Providing sound for a city Christmas parade using a Presonus 16.4.2 console - Event Video 43

We are providing a basic PA (2 speaker) setup for the Town of Cary, NC (Cary Jaycees) 2022 Christmas parade.
Console: Presonus 16.4.2
Speakers: Yamaha DSR115
There were wireless mic interference issues just before the parade officially started. We use our backup wireless system (MiPro) to manage the interference issues. In the many years we have provided this service to the city, we have never had an issue like this.
WRAL Raleigh (news station) was onsite to live stream the parade. We provided a feed from our console to their camera for audio of the event.

[@XIIMonkeysMusicGroup]

Active antenna paddles help a lot too!

[@alanphillips4734]

Use some DPA's and maybe a rack / distro, would certainly not rely on your 1/2 wave antennas for these types of use

[@beckwith5880]

looks like a very merry Christmas parade!

[@Jimsalos]

Happy new year from Canada! good video

[@stageleftaudio]

Happy new year!

[@adolfomontenegro944]

muchas gracias por tu tiempo y voluntad de enseñar tu trabajo

[@stageleftaudio]

¡Gracias por tu gran comentario!

[@timm2020]

I had this same problem with a wireless mic before. I had to move my mixer closer to the MC. Then I used a corded XLR mic. It worked, but was a headache.

[@Aaronproductions]

The thing the TV guy gave you is a mic plug. you screw it in to the bottom of a hand held, so that’s why he “doesn’t need much signal” since it’s at mic level - Nice video as always!

[@johnsamad5248]

Happy Christmas 🎄 and blessed new year.

[@stageleftaudio]

Happy new year!

[@georgesnow]

Nice height on those speakers .. perfect for the event

[@eventrightllc]

Nice job adapting to the RF noise on the fly

[@stageleftaudio]

After years of no issues... this was a set back. Thanks for your comment!

[@XIIMonkeysMusicGroup]

I love my Phenyx Pro PTM-7000 wireless mics. In these types of situations, Where number of mics are needed, I can just have several more on different channels at the ready!

[@evanturunen]

If you're running into RF issues, I'd look into some proper antennas for this setup. Just finished up something similar last month, and used an RFVenue Diversity Fin with my EW100 G4 wireless mics. It works flawless, and isn't too expensive considering how bulletproof the RF signal is when going through that antenna. I was having similar issues to you when trying to use the stock 1/4 wave antennas, but switching over to the fin fixed it all.

[@stageleftaudio]

Thanks for your comment. We are looking at that RFVenue Diveristy Fin solution. We have provided sound at the location in the video, for the past 10 years and have never had issues. The 1/4 wave antennas have always worked, but I do understand their limitations! Thanks for your comment.

[@jasonlapasinskas5302]

The antennas really are not the problem as long as they are in direct sight. You only start running into antenna issues when you start using a bunch of units and cannot separate the antennas. Even with multiple units as long as the antennas are 1/2 wavelength apart of the frequencies being transmitted and received you are fine. Of course a distro and antennas or antenna like the D-Fin will help in multiple unit configurations. The D-fin is cool because it receives on both the vertical and horizontal planes so it does not matter what orientation the transmit is.

[@hardikyadav5277]

@@stageleftaudio I want to upgrade my sound system actually I provide sound for mid to large-sized venues and I want to purchase the legendary VTX v-25 three-way line arrays but my pocket doesn`t allow that. So, can I use custom line arrays that use RCF transducers?

[@stageleftaudio]

That could work. However, RCF transducers were meant to work within RCF cabinets, not other cabinets. Most any transducer would probably work in a custom cabinet, but the transducer you choose should be sized appropriately for the cabinet you plan on using.

[@Mersuharrastaja]

Was that same place where you publish one video few times ago? Was kind carnival or parade. Look familiar that road

[@stageleftaudio]

Good observation. Yes, this parade has been a regular event for me for the past 10 years. There are other videos of past parades at this location on our channel. Thanks for your comment.

