1.....Currently using an Astatic Xtal on the 32v and the mouser is sitting on the shelf......

[Vortex Joe - N3IBX]

Here's another version i found on the net:

http://bobscb.com/microphones/super_star/silver_salute.htm

Jack ... THAT is the ugliest microphone that I have ever seen!  :lol:  :lol:

--Larry W8ER

I kinda like it. It's real Art Deco/Moderne looking. I wonder if the fit and finish is as good as Astatic?

[Jack-KA3ZLR-]

Good Morning Joe,

 I found this thing in passing on the net while looking around the CB web sites Lord there's a Guzillion of them.. , But Eham has a small write up on it , and i've read on the different CB Boards it's Not Bad...

I think it's unique...

[W8ER]

Here's another version i found on the net:

http://bobscb.com/microphones/super_star/silver_salute.htm

Jack ... THAT is the ugliest microphone that I have ever seen!  :lol:  :lol:

--Larry W8ER

I kinda like it. It's real Art Deco/Moderne looking. I wonder if the fit and finish is as good as Astatic?

Joe  .. it has a presence rise at 27 mhz!!!    :lol:  :lol:  :lol:

--Larry

[k4kyv]

Hi Larry   ,

 http://bobscb.com/images/super_star/silver_salute.jpg

here's another pic of it:

http://www.wb0w.com/workman/images/silver-salute.jpg

It is kinda unique...

Here's the characteristics:

http://www.bellscb.com/products/microphones/Superstar/Superstar_Silver_Salute.htm

Note that it's a dynamic mic, not xtal.  The ad says it "doesn't sound like a D-104."  It has the rising characteristic with the 3 kc/s peak like the D-104, but looks like the lows cut off sharply below about 150~.  It evidently is a "power mic" because it uses a battery.  I strongly suspect that, unlike the D-104, it would be impossible get better lows out of it by adjusting the load resistance on the mic element.