XLR Mic Adapter For HamRadio

In the advent of getting my rigs hooked up for hands free work, I was able to hook an XLR mic into my HF radios.

In order to do this (neatly) I used a 600:600 transformer. To make things neat and tidy. I also went ahead and got a XLR panel mount for mic, mono audio jack for the foot switch and a RJ45 panel mount for the radio mic input. Slap a nice label on it and you got a non amateur job :-)

PARTS:
600:600 transformer
mono panel jack
xlr panel mount
foot pedal
apex 850 mic
rj45 panel mount

The hard core wiring that makes it all happen is...

Combine the 1 and 3 connections on the XLR mic and solder it to one pin of the 600:600 transformer, solder XLR pin 2 to the other pin of the transformer. On the other side of the transformer solder 1 pin to the radios mic + and the last pin solders to the mic - pin. When it comes to the radio mic wiring, take a standard cat 5/6 cable and snip one end off so you have wires to solder with. Shown above is a diagram for the standard wiring (with the rj45 tab facing down/away from you) For my FT-857 / FT-891 and many other yaesu radios:
pin 4 = mic ground
pin 5 = mic positive
pin 6 = radio ptt
pin 7 = common ground

But RJ45 being very easy to crimp together this provides a easy and cheap way to wire up your radios MIC port even if it does not have a RJ45 plug and has the older 8 pin round connector

Above is the port of the radio in relation to the pin outs

And below is the complete package tied in a bow :-)