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Certain fabrics "shielding" a radio bodypack?


Pete Alcock

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Just finished an amateur panto and one of the actors was competely covered in black cloth (save for a picture frame to look out of - she was the mirror mirror on the wall). The material was a sort of satiney dress lining. Headset mic, UHF bodypack clipped to her belt at the back.

 

Twice on her big song, the RF seemed to dropout. RX at FOH about 15m away. All (9) other mics were fine. Checked all the usual stuff, no intermod, bodypack was OK etc.

 

I remember reading some time ago that certain types of material can act as a shield to RF - I think silk was quoted. Anyone else ever experienced this for sure?

 

Thanks,

 

Pete.

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Just finished an amateur panto and one of the actors was competely covered in black cloth (save for a picture frame to look out of - she was the mirror mirror on the wall). The material was a sort of satiney dress lining. Headset mic, UHF bodypack clipped to her belt at the back.

 

Twice on her big song, the RF seemed to dropout. RX at FOH about 15m away. All (9) other mics were fine. Checked all the usual stuff, no intermod, bodypack was OK etc.

 

I remember reading some time ago that certain types of material can act as a shield to RF - I think silk was quoted. Anyone else ever experienced this for sure?

 

Thanks,

 

Pete.

 

Yes, we get that all the time in our panto with costumes with metallic thread or other shiny finishes. We try to get costume dept to make the back of a different material but the generally they forget. We find VHF systems are less affected by this problem.

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satiny/silky type stuff can build up static nicely and cause problems, and yes almost any material that is shiny/has a woven in shiny bit is a pain as its usually a metallised film.

 

I do also agree that VHF is less prone, and able to be manipulated a bit more, ie with the antenna of the belt pack being longer, I have made a small hole in the costume to poke it through.

 

there are also benefits to be had of putting the beltpack on the side of the actor, so the RF doesnt have a sack of water to fight through first. Classic example, this week of mine 3 actors all with mics on, front actor is then at the front of a row squashed up against the other 2, belt pack in the middle, RF dropped right off, repositioned the pack for the rest of the week, not a problem.

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Yup, I 've had this problem lots.

 

Underwired bras can also have the same effect, although I would suggest asking the cast to take their bra's off :huh: .

 

I find it also gets worse as the actors sweat underneath all the shiny fabric.

 

Ian

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