100V dynamic processing

[themadhippy]

In order to comply with licensing conditions yada yada yada... Bobby balls microphone is retuned to prevent interference to other users. Simples

And if the microphone is on a licensed frequency with no option to use other frequency due to multiple users in the area and restrictions due to the geographical location, whilst the other user is using any old free frequency they can get away with as there only there for a day or 2 so no ones going to find out?

[sunray]

In order to comply with licensing conditions yada yada yada... Bobby balls microphone is retuned to prevent interference to other users. Simples

And if the microphone is on a licensed frequency with no option to use other frequency due to multiple users in the area and restrictions due to the geographical location, whilst the other user is using any old free frequency they can get away with as there only there for a day or 2 so no ones going to find out?

Have you read the licence?

Sadly the very fact they were made aware of and continued to feed their show into someone elses system is in contravention of their licence conditions.

Just putting the 'official' words into the mix.

 

This might also be a problem with copyright of performing rights etc.

 

[paulears]

I have never even considered interrupting a show for this kind of reason. Using uncoordinated frequencies is very much at the users risk,and in the case of ch 70, OFCOM have no interest whatsoever, and users don't actually have any licence with conditions to follow. No contravension of licence conditions in a licence free band. If I were using coordinated frequencies, as we do at major events, then OFCOM might be able to investigate if an officer is on site, but realistically - it's an after event activity. Proper planning generally keeps these things controlled.

 

In my case, a legal system was being used, and the bowls tournament were using something similar. In the case of licenced systems, the critical issue is surely the interpretation of 'interference'. My licence includes the word 'undue', and my interpretation is that this means things like deliberate use of a channel to access other systems, or generating emmissions to disrupt. In a crowded band, co-channel interference is common, and surely doesn't warrant the term 'undue interference' Indeed, with their own transmitter in operation, then capture effect would, at the distances involved, would have made both systems totally unaware of each other.

 

I think the issue of copyright is irrelevant to this discussion, because almost every licenced system is playing music - however, the term that matters for this is broadcasting. Links, which radio microphones are, are generally considered as not designed for direct broadcasting to the public. The loudspeakers on the sea front of course would be. Luckily, the negligence in leaving them turned on is pointed at the bowls people. I see no negligence in operating a licenced or even licence expempt system.

 

Show stops are not trivial things, and retuning a mic, even if possible, with no testing is not something to be done for situations like mine. In fact - stopping a show for something like this would have to be context sensitive. For C&B (who rarely added new material, but rearranged old stuff for their entire career)the accidental extra audience is simply embarassing. If the material had been 'difficult' I'd probably have brought an emergency cable mic into use. That's sensible as a solution for any of the shows that warn about being easily offended. Not for Canon and Ball.

[Junior8]

At Portsmouth Guildhall years ago for a while pretty well every radio taxi that went past took part in the show via the house PA! Edited July 1, 2021 by Junior8

[sunray]

I have never even considered interrupting a show for this kind of reason. Using uncoordinated frequencies is very much at the users risk,and in the case of ch 70, OFCOM have no interest whatsoever, and users don't actually have any licence with conditions to follow. No contravension of licence conditions in a licence free band. If I were using coordinated frequencies, as we do at major events, then OFCOM might be able to investigate if an officer is on site, but realistically - it's an after event activity. Proper planning generally keeps these things controlled.

 

In my case, a legal system was being used, and the bowls tournament were using something similar. In the case of licenced systems, the critical issue is surely the interpretation of 'interference'. My licence includes the word 'undue', and my interpretation is that this means things like deliberate use of a channel to access other systems, or generating emmissions to disrupt. In a crowded band, co-channel interference is common, and surely doesn't warrant the term 'undue interference' Indeed, with their own transmitter in operation, then capture effect would, at the distances involved, would have made both systems totally unaware of each other.

 

I think the issue of copyright is irrelevant to this discussion, because almost every licenced system is playing music - however, the term that matters for this is broadcasting. Links, which radio microphones are, are generally considered as not designed for direct broadcasting to the public. The loudspeakers on the sea front of course would be. Luckily, the negligence in leaving them turned on is pointed at the bowls people. I see no negligence in operating a licenced or even licence expempt system.

 

Show stops are not trivial things, and retuning a mic, even if possible, with no testing is not something to be done for situations like mine. In fact - stopping a show for something like this would have to be context sensitive. For C&B (who rarely added new material, but rearranged old stuff for their entire career)the accidental extra audience is simply embarassing. If the material had been 'difficult' I'd probably have brought an emergency cable mic into use. That's sensible as a solution for any of the shows that warn about being easily offended. Not for Canon and Ball.

I'm not argueing with or disputing any of this.