[@adolfomontenegro944]

en el minuto 18:40 se puede separar con una superficie de madera y así aislarlo de la parte metálica. la regla dice un metro de la pared y el piso, nada de superficies metálicas o paredes que se interpongan

[@AndrewLumsden]

Get a couple of decent antennas for the radio mic receivers + RF amplifiers. The stubby ones you have are useless for the situation you are using them in. Also don't put the receivers on your van roof, that's far too much metal around to suck up the signal. You could have put them on one of the concrete seats. Sennheiser radio systems also employ a "Pilot tone" that in addition to the carrier frequency also broadcast this pilot tone to lock onto and reject stray RF.

[@stageleftaudio]

Thanks for your comment. The short antennas are for 1/4 wave signals, the taller antennas are for 1/2 wave signals. Unless I move to a directional paddle type of setup (which can cost much more than the wireless mics), the antennas can't really be changed; they are sized accordingly. Also, all the wireless units we use are 30mW systems; which are more than adequate for this type of setup. I do agree with you about moving the receivers off the top of the van; I hope to have a solution for this the next time this event comes around.

[@maizesoft]

it looks like your wireless range has overlap with local TV station broadcasting

[@stageleftaudio]

Possibly... from the streaming transmission from the TV station camera. The wireless transmitter the reporter was using to get a feed from the console was in the 950MHz range. Our mics were in the 500MHz range. Thanks for your comment.

[@JimLGTv]

hi sir watching here from philippines I Love this work.

[@stageleftaudio]

Thanks for watching!

[@adolfomontenegro944]

de dónde tomaste la energía eléctrica, para esos casos uso un inversor. saludos desde Yumbo en Colombia

[@stageleftaudio]

Gracias por el comentario. La energía eléctrica la proporcionaba el edificio junto al que estaba aparcado.

[@johnsamad5248]

I like your videos. Love from india

[@stageleftaudio]

Thank you so much 😀

[@aswanemil8278]

Halo saya dari indonesia, saya selalu menunggu video anda. Saya senang melihat proses yang anda lakukan. Jika boleh tau, berapa panjang kabel xlr yang anda gunakan ?

[@stageleftaudio]

Terima kasih telah menonton videonya! Hampir semua kabel XLR yang kami gunakan memiliki panjang 30 kaki (9,1 m).

[@TalentLe8159]

For RF issues use Sennheiser ew100 g4 with a e945 handheld or higher end ew500 g4 with e945 so you don’t get issues and don’t use cheaper end and low end mics and if you use Sennheiser is more higher end

[@stageleftaudio]

We rarely have had issues with our wireless mics. This was the first time (in 10 years) we had an issue at this location.

[@adolfomontenegro944]

@@stageleftaudio debe ser que hay antenas de alta frecuencia en esa zona, tambien me paso alguna vez, saludos

[@stageleftaudio]

Los problemas sí aparecieron relacionados con otras frecuencias en el área. Fue un desastre.

[@AndrewLumsden]

Sennheiser radio mic systems are bomb proof! You get what you pay for!

[@mitas3484]

Do you ring out the mic for this?

[@stageleftaudio]

Good question. Yes, I did using the original mic and using my voice. But when changing the mics over, I copied the original mic input to the other mic channels... this helped. Feedback has not been too much of a problem, as long as the MC is in the intersection. However, the MC does a good job keeping the mic pointed away from the speakers.

[@dustinthiessen]

sounds like it might be time to invest in some quality wireless kit, with proper antenna solutions, and better frequency agility.

[@stageleftaudio]

We are looking at other antenna options. Though, in the last 10 years, we have never had an interference issue with these mics at the location in the video. Thanks for your comment.

[@dustinthiessen]

​@@stageleftaudio I would suggest in this case it's not an antenna issue, and more likely a frequency agility issue. putting a nicer antenna on the same unit, as it's a receive antenna, will not increase your signal to noise ratio. A lot has changed in the wireless spectrum in the last 10 years with the selloff of the 600mhz range to telecoms forcing us all, including DTV stations, into a much smaller spectrum.

