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Sound Advice for shoot in various European Holiday Destinations


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Hi Jeff, everyone, not been about the board much recently so good to see it's still going strong!

 

It's looking like I'm going to be sound recordist for a holiday show in the following tourist destinations....

 

Hvar - Croatia

 

Mykonos - Greece

 

Istanbul - Turkey

 

Tel Aviv - Israel

 

St. Tropez - France

 

Sardinia

 

Monaco

 

Ibiza

 

They are all new destinations to me and it would obviously be sensible to ask the community here for any advice you might have to give me.

 

My experience level is good, but too be honest lacking when it comes to shooting overseas...

 

So what I would really appreciate is advice on....

 

Flying with gear ...

 

I'll be leaving from London, probably Gatwick or Heathrow and taking

SD552 mixer Boom Pole MKH 60

2 x 2040's UK CH38 ( 606.050 - 630.200)

1 VHF Micron 191.1

1 VHF Micron 174.8

2 NP1 Lithium Ion Batteries/charger

A few boxes of 9v Batteries Alkaline

A few Boxes of AA 1.5 v Batteries Alkaline

 

What issues with Batteries and boom poles to expect on the plane?

 

Radio/Wireless Frequency use in these countries..

 

I have searched the forum but not found anything other than info on frequency use in France.

 

(Not sure if Oleg is about here these days... I know he is the Israel expert so I'll think about emailing him concerning that destination.)

 

Thank You

 

 

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Pack your gear well, get a peli case, you'll need to keep the pole in the case, in the hold. You'll be fine with the batteries.

Two channels of 38 will work fine in all those countries, whether it's legal or not is a different matter, and it's up to you whether you worry about that. 

 

I'd take an extra mic, I really wouldn't want to travel without a back up.

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On some airlines (or all?) Lithium batteries are allowed in carry-on baggage only.

I've taken a (short) ENG boom in the cabin as well. Might depend on length.

 

On the Thomann website, I've found a map of legal frequencies in the 606 range:

http://www.thomann.de/gb/the_tbone_iem_200_606_mhz.htm

The device is a different brand, but frequency-wise it's the same.

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Thanks Jon,

I'm taking another mic', that was just the short list to give you the idea, ie bag rig. (If only I could learn to travel without all the back up stuff! I always end up with too many get out of jail gizmo's).

 

Probably take ccm41 and a foam for indoors and accept the '60's oddities if shooting outside.

I'd rather take the CCM 41 and windshield instead of the shotgun as it's the mic I usually use but you never know when that awkward situation comes up where even the '60 lacks a bit of reach and the CCm 41 is way off. I digress..

 

So procell 9volts and AA's and 2x Lithium Ion NP1's will be ok in hand luggage then? I don't want to find I've got to leave anything at the airport.

 

I'd like a Peli case and a shorter boom pole too. For the first week though I think it will be pole in a drain pipe in a suitcase most likely.

 

Thanks Peter and Vasilerios, after your prompt I tried again with the frequency list document and got further into it this time. 

 

Thanks.

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Take a photo of your packed case (or cases) open to display contents. Print the photo to a reasonable size, perhaps 5 x 7 inches. Using small Avery labels (or equivalent) add identifying labels for all the major items of gear.

 

e.g.: Sound Devices 552 microphone mixer, Micron VHF receiver, etc.

 

Laminate the result and pack it in the case as a guide to contents.

 

This may facilitate security inspections by telling the security personnel what the contents are. And, it may discourage "shrinkage" by providing a visible inventory of case contents so missing articles are easily identified.

 

It can also help guide PAs pressed into service as an assistant.

 

Or, it may be of no benefit whatsoever but the cost and trouble are minimal.

 

David

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The frequency range 608-614 MHz is reserved to Radio astronomy over Europe except UK.

 

Lithium Ion NP1s are carry-on baggage in the EU, packed individually in closeable plastic bags like liquids.

Travelling outside EU (Turkey, Israel) you need a carnet for your equipment to avoid problems with customs.

 

I never heard of any Problems with batteries, but don't worry, you can buy ones everywhere :)

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I've never had a problem with packing Lithium NP1 batts in a pelican for checked luggage. It maybe because the baggage inspectors don't really know what they are, and they just look like another gizmo amongst an array of unfamiliar things.  I usually cover the metal power connectors with paper tape as an extra precaution. 

