Need new mic or somebody

[robertwbob]

Who can rewire my mic or a decent replacement. Its a radioshack htx 212.
Dont start in whinning cause im using an old 2 meter radio.it belonged to a friend who is a silent key.his wife gave it to me and said USE IT,MY HUSBAND WILL BE HAPPY. My cord is going bad as a rs tradition. The radio is great even though cord is going bad

 

[K4EET]

Bob,

Is it the entire cord or the connection at the RJ11 mic connector? Do you know?

Also see: Radio Shack HTX-212 Microphone - The RadioBoard Forums

And there is a LOT more out on the web...

73, Dave K4EET

 

[robertwbob]

Bob,

Is it the entire cord or the connection at the RJ11 mic connector? Do you know?

Also see: Radio Shack HTX-212 Microphone - The RadioBoard Forums

And there is a LOT more out on the web...

73, Dave K4EET

cord is freying like all rs mic cords do,otherwise works fine.
Makes me think of a kenwood connector

 

[robertwbob]

L

Bob,

Is it the entire cord or the connection at the RJ11 mic connector? Do you know?

Also see: Radio Shack HTX-212 Microphone - The RadioBoard Forums

And there is a LOT more out on the web...

73, Dave K4EET

looked,i have service manual and owners manual. No crimping tool or can i see that small of wires.
Thats why i was asking if anybody can fix mine.
Might have to go see my retired telephone repair man.he might have whats needed.
But thats a gamble if he does

 

[robertwbob]

Bob,

Is it the entire cord or the connection at the RJ11 mic connector? Do you know?

Also see: Radio Shack HTX-212 Microphone - The RadioBoard Forums

And there is a LOT more out on the web...

73, Dave K4EET

thank you for replying.i was radio shopping and the widow discovered i was,she told me take this radio and USE IT, her husband used it a year n passed. Wish the power supply and antennas he had werent gone. He had a couple on his house.roofers reroofed it and strangely they kinda disappeared.
Virginia said use his radio,think of him when you use it.if it breaks put it where you can see it. So its a sentimental thing that works well

 

[K4EET]

Very good Bob,

Sounds like you have a good handle on what you need. The one thing that I noticed that you did not mention is the apparent existence of some kind of data processing going on in the mic housing. I base that statement on the data line that appears on pin 8 of the mic connector. Since you have both the service manual and the owner's manual, do you know what is going on with the data? I'm wondering if the microphone needs to be replaced with an identical mic assembly or repaired with a coiled 8-conductor with shield cable terminated to a RJ11 plug to keep the existing mic head. That might preclude the use of a third-party mic without that data module for whatever it does (e.g. if it were to cause the radio to be inoperative).

Perhaps somebody else that has this radio, a Radio Shack HTX-212, might chime in here with some additional comments.

Also Bob, out there in your neck of the woods or if you have a favorite online supplier, do you have a place identified where you can get the cable that you need? Then if your retired telephone friend can install the connector, could you do the soldering or would you need your friend to do that? Obviously, if you could get this done locally even with the help of a member from the local ham club, would be ideal and a quicker solution. What do you think, Bob?

73, Dave K4EET

 

[belvdr]

Don't have a fix but nothing wrong enjoying the radio you operate. Who cares if it's old or only 2m? Nobody else needs to enjoy it but you.

 

[robertwbob]

It

Very good Bob,

Sounds like you have a good handle on what you need. The one thing that I noticed that you did not mention is the apparent existence of some kind of data processing going on in the mic housing. I base that statement on the data line that appears on pin 8 of the mic connector. Since you have both the service manual and the owner's manual, do you know what is going on with the data? I'm wondering if the microphone needs to be replaced with an identical mic assembly or repaired with a coiled 8-conductor with shield cable terminated to a RJ11 plug to keep the existing mic head. That might preclude the use of a third-party mic without that data module for whatever it does (e.g. if it were to cause the radio to be inoperative).

Perhaps somebody else that has this radio, a Radio Shack HTX-212, might chime in here with some additional comments.

Also Bob, out there in your neck of the woods or if you have a favorite online supplier, do you have a place identified where you can get the cable that you need? Then if your retired telephone friend can install the connector, could you do the soldering or would you need your friend to do that? Obviously, if you could get this done locally even with the help of a member from the local ham club, would be ideal and a quicker solution. What do you think, Bob?

73, Dave K4EET

s just cord going bad,i worked heat shrink over the plug but signs of more black rubber deterioration is evident.other than that i get great reports.several act shocked when i say its an old simple radio

 

[robertwbob]

Don't have a fix but nothing wrong enjoying the radio you operate. Who cares if it's old or only 2m? Nobody else needs to enjoy it but you.

i think some round me might be envious as it sounds great so im told. Wish we could buy simple new like this and several other older radios from that era

 

[captaincab]

Maybe find a microphone on eBay?

