Using 2x wireless lavs as full duplex radio?

[Zexun Tan]

Hi guys, I'm quite new to the audio side of things, but hear me out ok?

So recently I was on a fast paced event shoot where I was working with an assistant who was handling my lenses and grip gear while I was focused on getting the highlights. We both had comms, using standard motorola units with earpiece + boom mic (to mouth). Prior to this, I was using throat mics which were really bad.

Anyway, it was a very loud environment, and throughout the shoot, my assistant kept complaining that he couldn't really hear me over the music / noise. We had to use hand signals sometimes. Odd.

However, what surprised me was that I had a sennheiser g3 + lav on me that fed into my BTS guy's 5D3 camera, and he was monitoring audio through it. He could hear every single thing I said clearly, and that way, he stood next to my assistant and told him what to do when my radios failed.

So, long story cut short, I wanna ask if anyone's ever tried this setup:

Lav -> Wireless TX -> Wireless RX -> Beltpack interface (smth like the new Juicedlink DARling or headphone portable amp) -> headphones/earphones

And then mirror that setup, with a different pack (on diff freq), so that 2 people are mic'ed up and listening to each other and able to do full duplex.

Is this a thing? It seems similar to what live singers have for monitoring their own voice through IEMs and wireless packs, but in a different context / setup.

Anyone?

[Richard Crowley]

No reason that wouldn't work.
However, it sounds like all you may really need is better microphones on your coms.

[Steven Digges]

Originally Posted by Zexun Tan

We both had comms, using standard motorola units with earpiece + boom mic (to mouth). Prior to this, I was using throat mics which were really bad.

Anyway, it was a very loud environment, and throughout the shoot, my assistant kept complaining that he couldn't really hear me over the music / noise. We had to use hand signals sometimes. Odd.

Short answer...yes, lav mics are sometimes used for com but not often and not to overcome loud environments. Good com headsets are better at it.

What Motorola com are you talking about? They make everything from FSR radios with mic/headsets to pro grade com. If you had proper com you must have had single muff. Dual muff headsets are for overcoming a loud din. I have used com in mosh pits and been able to still hear the call. If you had good com something was wrong. Were you unable to speak up because you had to be quiet? Was your mic close to your lips? Was his volume up enough, pro com goes loud for a a reason? Single muff is our standard unless it is a concert, because it works for all but the very loudest environments. Good com is better than a lav or other makeshift device every time. I suspect you were not using pro com or something was wrong?

Steve

Steve

[Les Wilson]

This scheme will only work for two people. You can't have multiple TX on the same freq.

[Steven Digges]

To be more specific, one transmitter can be received by multiple receivers, but not the other way around.

Regardless, it is a poor substitute for a good com system. I think the OP was either not using good com or something was wrong. Hard to say what was wrong, they are all pretty simple systems. But.......

Steve

[Don Bloom]

I've used ClearCom wired with both single and dual muffs for a number of years including on stage or in front of stage at concerts like Grand Funk, the Family Stone and many others. They are quite loud as one can imagine and I have never had a problem hearing or being heard. I've also used them in studio setups and of course they are fantastic there. They are not cheap but in this case you do get what you pay for.

[Gary Nattrass]

I have a directors system that consists of a VHF lav or desk mic on 174.500 and the receivers are the baofeng HV5R VHF/UHF units that are low cost on e-bay, the return talkback is then on the UHF side of the HV5R as they are dual channel so you can listen on VHF but then also TX and receive on UHF.

Not perfect but ideal for multi camera music shoots.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UV-5R-BAOF...item19dca2b7e7

Note in the Uk you need a private business radio licence to use these at full power but that is only £75 for five years.