Hi all, I work at a large church here and we are having some minor issues with wireless dropouts in our IEM system.
We use Shure UHF-R receivers for the mics, and typically there may be 8-12 in use on stage at one time. These do work fine, with no issues at all, but their associated mics obviously are a part of the RF on stage. The antennas for these receivers are active directional UA-874, stage right and left within 50-75 feet of the users.
The IEMs are also Shure, and are quite new. We use 7 at one time. I don't know their exact models right now. (I'm not the actual audio guy, but I'm familiar with RF so I'm working on this for him). The transmitters are mounted in an on-stage rolling rack, within 50 feet or so of the users. The antennas are not combined, but separate antennas, often hanging in clumps on the fronts of the transmitters. I realize that this *could* be a problem, perhaps causing intermod. Comments?
In any case I do suspect that we may have an intermod problem. I don't believe that any of the frequencies of either system were selected by using suggested frequency groups or with the use of an intermod program.
It looks to me that the Wireless Workbench program (and others) are geared to their respective brand's equipment, meaning that IFs and other specific frequencies are taken into account within each brand's intermod program when you select the system in program setup. I can see that will work great when concerned only a UHR-R system for example, but here I have a number of beltpack receivers with their own spurious responses, different from the UHF-R receivers. The IEM receivers are not listed in the Workbench program. Meaning, that image response, for example, is different for each model of receiver. (I'd be glad to be wrong on this, because it would simplify things. Then most any intermod program should work.)
A. Is a generic intermod program just as useful as the 'brand specific' ones?
B. I assume we should move our frequencies to the suggested groups where possible, yes? Or doesn't that really matter when using an intermod program to pick/reject frequencies? (Maybe the groups would be a good starting point, then reject 'problem' frequencies from there.)
So I'm asking for the best way to coordinate frequencies on a stage like this. This would mean the mics, IEM transmitters, com base and packs, and anything else that we have control of.
I hope this made sense. Thanks!
Laryn
We use Shure UHF-R receivers for the mics, and typically there may be 8-12 in use on stage at one time. These do work fine, with no issues at all, but their associated mics obviously are a part of the RF on stage. The antennas for these receivers are active directional UA-874, stage right and left within 50-75 feet of the users.
The IEMs are also Shure, and are quite new. We use 7 at one time. I don't know their exact models right now. (I'm not the actual audio guy, but I'm familiar with RF so I'm working on this for him). The transmitters are mounted in an on-stage rolling rack, within 50 feet or so of the users. The antennas are not combined, but separate antennas, often hanging in clumps on the fronts of the transmitters. I realize that this *could* be a problem, perhaps causing intermod. Comments?
In any case I do suspect that we may have an intermod problem. I don't believe that any of the frequencies of either system were selected by using suggested frequency groups or with the use of an intermod program.
It looks to me that the Wireless Workbench program (and others) are geared to their respective brand's equipment, meaning that IFs and other specific frequencies are taken into account within each brand's intermod program when you select the system in program setup. I can see that will work great when concerned only a UHR-R system for example, but here I have a number of beltpack receivers with their own spurious responses, different from the UHF-R receivers. The IEM receivers are not listed in the Workbench program. Meaning, that image response, for example, is different for each model of receiver. (I'd be glad to be wrong on this, because it would simplify things. Then most any intermod program should work.)
A. Is a generic intermod program just as useful as the 'brand specific' ones?
B. I assume we should move our frequencies to the suggested groups where possible, yes? Or doesn't that really matter when using an intermod program to pick/reject frequencies? (Maybe the groups would be a good starting point, then reject 'problem' frequencies from there.)
So I'm asking for the best way to coordinate frequencies on a stage like this. This would mean the mics, IEM transmitters, com base and packs, and anything else that we have control of.
I hope this made sense. Thanks!
Laryn