 

[robertwbob]

Maybe find a microphone on eBay?

id like a new better cord on my mic.radioshack cords were all quick at going bad. Looked on ebay 1 i found week ago was bad too

 

[bharvey2]

I'm sure it's age that is causing the deterioration. I've got some older Maxon mobile radios that suffer the same problem. I did a quick check of the mic wiring diagram and it seems familiar to the one used in Kenwood's TM-V71A. Maybe either double check that and if it is, use a Kenwood mic or, maybe scrounge the cable from a used Kenwood mic?

 

[K4EET]

It's just cord going bad,i worked heat shrink over the plug but signs of more black rubber deterioration is evident.other than that i get great reports.several act shocked when i say its an old simple radio

Hi Bob,

Well it sounds like the cord is deteriorating for sure. I will admit, I have never soldered a cable with that small gauge of wire size (26 AWG). I'm not sure how to even strip the insulation other than using my teeth. LOL!

Here are two cables that I quickly found. I did NOT do an exhaustive search nor did I do a sanity check on the price. But one thing that I would watch out for is quality. Note that the ProWireUSA cable is made in USA and is possibly a better cable than the Amazon cable even though it is cheaper in overall cost.

Prowireusa - 8 Conductor Coiled Cord for $31.05

Amazon.com : OPEK MC8-6 3FT REPLACEMENT HAND MIKE MICROPHONE CABLE COILED CORD 8 WIRE : Everything Else for $55.48

So Bob, what about your local contact that you mentioned earlier? Would they be willing to help you out here?

73, Dave K4EET

 

[robertwbob]

Hi Bob,

Well it sounds like the cord is deteriorating for sure. I will admit, I have never soldered a cable with that small gauge of wire size (26 AWG). I'm not sure how to even strip the insulation other than using my teeth. LOL!

Here are two cables that I quickly found. I did NOT do an exhaustive search nor did I do a sanity check on the price. But one thing that I would watch out for is quality. Note that the ProWireUSA cable is made in USA and is possibly a better cable than the Amazon cable even though it is cheaper in overall cost.

Prowireusa - 8 Conductor Coiled Cord for $31.05

Amazon.com : OPEK MC8-6 3FT REPLACEMENT HAND MIKE MICROPHONE CABLE COILED CORD 8 WIRE : Everything Else for $55.48

So Bob, what about your local contact that you mentioned earlier? Would they be willing to help you out here?

73, Dave K4EET

i got to go ask him,he is not home for a week,vacation.
Yes im leaning to american made. In my younger years i soldered itty bitty wires but my eyes decive me nowdays.

 

[robertwbob]

I'm sure it's age that is causing the deterioration. I've got some older Maxon mobile radios that suffer the same problem. I did a quick check of the mic wiring diagram and it seems familiar to the one used in Kenwood's TM-V71A. Maybe either double check that and if it is, use a Kenwood mic or, maybe scrounge the cable from a used Kenwood mic?

thats a possibility.

 

[K9RPL]

I have an HTX-202 that I bought new 30+ years ago. These units have outstanding audio on both TX and RX. I just replaced the memory backup battery last month even though the original was still good. And rebuilt a couple of battery packs with NiMH cells. Those old Radio Shack units are solid, well built units. Don't let *anyone* tell you their junk! Mine's a keeper.

The Handheld units were all ICOM 2A, 02A etc. compatible. Batteries as well as Speaker/Mic.

Maybe the mobiles may be the same?

 

[robertwbob]

I have an HTX-202 that I bought new 30+ years ago. These units have outstanding audio on both TX and RX. I just replaced the memory backup battery last month even though the original was still good. And rebuilt a couple of battery packs with NiMH cells. Those old Radio Shack units are solid, well built units. Don't let *anyone* tell you their junk! Mine's a keeper.

The Handheld units were all ICOM 2A, 02A etc. compatible. Batteries as well as Speaker/Mic.

Maybe the mobiles may be the same?

not sure who built the mobiles but everybody says it sounds great. Other than the mic cord and not sso good audio from speaker they are fine. I just use an external speaker.
Not sure but i think kenwood had a hand in my htx 212,read something somewhere

 

[K9RPL]

Was going to insert the SVC Manual but saw you already had it.

I doubt the HTX-212 was made by Kenwood. The HTX-202 and 404 were made my Maxon and the 10Meter mobile by Uniden. I wonder if there might be some telltale items on the circuit boards that might provide a clue.

 

[bharvey2]

Was going to insert the SVC Manual but saw you already had it.

I doubt the HTX-212 was made by Kenwood. The HTX-202 and 404 were made my Maxon and the 10Meter mobile by Uniden. I wonder if there might be some telltale items on the circuit boards that might provide a clue.

Maxon, huh? Well, that explains the deteriorating mic cables as I mentioned above. I will say that despite the bad cables, the commercial grade Maxon radios I've used have been pretty good. I don't blame the OP for continuing to use the HTX. Hopefully the replacement cable that K4EET found will solve the problem.