[@stageleftaudio]

It ended up not appearing to be an issue with the antennas. The transmitters are all 30mW units, and were more than adequate for this parade; the whole issue appeared related to neighboring frequencies. The FCC sell-off was disappointing to have to deal with... the frequency spectrums are certainly getting smaller and smaller. Thanks for the comment.

[@jasonlapasinskas5302]

Might want to at least invest in an affordable RF scanner like the RF Explorer and a cheaper software like Touchstone Pro to scan. You can scan and create a .csv file to drop into a coordinating software like Shure WWB6. Sometimes just using the unit to scan limits you to that frequency band and not the rest of the spectrum around you that can cause intermod interference.

[@stageleftaudio]

The wireless mic receivers do a good job scanning for available frequencies; seems the problems occurred after some open frequencies were found. Thanks for your comment.

[@adolfomontenegro944]

Yo hubiera llevado el receptor hasta uno de los parlantes y con cable llego a la mixer

[@laudemirmendes523]

🇧🇷👍👍

[@Ngovanhieu8x]

Anh có bán micro ko

[@stageleftaudio]

Chúng tôi không bán bất kỳ thiết bị nào.

[@Ngovanhieu8x]

@@stageleftaudio ok anh anh biết chỗ bán không giới thiệu em với

[@bboor111]

Probably the traffic light system or the mobile surveillance system or the police radio system Ur getting interference from they all use around the same frequency wireless mics now

[@XIIMonkeysMusicGroup]

Police and fire are typically in the FM band ranges. Wireless mics are typically UHF.

[@bboor111]

@@XIIMonkeysMusicGroup analog uhf radios and wireless mics both are FM modulation all prone to interference frome near by sources

[@FVDaudio]

Mipro wireless systems 👍👍

[@mosesgeorgethekeyboardguy7622]

antennas should be straights up

[@stageleftaudio]

Actually, the antennas need to be at an angle (each antenna is on their own angle). This ensures the best possible reception across a "3D" plane. If both antennas are straight up, this results in a narrow plane of coverage (radio reception)... because both antennas would be covering the same area. When the antennas are at their own angle, the coverage is greatly increased.

[@AndrewLumsden]

Absolutely not. They should always be aligned in a V. Never straight up. Extension cables to get them further apart from each other would be advantageous too.

[@mosesgeorgethekeyboardguy7622]

thanks @@stageleftaudio

[@ManoChannelTuNelysk]

Good antennas could be the solution, but this is almost the very reason why such a profession like RF coordinator exists for larger events. It's basically the person, whose sole purpose is to research the channels that are constantly occupied in the area...any scheduled occupations of frequencies...if possible, they get previous RF scans from that area, maybe do or get someone local to do extra scans...so that they can communicate with any broadcasting, filming, audio staff, check what kind of gear everyone has and is planning to use, then they write out alternative options for everyone and backup frequency lists, so that everyone can prepare beforehand :D Sadly, I learned this as I was working on sound at a stable location nearby a military base that had constant changes in frequencies from their powerful transmitters, and had no intention of warning us beforehand, even if all they did was excersises... :D and the rent contract was lacking points on organizing open frequencies for us to work with...I guess my point is that you have to research and check open frequency ranges way before you even pack the gear for that event, even if its a location you have been doing for a long while - someone might buy out licenses for frequencies and just blast off the range you have been using...or someone who is doing a different thing at that same event - if not coordinated, can introduce a lot of interference...

[@stageleftaudio]

Great information!

[@1pilotsteve]

Using an old Wireless mic system or a system with only 10 channels is a recipe for disaster.. Get a shure or sennheiser system.. My Sennheiser Mic can scan.840 channels...I never have frequency issues..

[@stageleftaudio]

Thanks for your comment. We don't use wireless much at all for our events; but when we do, the systems (including our Sennheiser EW100 G3) have done excellent. We are looking at other antenna options that can be used with any of our wireless units, just in case there's too much noise in the area.

[@1pilotsteve]

That's what I have.. nails