Wireless Mic Question

[Ed Dixon]

I have a Samson wireless headset mic that we use for vocals. It is used both at church and as part of a local band.

When we use it with the band, and play various places, all goes well. When we use it at church, we are getting some of what sounds like drop outs. In each case, the receiver and transmitter are less than 15 feet apart and in line of sight.

At church the receiver is rack mounted, and is near a vareity of other gear including two power amps, mixers, and a 12 space guitar rack. There are also something like 8 other wireless mic units there as well.

Any ideas on what might be causing the interference? This is a diversity VHF unit from Samson.

Ed

 

[boingoman]

Clear path/line of sight for a VHF unit should be an imaginary tunnel in the air between receiver and transmitter about 5 feet in diameter, ideally. (like that ever happens ) Any less could indeed cause dropouts or reduce range. Try getting the antenna away from that other stuff. Your unit may have an available option to break the antenna away from the box. Also check the area around the performer for large flat metal surfaces, beams, ducts, etc, as you could be losing RF energy from reflections at the transmitter or the receiver. Worst case, and most common, at both. Make sure the antenna is at the correct length. The manual should tell you how far to extend it for a given channel. If not, make sure it is fully extended.

 

[Ed Dixon]

The five feet part may be the issue, as it faces the other way at church. For band jobs, there is open line of sight, as the vocalist is in front of the forward facing rack.

I'll try moving the rack to a different postion to see if that helps. The same rack also has two other UHF wirless units and a UHF in-ear system. They work fine from the current location.

Ed

 

[boingoman]

Yeah, uhf units can operate though a much smaller "hole" as the radio waves are so much smaller. It's pretty flexible, though, you should be able to fix it pretty easy.
I'm helping with a show, or trying to, with 16XUHF head mics and 6XVHF units. I am pushing very hard for the troupe to upgrade to all UHF.

UHF in-ears are sweet.

 

[Ed Dixon]

Have only had the Shure in-ears for a few weeks. Mostly used with band, and less at church thus far. For band jobs, where the volume is much higher, they have worked very well.

Ed

 

[wilkee]

ED

Next time you use it in the church could you try your Samson unit with all of the other units switched off, It could be a mutual radiation thingy.

 

[Ed Dixon]

I will try that as well. This unit is near the choir area, and the other 4 units there (in the same rack) are off. However there are at least 7 other wireless units at the other end of the room (about 100 feet away in the sound booth), that are probably still on. They vary by brand, but most are VHF. Three or four Shure, one or two Samson, and one a Senhauser.

Ed