Motorola to icom adapter

[lcat06]

I have a icom 2730a but I want to use a Motorola hmn1056d for ptt and to transmit audio. This will be in a car… what’s the best way to do this? I already have both. Thansk for the help!

 

[mmckenna]

Here's the pinout for the microphone plug on the Motorola:


Note that it has 5vdc on pin 2.

 

[mmckenna]

And here's the pinout for the Icom. Note that it wants 8 volts. So you may have a challenge getting this to work even with the pinout correct.

Essentially you'll need to match up the pins on the Motorola plug to match what the Icom is looking for.

 

[mmckenna]

The Motorola's use a 10 pin RJ-50 plug. The Icom uses an 8 pin RJ-45 plug.

The 10 pin RJ-50 will fit into an 8 pin RJ-45 jack. But obviously you are going to either need to make an adapter cable, cut the connector off the Motorola and install a new plug with the pins lined up, or steal the mic cord from the Icom mic and connect it to the Motorola mic.

Other than the voltage challenge, you may have some issues with mic sensitivity. I don't know the exact mic specs on these and if they'll match up.

But, I get it. I always hated the ham radio microphones. Zero ergonomics and a cluster***k of buttons that just got in the way. Replacing the stupida$$ Icom mic with the Motorola, or something similar, would be an improvement.

One of several reasons why I got rid of all my amateur radios and switched to LMR gear.

Good luck.

 

[lcat06]

I have a microphone plug with 8 prongs on the Motorola mic…

 

[lcat06]

These Ham mics are garbage

 

[lcat06]

What do you mean steal the mic cord? What’s the best and cleanest way to do this

 

[mmckenna]

What do you mean steal the mic cord? What’s the best and cleanest way to do this

Cleanest?

Cut the RJ connector off the end of the Motorola mic cord and install a new one with the correct wires going to the correct pins to match the Icom radio.

-or-

Cut the Icom mic off the end (not sure if those have an RJ connector on both ends or not) and reinstall that Icom cord inside the Motorola microphone.

 

[mmckenna]

Or,

Ditch the hammy radio and get yourself a CDM-1250 and not screw around with anything.

 

[lcat06]

Or,

Ditch the hammy radio and get yourself a CDM-1250 and not screw around with anything.

Is the cdm 1250 ham bands? Would the hmn1056d work no rewiring?

 

[mmckenna]

Is the cdm 1250 ham bands?

The VHF will cover the 2 meter band. Just be aware, NO VFO, you have to program in everything you want. This is a different beast than the ham rigs.

Would the hmn1056d work no rewiring?

Yes, or any other other mics that fit that series.

 

[lcat06]

Hmm okay. What would a good use of the icon 2730a be if I used the cdm in my vehicle? Trying to justify the purchase

 

[lcat06]

I want to keep the icon ideally since I have it already… how would I wire in Pinout wise

 

[mmckenna]

Hmm okay. What would a good use of the icon 2730a be if I used the cdm in my vehicle? Trying to justify the purchase

That's for you to decide.

Going with commercial gear just to get the different microphone isn't worth it for most hams. You lose some of the 'ham friendly' features, like VFO, easy programming on the fly, automatic repeater offset, etc.

If it is the microphone that is the issue, then choosing a different ham radio might make more sense. Kenwood uses a version of their commercial/LMR microphone on their radios. TM-V71A or TM-D710GA would be worth looking at. Or find one of the old single band Kenwood radios.


The microphone is -the- primary user interface on a mobile radio, and the lack of thought that most ham radio manufacturers put into them is always a surprise. I rarely have LMR mics fail (probably about 200+ mobiles at work), but as a ham, I replaced several.

 

[DeoVindice]

Hmm okay. What would a good use of the icon 2730a be if I used the cdm in my vehicle? Trying to justify the purchase

Move it to a different vehicle, use it for UHF (CDMs are single-band), use it as a base station, sell it, trade it...if you don't need ham-specific features, you won't go back to ham equipment after using LMR gear.

 

[lcat06]

What’s the easiest and most durable way to require it I don’t have much experience

 

[mmckenna]

What’s the easiest and most durable way to require it I don’t have much experience

"require"?

Did you mean "rewire"?

There is no "easy" way. You need to have the skills to do this, and you need to understand that due to the voltage difference and the possible different spec's on the microphone, that it might NOT work correctly.

The "Easy" way is to ditch the Motorola microphone and order yourself an Icom HM154 ICOM HM-154 ICOM Mobile Hand Microphones | DX Engineering

From what I can find, that will work with the IC-2730.

 

[lcat06]

I’d rather keep it to be honest but I want to use to Motorola mic I just don’t know how to do it cleanly

 

[lcat06]

"require"?

Did you mean "rewire"?

There is no "easy" way. You need to have the skills to do this, and you need to understand that due to the voltage difference and the possible different spec's on the microphone, that it might NOT work correctly.

The "Easy" way is to ditch the Motorola microphone and order yourself an Icom HM154 ICOM HM-154 ICOM Mobile Hand Microphones | DX Engineering

From what I can find, that will work with the IC-2730.

How high quality is that?

 

[mmckenna]

How high quality is that?

Haven't used that specific microphone.

In my experience with older styles, the basic Icom mics are not as durable as the Motorola's. Back in the early 2000's, I repaired several of them that would fail from seemingly 'normal' usage.
But they were better than the Amateur mics.