hey Michael:
For a very adequit microphone and mixer, your cost shouldn't exceed $200 at 
the very most. Add in some cabling and a desk stand for the mike and you may 
get up to $200 or $225 at the most.
I think you are trying to spend too much on the microphone itself.
As was stated, your audio band width on ssb, using a typical 2.3 to 2.7KHZ 
band width is around 200HZ to 3500HZ.
Now, if your intention is to run wide, up to the canadian legal band width 
of 6KHZ on ssb, you will have an audio band width of something like 80HZ to 
8000KHZ.
That is still well within the specs of a 20 dollar studio mike from any 
music store.
The $20 mike won't have the smoothness of a more expensive mike, so I would 
suggest upgrading to something in the $60 to $100 range at the maximum.
A mike i've had some success with both for amateur radio and studio work is 
the audio technica AK2020 wide diaphram condenser microphone.  I believe i 
payed $90 for it.  This said, i wanted something that could handle extremely 
high SPL, up around the 120DB range, so i got the wide diaphram.  For vocal 
use only, you don't need a large diaphram.  So, you could go and check out 
mikes at a music store and likely pick up a very good condenser mike for 
around $75.
The behringer 802, being the smallest behringer mixer that offers onboard 
fantom power is around $65 or something like that. However, the W2IHY unit 
is a bit more expensive.  But even so, you shouldn't be spending more then 
$300 for everything including microphone, w2ihy eq and cables.
If you have a Long and Mcquade music store in your area, go shopping and see 
what you can find.  They are by far the cheapest and most quality music 
store in Canada.  I would really suggest the W2IHY unit even if it is 
pricier then a mixer since it'll give you the option of an external PTT 
switch and fantom power to run a condenser mike.
Alternatively, buy the heil adapter suggested here and use the behringer 
802.   The adapter will have audio in and a ptt option.
When you do perchase the mike make sure you get a balanced XLR cable with 
it, as well as balanced 3.5mil to 3.5mil cable with a high quality 3.5mil to 
6 mil adapter to connect the mixer to the rig.  Either way, you'll need a 
radio microphone adapter to run audio in to the rig...unless you are 
comfortable soldering an 8 pin jack.
73
Colin, V A6BKX
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Michael Ryan" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, August 23, 2009 9:29 AM
Subject: Re_adding a Condenser Mic


> Hi all:
>
> Thanks for the tid bits, it appears I under estimated the over all cost.
> If I go with the mic, W2IHY Equ, or mixer setup, I'm looking at a cost
> of around about 350 to 500. I think I can certainly get a Heil mic and
> stand for about 280CAN.
> So if I do the Dynamic mic root, how can I still control the PTT and
> roll ofs?
> I'm thinking of either adding the Apex 415 Condenser, probably now
> scratched, now looking like the Apex 381 wich is a dynamic studeo mic.
>
> 73:
>
> Michael DE VO1RYN