Comms Problem...

[gregog]

Hi All,

Just a quickie before I unplug everything this afternoon. In my venue, I am currently using a HME DX200 wireless system, with wired comms. Up until recently it has all worked perfectly together in sweet harmony

However, when I came to use it last night, they no longer seem to work properly together. The HME sets all send and receieve audio fine, but the canford techpro packs in the link can only hear the audio and not send. Does anybody know what this could be?

I find it strange that you can hear everything on the wired comms but are unable to respond at all. When you do try to open the mic channel on the wired comms - it makes the audio louder in the earpiece of your own set and you can hear yourself - but noone else can?

If anyone has any suggestions as to what this could be it would be greatly appreciated. I've not had time to look into it yet as I'm finishing plotting this morning, so it's a job for this afty. So any advice or suggestions would be great.

 

Many thanks and kind regards,

Steve

[boatman]

Is it just one Tecpro beltpack that has the problem or more? If it's just one, it sounds like the capacitor feeding the audio line is open-circuit or has a dry joint. That would unbalance the hybrid leading to the symptoms you describe. If it's all of them then I have no idea.

[Lamplighter]

Does the lamp signalling on the Techpros work properly? I seem to recall that is used as the trigger mechanism for keying the radios from the beltbacks.

Brian

[mackerr]

Does the lamp signalling on the Techpros work properly? I seem to recall that is used as the trigger mechanism for keying the radios from the beltbacks.

Brian

 

The HME DX200 is a full duplex wireless comm system. There is no key on signal required. There may lso be a bad cable in the wired system.

 

Mac

[gregog]

Thanks for the replies thus far. It doesn't seem to be one pack,lk but is affecting them all. The signalling is also not working.

Any suggestions?

They all used to work without any problems - so I really don't have a clue!! I don't think one faulty cable could affect the whole loop?!?!

 

EDIT: Have tried to run the two systems separately (Camford and HME) but still having problems. Nightmare.

[Dmills]

One cable fault can indeed screw up the whole line, BTDT.

 

The other thing to check is the termination at the power supply, if this is faulty then the packs tend to be very gainy and sometimes tend to oscilate ultrasonically, my betting is a faulty cable however.

 

The tech pro kit is NOT really well behaved in the presence of faulty or mis wired cables and all sorts of really freaky things have been observed.

 

Tip, start looking in the middle of the line, and divide and conquer, MUCH faster then starting at one end.

 

Regards, Dan.

[Lamplighter]

The signaling is also not working.

I suggest this is significant, try separating the belt packs from the radio adapter, do all beltpack functions work, particularly the lamp signaling. If not start with the master station and add beltpack until you have identified all faulty cables and beltpacks. If they all worked try one beltpack and master station connected to the radio adapter. If this does not work correctly you have a faulty radio adapter.

Brian

[gregog]

Cheers All, I will try this. Just makes it difficult that most of the comms points are hard wired in, so theres only so much of the loop I can check. Back to checking one by one. *oh joy* On the flip side, this has inspired me to do away with all the auld canford packs and replace with shiny new HME wireless comms all round! :)!

 

Many thanks,

Steve

[paulears]

Remember the old adage, there's no radio system as reliable as a £10 XLR.

 

Seriously - if testing a few wired packs, which almost never fail themselves is so much trouble you're going to blow thousands on more RF packs - I think I'd love your budget!

 

Almost certainly your problem will be mechanical - somebody tripped on a cable, somebody poured liquid into something, a cable got trapped under a heavy wheel - this kind of problem. Junking an entire system for what may well be a no cost repair is just silly. I bet a few of these Tecpros are pretty well fixed in place, so all the hassle of radio systems and keeping them charged seems a very strange thing to be considering. How many times do RF packs cut out when they go flat? Quite often because people are fallible and forget!

[pisquee]

Has someone knocked a switch on the radio master station - as far as I remember, there are a few buttons for different modes on the master station to set it for compatibility with different comms systems - this would be something to check along with faulty wiring.

[gregog]

Checked the master station yeah. But to no avail.

Paulears... I've got loads of money - don't worry. hahahahaha :) Been meaning to purchase some new RF packs anyway. They aren't always used so keeping them charged isn't a problem - plus I can remember to charge them after they've been used, so that shouldn't be too much of an issue!

Going to line check everything as suggested - but I find it hard to believe that one faulty XLR or pack would be affecting the whole ring? Will keep you updated on how it goes!!

 

Cheers,

Steve

[mackerr]

Going to line check everything as suggested - but I find it hard to believe that one faulty XLR or pack would be affecting the whole ring?

 

Why? The whole ring is electrically in parallel, a short at any point shorts the whole system. An open circuit on the audio wire un-terminates that part of the system that is downstream of it and possibly interrupts the signaling.

 

Mac