BillESC
Well-Known Member
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.
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.
