Tim M Posted April 13, 2014 Report Share Posted April 13, 2014 Not exactly senator, just trying to get other long time and/or experienced Zaxcom users to make sure I am using the full potential of these machines for example: I realized I was getting a rather filled up spectrum scans in contrast to my lectrosonics gear (that were not) at the same frequencies so I did a test of shutting down various gear in my bag to see if anything became apparent and indeed a few things did. Picture with Take 678: All devices off with the exception of my Lectro SRB Picture with Take 656: All devices are on including my Nomad, wifi 2.4ghz amplifier, my second QRX200, and lectro SRB Picture with Take 651: All devices off with the exception of the second neighboring QRX200 Picture with Take 677: All devices off except non transmitting 2.4ghz amplifier Picture with Take 657: All devices off As you can roughly see each device "on" correlated to a higher scanning floor, with the Nomad/Zaxnet, and other QRX200 having the most effect. The neighboring QRX200 on having the second most profound effect, the lectro having the second to last tied with non functioning 2.4ghz amp, and devices all off providing the most realistic scan for the area I am currently in. The Nomad itself without anything else on, by simply turning the Nomad on without zaxnet on correlates to another full level of pixels across the entire spectrum. I separated the Nomad from the QRX200 with a metal pan/plate and there was no effect. Will update shortly if anything else is found. If anyone is concerned about my Nomad, I just received it back from Zaxcom to fix any zaxnet issues, so I am fairly certain that a normal functioning Nomad 10 without zaxnet on would cause this. Not quite sure how as of yet to combat this in my bag yet, at least now I know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RadoStefanov Posted April 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 13, 2014 It seams pretty nosy even when everything is off. Can you remote the antenna away from the bag and do another scan? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glenn Posted April 13, 2014 Report Share Posted April 13, 2014 Depending on where you are that is a fairly typical scan. The QRX200 is very sensitive and background noise will usually account for a pixel or two. Glenn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Blankenship Posted April 13, 2014 Report Share Posted April 13, 2014 Tim, Is everything on a common power supply? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim M Posted April 13, 2014 Report Share Posted April 13, 2014 It seams pretty nosy even when everything is off. Can you remote the antenna away from the bag and do another scan? Yes, I hooked up my Rfvenue with my SMA to BNC cables and the resulting scan was ultimately clear with maybe a couple peaks and no bed of RF pixels. Two side by side scans at the same time one with whips and one with my RFvenue hooked up (no antenna distribution in between) picture attached. Tim, Is everything on a common power supply? Very good question John, and assuming that may be an issue I powered the QRX200 from an external direct to NP cup battery and the results were the same with whips. All the above statements from my previous posting were using whips with no antenna distribution. With simply getting the antenna/using my RF venue away from the bag the scans were remarkably different and clear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim M Posted April 13, 2014 Report Share Posted April 13, 2014 Depending on where you are that is a fairly typical scan. The QRX200 is very sensitive and background noise will usually account for a pixel or two. Glenn Thank you Glenn, just trying to figure out how to minimize the RF coming from the Nomad 10 to interrupt my scans. When it powers on it adds a layer of pixels and when off takes it away, very clear issue. Do you guys have any options to contain the Nomad/my Nomad's RF? Any kind of material I can wrap my Nomad in to disable this issue? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wandering Ear Posted April 13, 2014 Report Share Posted April 13, 2014 I have noticed a bit of spray from the qrx200 also. From left to right i have a micplexor with whips, qrx200, qrx100. Block 24. With the qrx200 off: With the qrx200 on: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim M Posted April 14, 2014 Report Share Posted April 14, 2014 Just did another walk test by simply connecting my RFVenue directly to my QRX200, no amplification, with 5 ft cables to get it far away from my bag, on a completely open frequency as my scans above show. Now obviously there should be a better reception, but the reception difference was remarkable I went as far as I could and got no hits...a bit further than my SRb with just whips. I was getting hits at 50ft with whips and just by getting the antennas outside of my bag using of course a better antenna I got over 500ft. Guess the moral of the story is getting those whips as far away from that bag as possible. If I find the right cables I'm going to try to get just the whips outside of the bag and see those abilities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RadoStefanov Posted April 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2014 Just did another walk test by simply connecting my RFVenue directly to my QRX200, no amplification, with 5 ft cables to get it far away from my bag, on a completely open frequency as my scans above show. Now obviously there should be a better reception, but the reception difference was remarkable I went as far as I could and got no hits...a bit further than my SRb with just whips. I was getting hits at 50ft with whips and just by getting the antennas outside of my bag using of course a better antenna I got over 500ft. Guess the moral of the story is getting those whips as far away from that bag as possible. If I find the right cables I'm going to try to get just the whips outside of the bag and see those abilities. This is how I work for ultimate performance. Sharkfin antennas on the mast or dipoles on the harness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich Posted April 14, 2014 Report Share Posted April 14, 2014 has anyone who has a QRX200 been using it with silver transmitters? as well as the XR modulation? yesterday, was having occasional dropouts with good signal on my TRX942 powering a CMIT, whilst my TRX900LANCs seemed fine (though i wasnt listening