I need a wireless mic system

[Scott Holt]

No, I am not going to use a multiple system. I was just asking.

[Karl Winkler]

Originally Posted by Scott Holt

I am looking for a handheld wireless mic system that has a range of at least 400' or even a little more. It will be used for sideline reporting and other things but when doing sideline reporting it will be a long distance from the base to the mic. I would like to keep it under the $400 mark as we are a school on a budget. I really like the Audio-Technica System 10 Digital Wireless - Handheld System range but it only has a range of 100' is what they say. Does anyone know of any good deals out there that would work? Thanks.

The only way I can think of to do this with relatively off-the-shelf equipment that will be very reliable, will cost a lot more than $400.

I do think you'll want to have a standard, wired microphone for starters, and use a belt-pack transmitter that is mounted probably on your hat so that the antenna sticks up over your head so that the majority of the RF energy is not absorbed by your body. The transmitter should be capable of a minimum of 100 mW or, if possible, 250 mW, which is the legal limit for UHF frequencies.

Most handheld transmitters are 30 mW, although some higher-end units will go to 100 mW. The problem is that the antenna in the tail of the unit isn't in an optimum position.

Next is your receiver system - probably directional antennas are best, and circularly polarized if possible. They should be mounted fairly high near the booth so that they have line of sight covering the entire area. They should be spaced at 14 ft apart or greater if possible. And then they should be connected to the receivers via low-loss cable.

Next, the receivers should be highly selective, i.e. well filtered. They need offer diversity reception (most decent units do this).

With a setup like this, and good frequency choice via scanning before you set out onto the field, you should have nearly 100% reliable signal. That said, this setup is likely to cost $3000 or more.

[Scott Holt]

After all that, I think a wired setup may be the easiest in the long run.

[Scott Holt]

I don't know why I didn't think of this before. I will have a camera on the sideline with the reporter. The camera will have XLR inputs for sound. I am running the video up through a Balun that includes sound. Muxlabs 500053 to a 500052-Pro-BNC Balun. What if I would get a wireless setup and hook it up to the camera which will only be several feet away from the talent. It would then run into the camera, into the balun, through the cat 6 cable and upstairs. Then I would take the sound from the Balun and into the mixer. Anyone care to comment?

[Mike Watson]

That is the way it'd traditionally be done, yes.

[Scott Holt]

Recommended wireless mic system?

[Mike Watson]

I'd say the Sennheiser G3 is the defacto standard.

[Scott Holt]

Then someone on another forum mentioned something that a stupid guy like me never even thought of. Are you planning on hooking up the mic directly to the camera and send it through the Balun? If I would have had any brain in my head whatsoever, I would have thought about that. Sometimes I can be pretty scary. I'm learning this stuff on my own and with the help of forums like this. There is nothing better than a wired connection when you can use wire. Thanks for everyone's help. You got my mind working again. Kind of. :)

[Gary Nattrass]

Don't worry about it as sometimes the really simple solution is the hardest to think of.

We have done numerous live TV stand up's for soccer etc with just the camera chain available so a radio mic straight into the back is probably your best bet. I just use a G2 but most of the time have a lav and a stick mic sent back via SDI.

We also used the second talkback channel on the sony 1500 cameras to feed the reverse IFB for live links, I still have all the looms with the 5 pin XLR for it.

[John Willett]

Personally I would use a Sennheiser G3 100 series with co-linea anennas at the receiver.

More than $400, though.

[Don Palomaki]

If the camera is only a few feet from the mic and always line of sight, almost any wireless mic system should work as long as the frequency is open. The issues become quality of sound, if that is an issue, number of frequencies available, and features such as plug-in transmitter and the like..