Author Topic: Two-way radios  (Read 11395 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Funkycracker

  • New to Town
  • **
  • Posts: 5
    • View Profile
Two-way radios
« on: Oct 23, 2005, 12:48 am »
I'm working in a theatre that has no clear-com system.  
I need a good two-way radio for calling entrance cues.  Any recommendations?  Perferably one with a head-set.  Let me knowh
"Every passing minute is a chance to turn it all around"

Mac Calder

  • Moderator
  • *****
  • Posts: 977
  • Plan for the future, live for the now
    • View Profile
  • Affiliations: Live Performance Australia / Media Arts and Entertainment Alliance
  • Current Gig: Technical Director
  • Experience: Former SM
Two-way radios
« Reply #1 on: Oct 23, 2005, 01:18 am »
You cannot go wrong with motorola 2 ways. They all have headsets and IIRC they have VOX (you do not need to Push To Talk (PTT))

stageman7

  • New to Town
  • **
  • Posts: 36
    • View Profile
    • http://www.yale.edu/drama/index.html
two way radios
« Reply #2 on: Oct 30, 2005, 06:57 pm »
I agree-Motorola has a good product with a headset available for cues. There are also cheaper alternatives in the "FRS" radios used for hunters and sportspeople that are under fifty bucks for a pair and also use headsets, but they are not VOX-voice activated for transmit. (You need to push the button each time that you talk.) Take care- Rich

shatbox

  • New to Town
  • **
  • Posts: 26
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Affiliations: IATSE
Re: Two-way radios
« Reply #3 on: Jul 19, 2006, 07:56 pm »
If anyone knows of any models that are great but do not have that annoying bleep everytime someone talks or presses the button, could you please post?
Seek those with standards and meet them. Exceed them. Move forward. Set the standard.
iacosta@phillytheatreco.com

loebtmc

  • Forum Moderators
  • *****
  • Posts: 1574
    • View Profile
  • Affiliations: AEA, SAG, AFTRA, SMA
  • Current Gig: Caroling, caroling now we go — and looking for my next gig!
  • Experience: Professional
Re: Two-way radios
« Reply #4 on: Jul 20, 2006, 12:36 am »
To avoid that annoying beep you need the earpieces. It's really that simple - and pricey (depending on the model)

depending on how large your theater is, there are cheap lightweight systems at Radio Shack too - but really, walkies are so unsatisfying. And they eat those 9V batteries like popcorn.

See if someone in your area has BearCom or one of the other standard non-ClearCom walkies that you might borrow, and if so make sure you borrow a spare set of batteries and charge them all the nite before.

 

Mac Calder

  • Moderator
  • *****
  • Posts: 977
  • Plan for the future, live for the now
    • View Profile
  • Affiliations: Live Performance Australia / Media Arts and Entertainment Alliance
  • Current Gig: Technical Director
  • Experience: Former SM
Re: Two-way radios
« Reply #5 on: Jul 20, 2006, 02:57 am »
I cannot remember the brand name, but I was at a sound and lighting expo a few months ago and there was a 4 person system that cost AU$800. There were 4 belt packs, 4 basic headsets and a 'base station' and 4 20 metre long cables - it's major drawback is that you could not daisy chain like you can with canford/techpro and you could not just add 'one more beltpack', instead you had to increase in groups of 8.  The whole thing was in a roadcase and would be perfect for schools - I wish I had the info on it - the closest I can find online is the PortaCom from Anchor Audio - which is just over US$1.5k

If budget is an issue, a system like that may be worth looking into.

loebtmc

  • Forum Moderators
  • *****
  • Posts: 1574
    • View Profile
  • Affiliations: AEA, SAG, AFTRA, SMA
  • Current Gig: Caroling, caroling now we go — and looking for my next gig!
  • Experience: Professional
Re: Two-way radios
« Reply #6 on: Jul 20, 2006, 01:27 pm »
and remember, with walkies you have to let folks click in and out for calls. Holding the channel open isn't an option. So use this as a good opportunity to be concise, to get in and out with calls -

and good luck

wade

  • New to Town
  • **
  • Posts: 9
    • View Profile
Re: Two-way radios
« Reply #7 on: Oct 16, 2006, 12:24 am »
For motoralas we have the cls series and they have been awesome. This series is a little pricier, but worth it since they are on the CRS frequency range. The advantage to CRS is that it is off the crowded FRS systems. You also get a larger area with the wireless signal. As for the beep I have had experience with many different types of radios, and on all of them the beep was a setting so check the owner’s manual.