 

There are still regulations in place for 'unlicensed' services and the wording is not a lot different to the licence.

 

Having worked with C&B, but only the once, at a charity event in a school hall there was a problem with the main tabs. The wire snapped at the clamp on the second tab in the opening direction and the lad who was given the instruction to open as fast as you can was unaware. This meant the closest tab opened with gusto, the far tab remained closed and the end of a steel wire flipping around behind it. Sadly the 'closing' wire had now become a horrible tangled mess around the winding drum preventing any attempt by the stage hands to pull the tab open.

You're right they recycle most of their work, and I don't think the audience would allow anything else', they continued the show on one half of the stage but somehow they managed to fit something in about a curtain in what seemed like every other sentence. During their first act 2 of us managed to untangle the wire on the drum and their exit went ahead as planned upstage and by pulling on the dangling wire managed a decent tab close as planned. During the next act on a FOH side wing we were able to cut the broken section of wire off and replace it with rope, in the days when schools were allowed to use tall step ladders, C&B had seen the tabs working again and started their second act they got us to put the step ladder back centre stage. As the tabs opened they were holding on to the ladder and looking up a started a long to him to him version of their act talking to the imaginary people above.

 

God bless them, I can never think of anything else when they are mentioned.

Sadly Bobby is no longer with us, I hope he is still just as entertaining now wherever he ended up.

 

[paulears]

Bobby handed me a pile of bits in a carrier bag, and I asked what one bit was for? He said for the guitar. I looked around and said "What guitar?" He looked too and said he'd left it at home. Tommy gave him a daggers look and he wandered off and came back with the cheapest, nastiest guitar he could have bought. It was getting close to opening the house, so we plugged it in and it went twang - badly out of tune. Not to worry, chap, he said I'll tune it. He did the usual interruptions in the act with it and it sounded not too horrible - but the last sound cue was on "hit it" play the track - Rockin' all over the world. Bobby had tuned it to somewhere between E and Eb, and everyone winced as he played it. I've done hundreds of shows - summer seasons and one-nighters with them. In the later years they were no trouble at all. Back in the 80s, though, they were a nightmare. One season found Bobby in dressing room Stage Right, and Tommy Stage left. One would call me over and say can you tell Bobby when he does the table tennis, can he enter from this side, I'd wander off and Bobby would say no, tell Tommy he has to come on this side, and in the end I remember saying I did lights, not marriage guidance. That season was hell - they hardly spoke to each other off stage. Then after a while they got on much better again, than goodness. One time not too long before Bobby passed away, they were in the wings discussing what to do, and I asked if they still did the invisible tennis table - and they looked at each other and nodded. They'd forgotten it for years and put it in seamlessly. In the later years, seeing one or two dates always cheered me up - and the younger crew members who'd never heard of them were chuckling on comms - so the comedy still worked. Mind you, they had one routine with trumpet stabs as cues, and I've no idea why they kept it going because with no real rehearsal, so many venues, including ours, would mess the cues up badly - making it even funnier.

[themadhippy]

and I've no idea why they kept it going because with no real rehearsal, so many venues, including ours, would mess the cues up badly

could it be

making it even funnier

[TomHoward]

The one thing I learnt a long time ago with outdoor function was to avoid compression on mics at all costs as the noise created by crowd and vehicles rises in the speakers when there are quiet parts in the speaking.

 

Being in the industry it get my hackles up when I hear a comentator at an event and all the garbage in the silent parts being brought up by the compressor.

It's true enough thinking about it that I don't want anything too aggressive, as otherwise as you say I'll just increase background noise.

I'll have a play with and without with some proper outboard and see if this is worth pursuing at all.

 

The only cross-purposes radio mic I've had was a rehearsal room next to a Jehovah's meeting house, with an old TOA VHF belt pack adapted for an electric violin, and getting a visit from next door halfway through rehearsal to say they were getting violin loud and clear through their PA.

[paulears]

My guess Tom, is that the simpler you can make it, the better it will be.

[sandall]

The only cross-purposes radio mic I've had was a rehearsal room next to a Jehovah's meeting house, with an old TOA VHF belt pack adapted for an electric violin, and getting a visit from next door halfway through rehearsal to say they were getting violin loud and clear through their PA.

One hall I used to work in has a Methodist Church next door. No idea what their radiomic set-up was, but I do recall that the various musical groups' Sunday techs rather spoiled their evening services.

[pscandrett]

Just on the Cannon and Ball stuff, a recent episode of the Panto podcast was an interview with Tommy Cannon. Possibly worth a listen; I'm half way through having listened to a bit on the tram home.

Podcast: https://pantopodcast.podbean.com/e/86-tommy-cannon/