Up the back or down the front?

[Jimmy Tuffrey]

Originally Posted by Waldemar Winkler

I've worked with all kinds of wireless mic systems.

Which systems are you referring to...

[Anna Harmon]

Originally Posted by Jim Boda

Sometimes they don't give you a choice...

Hillary Clinton grabbed the lav out of my hand and said..."I'll do that".

Having heard some inside stories about miking Hillary Clinton, I can understand why. (sorry, laughing out loud)

And Ervin, you most certainly can. How old are you that you don't know what underwire is? I know this is a sound forum but haven't you seen a woman in her bra before?

And contrary to popular belief, ahem, underwire is a very common feature in any bra, regardless of bra size. It blows.

And Richard, I always explain what I'm doing with the lav while I'm doing it, it helps them and me. I've never had an uncomfortable situation. Although sometimes men will pull their pants down. The more seasoned ones. I for the life of me don't know why but it's funny regardless and I call them out on it. Some of them will even drop their pants then stand still with their arms out. Thank God they're usually wearing boxer briefs.

[Daniel Epstein]

Originally Posted by Waldemar Winkler

I first became aware of how the combined body density of a room full of people could disrupt a RF (radio frequency) mic signal when an assistant had unwittingly placed the receivers on the floor beneath a table at the back of the room. The receivers should have been placed so only air stood between the transmitters and receivers. .

Of course one should never put Transmitters or Receivers Antennae on the floor for good transmission and reception. There is a reason TV transmitter towers are tall and most people don't put their TV antennae on the floor either. As for always getting direct line of site on multiple transmitters this can be very difficult to achieve so this is what often separates the great radio mics from the good, or mid priced ones etc. I have found heavy clothing (like winter jackets) can greatly diminish the effective range of a radio mic as well

[Ervin Farkas]

Originally Posted by Anna Harmon

And Ervin, you most certainly can. How old are you that you don't know what underwire is? I know this is a sound forum but haven't you seen a woman in her bra before?

I certainly have seen "wired" bras Anna, I'm not "that" old... LOL... Although I have yet to mike one!

The problem is my English - it's not my first language. I was born Hungarian in Romania (that's two languages I speak at "mother's tongue level"), and after 8 years of French I only studied English in high school... so I can't even call English my second language (ESL)... it would be my fourth... Honestly I thought your mistyped underwire for underwear (does the bra qualify for underwear or is it a separate category?).

Question Anna: when you say you "clip the mic on the middle part of her bra" - does that mean under her blouse? Or on the bra but on the outside (through) the blouse?

[Steve House]

Originally Posted by Ervin Farkas

...
Question Anna: when you say you "clip the mic on the middle part of her bra" - does that mean under her blouse? Or on the bra but on the outside (through) the blouse?

Not to put words in Anna's mouth but a common location in dramatic production where it's important to keep the mic hidden is under the blouse on the bit of strap connecting the two cups together in the mid-line, sometimes between the bra and the blouse and sometimes on the inside of the bra hidden within the woman's cleavage (depends on her 'endowment').

[Waldemar Winkler]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Tuffrey

Which systems are you referring to...

Both single and dual diversity systems. Also systems that utilize a single antenna for multiple frequencies. By brand: SONY, Shure, Samson, Audio-Technica, Telex, Sennheiser, Lectrosonics, and NADY, the brand that started it all but lost both market share and reputation by not paying attention to details. By time frame: 1980 to present.

When in the Meetings and Conventions industry as an audio visual technician I usually had six to twelve RF microphones in use on any given day. Most of the time I had the luxury of working in one facility where I knew where the problems would occur. When I was doing road show gigs, everything was analog and everything changed with avery new venue. Working an old facility that had experienced several renovations was, well, an adventure. Wireless technology wasn't that well understood by anyone. The walls were loaded with supposedly disconnected electrical wiring that still carried reduced AC voltage and sometimes DC voltage. Ground loops were an occupational hazard, and an absolute given in high humidity environments like Florida. Basically, if a tool used electricity it had a radio frequency signature, and was likely going to be your enemy. Honestly, I didn't like wireless mic's very much then. They were vulnerable to just about anything. On the bright side, they amost guaranteed overtime. Things are much less stressful now.

[Brooks Harrington]

Well, wireless has come a long way since consumers coming into hotels and asking you to hook up their 'nadys' because they were too cheap to rent the Telex. But I agree, hotels and convention centers have some of the dirtiest AC and XLR feeds. Have many nightmare stories from doing that for 3 years straight, and then... "out'a there"! The year... 1984-1987. That's too long ago, don't mention it again.

[Anna Harmon]

Originally Posted by Ervin Farkas

Question Anna: when you say you "clip the mic on the middle part of her bra" - does that mean under her blouse? Or on the bra but on the outside (through) the blouse?

Sorry for the late response Ervin, just saw this.

Yes, under the blouse on the bra. You rarely have any shirt noise that way.