Preventing radio mic cable breakage...

[Ynot]

Right.

Having just gone through another panto season, and had to replace a half-dozen mic heads (some not THAT old) due to noisy cables, here's a general question about cunning methods used by others to try to help prevent the problem.

 

In general, the faults often occur around the weak point in the chain - ie around the plug at the transmitter, which is invariably due to the cables getting wrapped around the pack itself (by talent AND it has to be said some skweeks!). With the best will in the world, this wrap-around is not something we're going to be able to stop happening, especially in the absence of a workable alternative to keeping the cables of up to 13 radio mics tidy when being distributed/collected, so I'm looking for any solutions that you guys may have used.

 

My first thoughts are to use some sort of strengthening/support around the inch or three as the cable exits the plug, to aid the strain relief - maybe some heat-shrink (which I'll be trying), but anything else?

 

And has anyone got an alternative way of keeping the cables coiled neatly and easily? Again, ideally we could have some of those velcro ties fixed to the cable, but as the talent often just coil it up anyway when they take off the mics, it's not going to be easy to educate (and re-educate each new lot!) them to use a different method (though we'd certainly try!!)

 

So, thoughts, chaps??

 

TD

[Andrew C]

And has anyone got an alternative way of keeping the cables coiled neatly and easily? Again, ideally we could have some of those velcro ties fixed to the cable,

I use bag ties, the plastic coated wire type. No sticky residue, reusable, cheap and if you buy from CPC, black. Doesn't stop the talent abusing them, but is a good solution for small cable storage of all types.

[mac.calder]

I find that if you coil the cable properly, and store the mic correctly (ie in a small pouch) the cord stays neat. One of the sound and lighting places near me sells small vinyl pencil case type cases about 5cm square which are perfect for it. I think they are about $3 each.

[Ropelight]

I find where the wire plugs into the transmitter, make a little loop above the plug and tape the wire to the moulded connector, this will stop the wire getting pulled on to much when the wrap around method is being used.

[Ynot]

I find where the wire plugs into the transmitter, make a little loop above the plug and tape the wire to the moulded connector, this will stop the wire getting pulled on to much when the wrap around method is being used.

I see what you're saying, and in fact some of our border-line mic heads have had this done anyway to 'get by'. However, I see this as maybe putting the same potential strain in reverse, as the cable then has to loop 1800 degrees UP when worn by the talent....

 

There's also the chance that this loop may get squashed as well.....

 

Thanks for the thought tho.

 

TD

[damian666]

tape the cable with couple of wraps, then another couple of wraps with the cable going back up

Helsyn sleeving works great, but you need the tool to use it and the lubricant (which when dries helps it adhere). it's solid, but soft enough to give a little too. worked for me for years.

[mac.calder]

What if you used a tear shaped gromet (I think that is what they are called, you use them to make holes in ropes etc) . I am sure you can get some small ones that would allow you to have a fixed loop with no strain on the plug. The other solution - you said most of it occured at the plug into the Tx, well I gather you are able to unplug the mic? Why not do so. Then you can treat the mic as a cable and not as a tail on the Tx, which means there is no strain on the plug. You could even put your own plugs on it.

[Ynot]

What if you used a tear shaped gromet (I think that is what they are called, you use them to make holes in ropes etc) . I am sure you can get some small ones that would allow you to have a fixed loop with no strain on the plug. The other solution - you said most of it occured at the plug into the Tx, well I gather you are able to unplug the mic? Why not do so. Then you can treat the mic as a cable and not as a tail on the Tx, which means there is no strain on the plug. You could even put your own plugs on it.

I know what you mean, and in itself yes, that would serve the purpose, but whether we could get them small enough, I'd have to have a search. (Though we'd probably have to secure the ends rather tightly at the tip of the tear, else they'd soon work loose, and the chances then are that this would put a lot too much pressure on the cable as well, which may well make the issue worse....

And yes, unplugging the mic to coil it properly is much preferable, but a) the high turnaround of talent would likely be tricky to educate and b) so would some skweeks!!

 

No offence, guys, but what I was hoping for was some practical ideas that actually work and have been proven... Or is it just that everyone accepts that mics are fair game and puts up with the regular cable noise.....? I don't think so somehow.

[mac.calder]

I guess it is just that most of us do not expect the tallent to pack anything up, instead just dumping it in our hands in a semi-tangled mess, and assume that the people who are doing distribution of mics know how to deal with them when they are done.

 

One easy way to stop the actors wrapping them up, is when you distribute them, tell them to come to you to have it removed, and not to do it themselves. And tell your mic guys how you want it done. Most people will be great about it.

 

It is more a case of preventing people putting strain on the cable rather than patching up the problem.

[Ekij]

You could cable tie the mic lead to a piece of 70mm^2 cable.

They'll not wrap that round anything smaller than a barrel.

 

Seriously though, heatshrink was my first thought.

Generally cable failure is caused by being coiled differently each time. If you impose the first coil and then cable-tie it in place this should alleviate all but the most determined cable squasher.

[AndyJones]

On the few occasions I do sound......

 

I put loops all down the cable, one at the mic head, one at the shoulder (just under the costume line) and one on the socket, so if the cable is pulled, it simply pulls one of the loops out, rather than pulling the cable.

 

probly frowned apon but thats what always seems sort of sensible to me

[Ynot]

I guess it is just that most of us do not expect the tallent to pack anything up, instead just dumping it in our hands in a semi-tangled mess, and assume that the people who are doing distribution of mics know how to deal with them when they are done.

 

One easy way to stop the actors wrapping them up, is when you distribute them, tell them to come to you to have it removed, and not to do it themselves. And tell your mic guys how you want it done. Most people will be great about it.

 

It is more a case of preventing people putting strain on the cable rather than patching up the problem.

In an amateur venue, with different volunteers (not a huge number of regular regulars) doing the sound jobs it's difficult to insist on how things should be done, unfortunately.....

 

[robloxley]

You can use heatshrink (or Hellerman) around the connector & first few inches of cable to 'strengthen' it, but the problem just moves further up the cable.

I'd always trim the capsule cables to a reasonable length before termination - the MKE2s come with something ridiculous like 1.5m of cable.

Personally I quite like the 4pin lemo connectors as they've got decent strain relief & can be reused & reterminated if the cable dies - the screw-in lemos are a PITA. Not much experience with locking jacks.

But at the end of the day you accept that cables will die (usually near the connector) & usually can be re-terminated.

[Ynot]

You could cable tie the mic lead to a piece of 70mm^2 cable.

Now THAT idea I do like!!! :( and I just happen to have some 70mm knocking around the stores.....!

(Anyone want 15m of 70mm??)

Generally cable failure is caused by being coiled differently each time.

Not sure I agree with you there - if it were coiled/squashed differently each time the stresses would be spread about a little - it's going to be repetitive bending at the same point which will cause long term damage, I reckon.

And for that reason, I'm not sure that zip tie-ing to the pack will help - that would probably put a permanent kink in the cable that will get squashed every time the talent dresses/changes etc.....

 

Still, I think my first thought about heat shrink has got to be a worthwhile try. Haven't really heard anything new yet.....

[timtheenchanteruk]

I have exactly the same problem, I replace my mic heads about once a year, I got fed up with them failing, but to get them to last longer, a good 2 inch of fairly flexable heat shrink on the plug end seems to work quite well, for things like dance school shows, I use the cheapo type, about 25quid from studiospares, then is I get thru 6in a 3 nights it don't break the bank