 

TSA in the US 90% of the time want me to check my boom pole because they think I could use it to crack someone's skull, yet I often see heavy tripods and photographers monopods pass through carry on without question. I recently bought a Portabrace WPC-3OR case  It's  semi rigid and long enough to pack a complete ENG kit along with 12' Boom pole. 

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For you, I hope this holiday-show does not take place around Taksim Square (I can't imagine though), Istanbul:  If so, make sure to bring gas-masks..

 

I travel around the globe, my 788 as carry-on luggage and I pack as many NP1s with it.. everything else battery-wise (Ipower LiPo's, rechargeable AA's etc) goes with me in an extra laptop-bag as my 'personal item' (carry-on). 

 

If you don't own a ATA carnet,when travelling outside EU, it should be enough to carry a list of your gear, take photo-copies of all invoices of your gear, bundled together and make sure your customs-officer at the airport gives you a stamp for approval.. that you will export your OWN gear temporarily outside the UK. It works for a lot of Dutch sound-men who travel abroad (including myself) all the time..  I've been to ATA countries where they would frown upon seeing a ATA-carnet.. Israel and Turkey should be fine though, customs-officials know how to handle carnets over there (at least at the major airports..)

 

Have fun!

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  • 2 months later...

Has anyone successfully used channel 38 to 43 around the Frankfurt area in Germany?

 

I am looking at what's what there now and according to Olle Sjostrom's "Ultimate Wireless Frequency List" chart and:

 

Channel 38 is reserved for Astronomy but it seems that the two observatories stated in the IPS List (the Effelsberg Observatory - South west of Bonn and the Tremsdorf Observatory - at the south of Potsdam) are quite far off.

 

I understand the 710-790Mhz is the way to go to Germany, but I am just double checking whether anyone has has any success with anything around Channels 38 to 43.

 

I might create a separate posting for this one if that's alright with you all.

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Just to add to this list the fact that I used Channel 38 and 39 successfully in:

  • Dubrovnik, Croatia
  • The Algarve are, Portugal
  • Umbria, Italy 

I can say that I had no problems whatsoever and loads of "clear" frequencies after scanning!

So aliens have been heard in several places across Europe...... just because the frequencies are clear doesn't mean no one is listening.

 

The frequency range 608-614 MHz is reserved to Radio astronomy over Europe except UK.

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So aliens have been heard in several places across Europe...... 

 

;D 

 

Poor aliens!.... 

 

Don't get me wrong, the sound was great but the content shouldn't intrigue them, at least if they are of higher intelligence :P

 

Sure, I understand this Pindrop. Still, I am just trying to find whether anyone had success with anything between channels 38 and 43. 

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The area 470 ...710 MHz, which includes all of the channels you mentioned, is also widely in use in Germany. Generally speaking, it seems to be way easier to find free frequencies here than it is in the US.

Theoretically, you need a special licence for 470 ... 710, stating that you're using the gear for German TV stations or something they co-produce. 710 ... 790 also needs a licence, stating you're a sound professional. As long as you're not in a press conference, larger-scale event, or trade fair, it's not very likely that someone will actually check. The LTE duplex gap 822 .. 831 MHz is completely free, but narrow and starting to be crowded.

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Hey Peter

 

I will be over there for a UK production, not at all involved with a German TV broadcaster or co-produced by a German company. Needless to say, I am more than happy to pay for the license (how much does it go for really?) but if I am not legally obliged then I cannot say I exactly mind that :P

 

Do you yourself use radio mics around the 470-710 region? If so, is there a spectrum that you find using more often? 

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I've never had a problem with packing Lithium NP1 batts in a pelican for checked luggage. It maybe because the baggage inspectors don't really know what they are, and they just look like another gizmo amongst an array of unfamiliar things.  I usually cover the metal power connectors with paper tape as an extra precaution. 

 

TSA in the US 90% of the time want me to check my boom pole because they think I could use it to crack someone's skull, yet I often see heavy tripods and photographers monopods pass through carry on without question. I recently bought a Portabrace WPC-3OR case  It's  semi rigid and long enough to pack a complete ENG kit along with 12' Boom pole. 

 

Are you planning on checking the full WPC-30R as airline baggage?  Or do you have a case or box you put it in for that?

 

philp

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  • 3 weeks later...

Just adding to this email to add that Channel 38 G3s had major issues in the Abruzzo area of Italy.

 

Scanning new frequencies changed from part of a house to a different one!

 

Very mountainous area as well. Would that fact play any specific role?

 

I had a pair of the 120Mhz bandwith of the Audio Wireless radio systems as well. I had issues with them as well.

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