Freedom. Mobility. No more cables. To some churches, going wireless isn’t just a simple alternative to more cumbersome, wired solutions; wireless microphones offer endless possibilities when it comes to producing creative presentations.
“More and more churches are using wireless microphones and in-ear monitors than ever before,” notes James Stoffo, president of Professional Wireless Systems, an Orlando, Floridabased firm specializing in wireless technology. “There are a lot of dramatic productions that use multiple wireless microphones, and if there are vocal performances, they are using in-ear monitors as well. It’s not only just one wireless mic on the pastor anymore; you can end up having 15 wireless systems in one church.”
“Wireless systems make sense when cable runs are difficult to install,” says Greg Silsby, marketing director for installed sound, broadcast, and theater at Audio- Technica US, Inc. in Stow, Ohio. Wireless may also be used as a temporary solution while hard-wired systems are being installed. “Wireless systems may also be desirable when cables just should not been seen, as is the case with some video applications.”
“There is far more wireless microphone usage in contemporary worship because there is a higher expectation of performance,” observes Kevin Madden, market development manager for installed sound at AKG Acoustics. “In traditional worship, you might just see a minister with a beltpack and a lavalier.”
Karl Winkler, business area manager for professional products at Sennheiser USA, notes that wireless technology has become more accessible. “Wireless is becoming less expensive, and that will make it enticing for more people. They can modify their production requirements to include wireless, which gives them a certain amount of freedom,” he says. “Productions can become more interesting and more complex because they can do things that they couldn’t do before.”
When it comes to wireless, Stoffo employs what he calls the ABC’s: antennas, batteries, and coordination. As obvious as the need for fresh batteries may be, one of the main reasons wireless microphone systems fail is because the operator neglected to pay close attention to battery life. Antennas, too, are key, Stoffo says. “If it is stage-side, it should be a directional antenna that is pointing towards the stage; there is no need for an omni-directional antenna if all of the action is coming from one direction,” he explains. “I use directional directional antennas because when I am doing a production, I can keep my position in one direction relative to where all the mics and in-ears need to be. You can also get extra gain and you can block out some interference signals by using directional antennas.”
The cabling that connects the antenna to the wireless receiver also affects how well wireless systems will perform. Stoffo advises against using video cable, because much of the signal will be lost. Churches that utilize wireless microphones in combination with in-ear monitoring must be aware of the issues that can arise as a result. “Wireless microphones are very, very sensitive receivers; they are basically a wide-open window looking for a signal,” Stoffo illustrates. “Right within that window – or within that frequency band – is a very high-power in-ear monitor transmitter. If you are going to have wireless microphones and wireless in-ear monitors, you need to separate those frequencies as far as possible.”
For example, Stoffo explains, the wireless in-ear frequencies could be under 600 MHz, while the wireless microphones could be positioned above 600 MHz. “All of your transmitters for the in-ears could be bunched at one end of the spectrum, while all of your mics are bunched way up at the other end,” he says. This is important, considering the physical proximity of the two systems. “A performer may have a wireless mic in one hand and a wireless in-ear receiver in their belt – you have a transmitter and receiver within two feet of one another. This is why it’s important to have some separation in frequencies.”
While wireless microphone users may configure their systems to deliver optimum performance, there are some things that are beyond the operator’s control. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has mandated that by January 1, 2007, standard commercial broadcasts will cease as long as 85 percent of American residences are able to receive High Definition Television (HDTV). By then, television stations based in the United States plan to be 100 percent digital, decreasing the number of frequencies that are available within the spectrum.
“It’s very, very congested,” says Stoffo. “Basically, the wireless band is going to be 25 percent of what it was three years ago.” As a result, more attention must be paid to frequency coordination if wireless microphone systems are to perform as they should. “It doesn’t matter if you buy one or 101, the amount of space that you have to choose from is a lot less than it has ever been, and it’s going to get worse in the next three or four years.”
The consumer electronics devices we all take for granted also complicate matters. “It used to be that the RF environment was like a forest: there were a lot of trees and they were stationary,” illustrates Doug Daube, category manager for installed microphones at Shure Incorporated in Evanston, Illinois. “Now there are a lot more RF frequencies running around unpredictably, including beepers, cell phones, and pagers.”
According to Stoffo, the quality of the wireless system has little to do with how well it will perform within a limited frequency range. “Mainly, it has to do with frequency coordination,” he says.
To develop a radio frequency plan, Stoffo suggests that churches start with the manufacturers. You may also contact your dealer (who will usually contact the manufacturer anyway). For larger projects, it might be necessary to enlist the help of a consultant such as Stoffo, who can then conduct a proper radio sweep. The FCC also provides frequency coordination information on its Web site at www.fcc.gov. Regardless of the added flexibility wireless systems may offer production- heavy churches, audio professionals caution against using wireless when it isn’t required. “Some churches might get overly enamored with wireless and apply it to situations where it might not be necessary,” notes Rob Rothschild, director of sales and marketing at Sabine in Alachua, Florida.
“We hate to see wireless systems used when they don’t need to be, particularly because of the cost and because there are limitations and complexities associated with them,” he explains. “A church may go out and buy two wireless systems, and later on they decide that they need more without thinking about how they all work together. Churches also need to be aware of what is going on in their [geographic] area.”
As with anything else related to production systems, proper planning achieves the best results. “The days of being able to randomly pick frequencies are long gone,” says Stoffo. “From this point forward, whenever a wireless system is purchased one really needs to think about an overall frequency plan.”
“As churches invest in wireless systems they must be better informed as they go about designing these systems,” says Dave Egenberger, product manager for wireless microphones at Telex Communications in Burnsville, Minnesota. “The people who run the wireless systems in churches are going to have to be more informed as the technology moves forward.”
Carolyn Heinze (carolyn@churchproduction.com)
works from her office in Vancouver, Canada.
