Kenwood: My New Kenwood MC-60 Mike won't key my TM-V71A

[Checkerboard]

I use a Kenwood TM-V71A in my office as a base station VHF/UHF, and want to connect it to the secondhand Kenwood MC-60 desk mike I just bought.
The TM-V71A has an 8-pin RJ-45 connector, but the MC-60 has the typical round 8-pin connector.

The solution is to buy the adapter cable to connect the two. Kenwood makes one - the MJ-88 adapter. It costs about $50 including shipping and tax.

I decided to save a little dough and buy an aftermarket copy of the MJ-88 on eBay, from an outfit based in China but shipping from Louisville (orangeconnex.com).

My problem: the only MC-60 desktop mike button that works is the "up channel" button. I cannot key the transceiver. I installed two new AA batteries in the mike's base to power its preamp. The MC-60 is super clean inside and out; it'd be hard to distinguish it from a new MC-60.

Has anyone successfully connected a Kenwood desk mike to their TM-V71A... or has anyone run into a similar problem to mine?

Thanks all KM6U Sonora, CA

 

[AK9R]

Has the mic worked with other radios before? If not, maybe a dirty contact in the mic or mic cable or 8-pin round plug?

Is the RJ45 plug on the adapter seating well in the socket? No sideways strain? Does the radio key up when using the OEM mic?

 

[Checkerboard]

Has the mic worked with other radios before? If not, maybe a dirty contact in the mic or mic cable or 8-pin round plug?

Is the RJ45 plug on the adapter seating well in the socket? No sideways strain? Does the radio key up when using the OEM mic?

Hi yes, with a TS 450; the innards are hospital clean... I'll inspect the plug's pins. The RJ-45 seats positively, just like the hand held stock mike does. The radio keys and works perfectly with the hand mike. I'm pretty convinced it's a junk adapter cable, but won;t know until I get the OEM Kenwood cable. Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[AK9R]

Google found this. You could check pin-outs on your adapter cable if you are so inclined.

mj88

 

[krokus]

Is that the correct adapter for that model? Kenwood has different pinouts on their 8P8C.

 

[AK9R]

The MJ-88 is produced by Kenwood. I'd like to believe that both ends are compatible with Kenwood radios, but you'd have to check the pin-outs to be certain.

 

[krokus]

The MJ-88 is produced by Kenwood. I'd like to believe that both ends are compatible with Kenwood radios, but you'd have to check the pin-outs to be certain.

My TM-742 and my TM-V71 mics are not interchangeable, due to pinout differences.

 

[AK9R]

From the TM-942A, TM-742A, TM-642A Instruction Manual:


From the TM-V71A Instruction Manual:

MIC audio, PTT, 8 volts DC, and the grounds are on the same pins. The difference is that the newer radios have a serial data stream for microphone control functions (hence the clock pulse sometimes heard in the mic audio) while the older radios use the "UP" and "DWN" lines with various resistors to get those mic control functions. And, the older mic connectors had receive audio on the mic jack that the new radios don't have.