philimbesi

  • SM Expert
  • ****
  • Posts: 117
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: Two-way radios
« Reply #8 on: Oct 25, 2006, 10:32 am »
Yep we have the Motorola CLS's and they've worked perfectly.  We had a few techs that were too used to the clearcoms and so got frustrated by the beep, once we shut that off, they relented.

Am I the only person in the world that shuts off VOX?  I guess it comes from talking on CB's and being in the fireservice but I feel more comfortable hitting the button.

avkid

  • Permanent Resident
  • *****
  • Posts: 259
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
    • Philip LaDue
  • Affiliations: RFL, IATSE
  • Current Gig: Carpenter/Flyman at Count Basie Center For The Arts
  • Experience: Professional
Re: Two-way radios
« Reply #9 on: Oct 26, 2006, 10:19 am »
Am I the only person in the world that shuts off VOX?

I believe VOX is the work of some engineers that like to annoy the hell out of people for fun.
I will not allow it used on any show that I work.
Philip LaDue
IATSE Local #21 Newark, NJ

Mac Calder

  • Moderator
  • *****
  • Posts: 977
  • Plan for the future, live for the now
    • View Profile
  • Affiliations: Live Performance Australia / Media Arts and Entertainment Alliance
  • Current Gig: Technical Director
  • Experience: Former SM
Re: Two-way radios
« Reply #10 on: Oct 26, 2006, 05:03 pm »
Have you ever tried to PTT whilst SM-ing a show? Most of the time, I find that I have my hands full (cue lights + a sound desk or whatever) - it is all a matter of getting it the sensitivity correct. However when I have a free hand, I agree, PTT is the prefered option.


philimbesi

  • SM Expert
  • ****
  • Posts: 117
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: Two-way radios
« Reply #11 on: Oct 27, 2006, 09:29 am »
Yea, all the time.  I can get the sensitivity right, its really just a comfort level thing for me.  I like knowing exactly what I said is going over the air when I want it.  All our calls are over headset or visuals (points), we don't have a cue light system.  I have switched over to VOX during particularly tricky sections, but my rule is PTT whenever possible.

Our headsets have PTT on the wire so it's not as difficult as taking your hand down to your waist.   

avkid

  • Permanent Resident
  • *****
  • Posts: 259
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
    • Philip LaDue
  • Affiliations: RFL, IATSE
  • Current Gig: Carpenter/Flyman at Count Basie Center For The Arts
  • Experience: Professional
Re: Two-way radios
« Reply #12 on: Jan 28, 2007, 09:57 am »
That is why I love this mic:
http://tinyurl.com/3bl3rf
Philip LaDue
IATSE Local #21 Newark, NJ

Mac Calder

  • Moderator
  • *****
  • Posts: 977
  • Plan for the future, live for the now
    • View Profile
  • Affiliations: Live Performance Australia / Media Arts and Entertainment Alliance
  • Current Gig: Technical Director
  • Experience: Former SM
Re: Two-way radios
« Reply #13 on: Jan 28, 2007, 02:51 pm »
Those mic's are great pre-show - I use one all the time when I am given one for OH&S purposes/pre-show coms with FOH etc. - except most of them do not have the ability to disable the speaker and re-route to a headset, making them impractical for calling.

smalltimeSM

  • New to Town
  • **
  • Posts: 39
  • Gender: Male
  • "Yea Komakozie Theatre!"
    • View Profile
Re: Two-way radios
« Reply #14 on: Jan 28, 2007, 08:26 pm »
I agree with the Motorola statement, but DO NOT get the ones from Walmart, Target, ect...  They have a nasty chirp after you talk.  Very annoying, and not what you want the audience to hear.  I recommend the Motorola Radius SP150

 

riotous