100 percent Mic Gain Needed on Maestro?

Carl N8VZ

I've been experiencing the following problem since I got my Maestro out of winter storage so I could use it for backyard patio QSOs: for some reason no matter what mic I try I have to turn Mic Gain up to 100 to get 100 watts out of the 6600M.  I don't think that this is the way it's suppose to be.  It's very strange, but it's not a linear scale.  There's like 5 watts out until it gets to
about 90 and then it starts jumping up in quantum fashion.  It must get to 100 in Mic Gain before I'm putting out 100 watts through the rig.  Very strange, indeed. The mics I've tested, include: Heil BM-17 headset, Heil Mic with HM-5 element, Ten-Tec 709, a Heil Proset with IC element, Yaesu MH-31, and a Yamaha CM500.  Basically, the same behavior with all of them, however the CM500 was not able to get all the way up to 100 watts with 100 Mic Gain.  I don't recall this behavior last fall, though I do remember that setting up a mic to work with the Maestro required numerous settings and more than a little savvy to get it accomplished.  Another issue, that may or may not be related, the Maestro keeps switching on its own from either the M-MIC1 or M-MIC2 setting to R-MIC.  I have to manually switch it back, but sometimes when I do this, the R-MIC remains highlighted as well as the M-MCIx being highlighted after I touch-click on it.  Oh yes, one more perhaps relevant item: TX directly through the 6600M with many of these same microphones is normal with adjustments of MicGain within reasonable standards.  Any and all help appreciated.  73 de Carl N8VZ

Larry _ NY8T

Do you have the +20 db turned on? The 20 db setting is available on the maestro also.

Carl N8VZ

Larry,

Thanks for the suggestion.  I just checked and both BIAS and +20dB  are enabled on the Flex 6600M.  So apparently that's not the issue.  But, it was a good idea.  I appreciate the help.

73,

Carl
N8VZ

Larry _ NY8T

you will also find the +20db setting on the Maestro, make sure its turned on in the menu  phone/cw

Carl N8VZ

After some further "fiddling" I've gotten the MH-31 to put out 100 watts with a Mic Gain setting of only 90.  Still seems way too high to me.  The fiddling referred to was mainly just rebooting the equipment.  73 de Carl N8VZ

Carl N8VZ

It is on both the Maestro side and the Radio side, as well as BIAS.  I'm currently using the MH-31 mic that apparently needs the BIAS. 

Larry _ NY8T

yeah, my fhm-2 hand mic on the maestro is set at mic gain 12.

Carl N8VZ

Well, for some unexplained reason the behavior in my original message has stopped. Seems to be normal now. I’ll post more details later. Got to take the XYL out to dinner in a few minutes.

Carl N8VZ

Well, I was out of the shack for about two hours.  I come back, and the same behavior all over gain.  When I left everything appeared to be working FB.  I tried both the HM-31 mic and the BM-17 and I was getting good output with reasonable Mic Grain settings of 35 to 45.  Now, it's back to doing exactly what it was before.  Only getting decent RF output with Mic Gains in or around 100.  I didn't change a thing.  Not sure what's up.

Carl N8VZ

One thing that I've noticed is that it will not let me choose M-MIC2 much of the time.  It wants to keep R-MIC highlighted.  

Carl N8VZ

OK.  I got it working again.  Not exactly sure what I did.  I've now created a Mic Profile for the BM-17, and it will let me select M-MIC2.  Not sure why sometimes I could not select that option when I tried to create a new mic profile.  But, I got that done this time.  Hopefully it'll work in the future and I can create a similar one for the MH-31.  It's been quite a hassle, and I'm not sure why.

Jeff ODowd

I’m having the very same problem but it always a permanent state. I thought it was an issue with the 6700 which I returned under warranty and was shown to be correct. I returned the Maestro with the 6700 for completeness but this was not tested. It definitely seems to be an issue with the Maestro or software and is very frustrating.

Brad

I just had the same thing about a hour ago. No out put without mic at 100, I have it at 77. Ever setting was still the same. Move the mic cables and it work like it should. Have a Heil-781. Was going to restart , but as I said it working now. I shut my 6600 M down ever night. I was talking on it yesterday and it was ok.

Carl N8VZ

Brad, do you mean physically move the mic cables, or on the TX Menu?  On the the Menu is where, for awhile, I had trouble getting it assigned to the correct input.  I would set it to M-MIC2 and it would move itself to R-MIC.  I finally got it to "stick" with the correct allocation, but it was a big struggle.  I mean it took me hours of "fiddlng" to get it to stick where I put it.  I would set it, and then come back to the menu and it would be switched back to the wrong setting.  Is that what you were experiencing?  

As I said, I've got it working now, and I now have Mic Profiles setup for two mics, and they seem to have the input "sticky" in those profiles, but getting those profiles setup was a hassle and a half.

Brad

I have only the one mic, so meant physically. Did check the settings and everything look good and they or all the same after it start working. Who knows, just wait and see, but other wise what a great radio. Sometime software can be funny, and of course more than likely is the guy in the chair mess up!!!!!


Carl N8VZ

OK, Brad, thanks for the clarification.  Sounds like you and I were experiencing different problems, even though the major symptom was the same. Jeff's problem, though, sounds like it was like mine a software one.  I would say it's a glitch, if not a full-blown bug.  Perhaps, it can be corrected with a software upgrade.

Brad

Just to let you know, it did it again. Keying but no audio, reach and moved the RCA plug, it was a loose fit and work right off the bat. Think will try to squeezes the it a bit and see if can get a better fit. Got the cable so it does not move too. Working ok.