Source: Hamcity on Amazon.

As a rookie Ham I am always on the lookout for products that help me in my communications, as is anyone. While listening in on a conversation concerning Baofeng radios, I overheard someone talking about the Kenwood SMC-34(G) microphone.

Many new amateur radio licensees start out with a Baofeng because of the low cost. With the purchase of a programming cable and free CHIRP software, a new operator can get on the air for less than $50. It is nice to add a microphone. Most go for the cheap Baofeng mics which are of poor quality. I hope to help new amateurs avoid the same trap.

I would like to have had the microphone on a recent trip that I took to try it out. I had to wait, however, until I returned home to test the Kenwood microphone. I was happy to learn that I received it a day early.

The interesting thing about Kenwood is that they use the same connector style as Baofeng on some of their microphones. This happens to be one. The first thing that I noticed was that the microphone fit tight into the microphone connector on the Baofeng. It was smaller and a little more difficult to remove.

The cord, however, stretched much better. I was able to put the Baofeng in my back pocket and run the microphone to my collar—which is, of course, the idea. I was surprised and pleased to hear that microphone clarity was good on the receive end.

The microphone, itself, is about the same size as the cheaper model, but slightly heavier. It also claims to be water resistant, but I am reluctant to dump in in a sink full of water to test it. I’ll just wait for the next rain.

If you are new to amateur radio and were attracted by the lure of the Baofeng radio, I recommend that you spend the extra money for the correct programming cable, a good extra antenna and the Kenwood SMC-34.