Nasty sound gig Thursday

[BillESC]

We got the contract to install a completely new sound system in a chruch that is nearly a hundred years old.

Thursday, Neal and I started the job. Installing the new amp, new wireless mics, new mixer went without a hitch. Even installing the new podium mic with shock mount wasn't too bad. (had to drill a 2" diameter hole 2.25" deep in Oak.)

Things went down hill when we began running the line for monitor speakers in the daycare and choir rooms. The mix position is in the balcony at the front of the church and the rooms where the monitors are to be installed are at the back of the building. The cable run has to go from the center of the balcony down to the crawl space under the church.

The entrance to the crawl space is from the exterior rear of the building and upon opening the hatch, things looked good. There was about 4' of clearence to the floor joists and most of the dirt was covered with plastic sheeting. In I went with flashlight in hand to fetch the cable that we had dropped through the floor at the front of the church. It was a distance of about 130'.

We've recently had a lot of rain and in some spots there was standing water in the dirt floor, other spots were dry and still others a very slippery mud. As I progressed into the bowels of the building the dirt floor began to rise. For the last 50' or so I was crawling on my belly. Anyway, I managed to retrieve the cable and bring it back to the hole in the floor for the daycare room. I emerged from the crawl space covered in mud and full of sweat, so I took a ten minute break, then washed up.

Neal was going to do the second cable run, from the daycare room to the choir room. Since the daycare room was in a new addition and the choir room was in the original building, the run had to go about 50' back towards the front of the church, then turn left for 40' then back about 30' or so. This also entailed crawling either over or under HVAC ducts, plumbing pipes and all kinds of electrical wiring that was hanging here and there.

When Neal entered the crawl space, I went up to the balcony to solder an end on the monitor cable. Within a few minutes, Neal came up to the balcony and handed me the flashlight. He said, "I dont' do snakes." Lovely.

Neal happens to be my best friend and one of the smartest people I know, so, if he doesn't do snakes, that's ok with me and down I went to run the second cable. Just me, a flashlight, a cable in hand and total darkness with critters. Now, that's what I call fun.

This morning I went back and finished soldering up the monitor cables and that part of the job is done. Next week the EV speaker and ALS gear should arrive and we'll be able to finish the job.

I'm ALMOST gettin' too old for this.

[DaveySimps]

Wow! Does not sound like a fun day at all. At least it was very productive. Why does it seem if it is not technology out to get us, it is mother nature? Good luck with the rest of the install.

~Dave

[avkid]

This a prime example of when to use the robot/RC car camera fishing method.

[BillESC]

There is no way a robotic car could have accomplished this task.

The ground was too uneven.

Cars don't climb over ducts

The first cable to be retrieved was on the other side of a missing cinder block. The second came down through the floor and landed on top of a large duct.

[seanandkate]

Where's a good co-op student / intern when you really need one . . .

[mixmaster]

Man oh man, I remember back to my days running Fire alarm wire. I used to run into four legged critters all the time under buildings. The mice and rats weren't bad but after I disturbed a coon one day I started carrying a can of pepper spray when I went way back in places like that. I wonder if pepper spray works on snakes....? Glad you got out alive, hope the rest of the job is cleaner.
Matt

[KProductions]

I worked for a multimedia company last year doing system installs (sound, video, projectors, etc...). Without a doubt, some of the hardest work I've ever done. Kudos to you for getting the job done. Good luck with the rest of the install.

[Grommet]

I love crawling in places like that.

Give me a call if you need a monkey for installs.

[museav]

One of the things I learned is that an ideal install team consisted of a minimum of a couple of big, strong guys, one tall and thin person and one very small person. I still remember one install that involved the two big, strong guys holding the tall, thin guy by the ankles while he hung down through an access door into a vertical chase.

I know that there is no way I could now do many of the things I did back in my install days.