How to reduce mic sensitivity?

[daviddowns2000]

I'm very pleased with the excellent features of my Sony Ericsson Cingular cell phone/MP3 player/camera, but the hands-free mic is much too sensitive when I'm on the bike. I use it tucked up under my helmet's chin bar and always wear my Etymotic Er-6 earphones, so I don't hear much wind noise myself, but people on the other end complain that they can barely hear me because of the noise. I have not found any way to change settings to reduce the mic sensitivity with the phone itself. Is there some special acoustic foam that is used to cover microphones to reduce wind noise, or would any old foam work?

 

[Bounce]

Install a push-to-talk switch. Keeps the mic off except when you want to talk. makes hearing incomming much easier.

 

[daviddowns2000]

Install a push-to-talk switch. Keeps the mic off except when you want to talk. makes hearing incomming much easier.

Thanks, but I don't think I want to try to change the mic...too much stripping, soldering, shrink-wrapping, etc. with tiny little wires, and I'd probably screw it up. Anyway, I want to keep it hands free and I think PTT would still transmit the wind noise whenever I talked. The mic is very sensitive and I think I need to reduce that sensitivity with foam or something like that. It even picks up a lot of road noise when I'm driving the cage!

 

[Charlie Hoss]

I'm very pleased with the excellent features of my Sony Ericsson Cingular cell phone/MP3 player/camera, but the hands-free mic is much too sensitive when I'm on the bike. I use it tucked up under my helmet's chin bar and always wear my Etymotic Er-6 earphones, so I don't hear much wind noise myself, but people on the other end complain that they can barely hear me because of the noise. I have not found any way to change settings to reduce the mic sensitivity with the phone itself. Is there some special acoustic foam that is used to cover microphones to reduce wind noise, or would any old foam work?

I had the same problem with my Autocom mics. Fixed it by making my own windsocks with pieces of foam from a roll of FROSTKING air conditioner insulation.

Foam must be open cell so sound will easily get thru to mic, should be relatively soft so it doesn't irritate your lips if touching. It should be almost touching lips. Cut it to size and shape with scissors and make a slot in one end to insert mic as far as the center. The Autocom mic comes from behind a section of helmet padding and is held in place by friction, but the windsock may be glued in place if necessary.

PM me and I'll send you a piece of the foam (daviddowns2000 only please! ).

 

[Bounce]

Install a push-to-talk switch. Keeps the mic off except when you want to talk. makes hearing incomming much easier.

Thanks, but I don't think I want to try to change the mic...too much stripping, soldering, shrink-wrapping, etc. with tiny little wires, and I'd probably screw it up. Anyway, I want to keep it hands free and I think PTT would still transmit the wind noise whenever I talked. The mic is very sensitive and I think I need to reduce that sensitivity with foam or something like that. It even picks up a lot of road noise when I'm driving the cage!

most ptt switches are inserted in-line using standard connectors. no splicing needed.