to them for the same amount of time as the boom, so its possible i was getting dropout on them, but it only happened when they were faded down). and also took a call from a friend who is sound supervisor on a show with 12 zaxcoms, mostly TRX900LA and TRX900LANC, but a few silver TRX900 used as guest / spare mics. he has been noticing dropouts at full signal only on the silver transmitter as well, and when he is using his QRX200. all transmitters in question are running 8.77 and the receivers are on 3.19. i was using lectro SNA600 antennas into a micron rf distribution box that only allowy 600-630MHz through, my friend was on whip antennas. we have a few things for the 12 radio mic to test, like tuning in to the silver transmitters on a QRX100, and then going back to 8.54 on the transmitter. and of course, i cannot replicate any of the dropouts i was getting yesterday. but whilst i am waiting to hear back from zaxcom, i wanted to ask any QRX200 users if they have been using silver transmitters, and if they have noticed similar things. thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Blankenship Posted April 14, 2014 Report Share Posted April 14, 2014 In my case the silver ones have been performing similar to the LA & LANC versions. Keep in mind that the silver ones are 50mW max, while the LA versions can do 125mW. Also, are you using the newer modulation on both? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich Posted April 14, 2014 Report Share Posted April 14, 2014 thanks John. all transmitter were using XR modulation and set to 50mw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
efksound Posted April 14, 2014 Report Share Posted April 14, 2014 Wandering Ear I've noticed from yours pics that you also have the white plastic overlay of your QRX100 cracked, it looks like it's something common. Mine has just 18months of use and also shows some crackings on the left side. Hope Zaxcom has also improved the QRX200 in this aspect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RadoStefanov Posted April 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2014 Rich , are you having the drop outs in dual mode? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich Posted April 14, 2014 Report Share Posted April 14, 2014 yes. was in dual mode. didnt think to put it in single mode for this job. though when i first found the bug with the diversity switching, i did use my receivers in single mode - though they were qrx100's at the time - and had no drop out issues. on that job i was using the 742 for boom and LANC for occasional radios. though towards the end of the film, 3.14 was released which i updated to and didnt experience the unexpected dropouts. i did a bit of playing about this morning looking at the signal diagnostic page in the factory menu, and comparing the 942 to the 742, they both had similar signal strength, but the 742 had a much higher signal quality value. for this, i was checking my super cmit as well, so had the aes42 cone on the 742. both transmitter were set to the same frequency and placed next to each other and i would swap the mic between the 2 - obviously powering off the one not in use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wandering Ear Posted April 14, 2014 Report Share Posted April 14, 2014 Wandering Ear I've noticed from yours pics that you also have the white plastic overlay of your QRX100 cracked, it looks like it's something common. Mine has just 18months of use and also shows some crackings on the left side. Hope Zaxcom has also improved the QRX200 in this aspect. Yeah, it's been cracked for a while. It bugged me at first cause it happened right after coming back from repair, but it is only cosmetic. The face plate on the 200 seems to be the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Norflus Posted April 15, 2014 Report Share Posted April 15, 2014 The face plate is replaceable - though it will take some work to remove the old one, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RadoStefanov Posted April 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2014 So it turns dual mode in qrx200 and arx235 is next to worthless. There is bug that drops out audio even when reception is good. In Single mode they are great and I am very happy with the performance. I hope the dual mode bug is fixed soon because I was sold on the idea that dual mode and single mode have the same performance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wandering Ear Posted April 18, 2014 Report Share Posted April 18, 2014 I ran into the same problem this week. Totally random when it occurs. Haven't tried single mode yet, was in dual all week, only experienced the dropouts yesterday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RadoStefanov Posted April 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2014 I hope adding a micplexer will correct the issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich Posted April 18, 2014 Report Share Posted April 18, 2014 So it turns dual mode in qrx200 and arx235 is next worthless. There is bug that drops out audio even when reception is good. In Single mode they are great and I am very happy with the performance. I hope the dual mode bug is fixed soon because I was sold on the idea that dual mode and single mode have the same performance. i hope this is a software fix rather than a hardware issue. though i would be surprised and disappointed if adding a mixplexer fixed this, as that will be an additional expense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason A Posted April 18, 2014 Report Share Posted April 18, 2014 I thinking fixing the problem so it works as advertised without a micplexer should be the standard. I hope adding a micplexer will correct the issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glenn Posted April 18, 2014 Report Share Posted April 18, 2014 We just got back to work after NAB and are looking into the problem. Any fix will not require a micplexer. Glenn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wandering Ear Posted April 18, 2014 Report Share Posted April 18, 2014 I hope adding a micplexer will correct the issue. I have a mic plexor in front of mine and still experience the issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich Posted April 18, 2014 Report Share Posted April 18, 2014 good to hear Glenn. hope its a quick and easy fix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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