Try the following link
http://electroniccircuit-s.blogspot.com/2009/09/vhf-fm-receiver-tda7000.html for receiver
http://electroniccircuit-s.blogspot.com/2009/09/high-power-fm-wireless-microphone.html for transmitter
http://electroniccircuit-s.blogspot.com/2009/09/vhf-fm-receiver-tda7000.html for receiver
http://electroniccircuit-s.blogspot.com/2009/09/high-power-fm-wireless-microphone.html for transmitter
If you are interested in a wireless system, which allows you to connect it to the PC (or laptop) working as virtual sound processor and amplifier, then you may take a look at my design: http://www.ise.pw.edu.pl/~wzab/wireless_guitar_system/
It is a digital system, working in 2.4GHz band.
The interesting feature is that it allows you also to control remotely settings of your sound processor (4 switches and 3 potentiometers which may be assigned to different MIDI commands).
To improve the operation range, you may need to replace the original PCB antenna in RFM70 with a quarter-wave dipol.
It is a digital system, working in 2.4GHz band.
The interesting feature is that it allows you also to control remotely settings of your sound processor (4 switches and 3 potentiometers which may be assigned to different MIDI commands).
To improve the operation range, you may need to replace the original PCB antenna in RFM70 with a quarter-wave dipol.
So while technically yes, stay off certain frequencies, more and more every day- you have to ALSO REMEMBER that even the top end wireless systems for big stage and arena are only transmitting within a couple hundred ft. it takes a really sensitive receiver to pick up a trace of signal outside that boundary. and if you are in a shielded building, it makes it even more isolated. so unless all the cops or ambulances are listening to you on their main channels, I wouldn't worry too much about the freqs- just try to stay in the upper 600's to lower 800's and also to not make a transmitter that reaches more than 100 ft or so you should be good.
Most places have a map of FCC regulated frequencies in use available on the internet. I have listing for all emergency, airport, utility and government field workers, I even have the freqs used at the race track. Just look it up by city or county and you should be fine.
Why am I searching this thread? because I am sick of wasting $200-400 on crap units and far too cheap to spend more! A Sure UR4D runnin at almost $3K each is just WAY too much!
So, I too am looking to build.
In most countries it is almost impossible to DIY this legally and effectively. To do it legally you need to be on one of the licence-free bands but even then you may need type-approved equipment. To do it effectively you either need a high signal strength (so run the risk of upsetting people, including the authorities) or a full diversity receiver - which requires significant RF skills.
My advice is to buy a decent second-hand unit - such as the Sennheiser systems commonly used in Europe.
My advice is to buy a decent second-hand unit - such as the Sennheiser systems commonly used in Europe.
I work on wireless products quite often, as DF96 says it is not an easy area to design for both the rf side and all the legalities surrounding rf design, EMC compliance etc.
A little rf can go a long way, and its easier to make a mistake and cause problems, its one of those areas where buying a unit is the best option.
A little rf can go a long way, and its easier to make a mistake and cause problems, its one of those areas where buying a unit is the best option.
As many have already said, this is not a DIY-friendly project, get one of these instead:
Line 6 Relay G30, G50, G90 Guitar Wireless System Demo - YouTube
Line 6 Relay G30, G50, G90 Guitar Wireless System Demo - YouTube
You refer to commercial systems as crap, but what about them is crappy in your view? If they are not holding up physically, well, you intend to build one yourself. Use the electronics a from a working system and then house them in your own sturdy industrial enclosures.
I have been in live sound for over 40 years, and have run a pro audio service facility for close to 30 years, and I cannot say I find the $200 systems to be crappy. Do guys break the solder conections where the cord enters the transmitter? yes. Do they break volume controls and antennas off of receiver units? yes. But those are easily overcome, and frankly those things are abuse.
I find a basic inexpensive AudioTechnica or equivalent system works well, and you can even get them with diversity for not much more. Making a system from scratch is not easy, but a diversity receiver will be even harder. And If I intend to move around on stage, I myself would be demanding diversity receivers.
There are inexpensive little FM transmitter that can be tuned to empty spots on the FM radio dial. But those generally lack the compression and expansion of commercial wireless units, which means more noise for you.
I have been in live sound for over 40 years, and have run a pro audio service facility for close to 30 years, and I cannot say I find the $200 systems to be crappy. Do guys break the solder conections where the cord enters the transmitter? yes. Do they break volume controls and antennas off of receiver units? yes. But those are easily overcome, and frankly those things are abuse.
I find a basic inexpensive AudioTechnica or equivalent system works well, and you can even get them with diversity for not much more. Making a system from scratch is not easy, but a diversity receiver will be even harder. And If I intend to move around on stage, I myself would be demanding diversity receivers.
There are inexpensive little FM transmitter that can be tuned to empty spots on the FM radio dial. But those generally lack the compression and expansion of commercial wireless units, which means more noise for you.
If you do consider a commercial product, either on its own, or to rob the guts from, please look into support. brands like Audio technica and Samson and Shure will have service available as well as parts and technical data. COntrast that to companies like NADY who will not sell you as much as a jack, nor will they release any schematiccs. Nady expects you to send all repairs to them for their excessive repair rates.
Line 6 has a network of repair centers across the country, but as a company Line 6 also will not sell the consumer as much as a jack or a knob, nor will they provide any technical documentation.
Those details matter to me.
Line 6 has a network of repair centers across the country, but as a company Line 6 also will not sell the consumer as much as a jack or a knob, nor will they provide any technical documentation.
Those details matter to me.
I use a much more reliable product than either Nady or AT can provide, and Sure is about the lowest quality I go. EV, AKG, Sennheiser - these are the standards, although MyPro ACT - 74 is a pretty outstanding product for the money as well. but still- at around $500 per unit in rack mount form, if you buy the quad, its pretty expensive to replace my older equipment. I still think building may be a better way to go...
But do you have the required skills and test equipment to do so?, and can you afford the testing required to make it legal to use? - or are you just planning operating illegally?.
There's a reason it's expensive, it's an expensive thing to do.
You didn't really answer my question. When you say some inexpensive product is unreliable, in WHAT WAY is it unreliable? Signal drops out at the transmitter? Spurious interfering signals come out the receiver? The battery clips don't maintain contact?
You can find the exact same system in a plastic little case that sits on something or mounted in a steel rack chassis, and the rack version will cost $100 more just for what it is physically.
Do you need tunable stuff, so you can change channels at each venue? Or is a dedicated channel OK for you?
You can find the exact same system in a plastic little case that sits on something or mounted in a steel rack chassis, and the rack version will cost $100 more just for what it is physically.
Do you need tunable stuff, so you can change channels at each venue? Or is a dedicated channel OK for you?
Agree and add: it's a very tough job to get a weak RF signal, which by Law can't reach beyond, say, 300Ft, to behave reliably from 0 to 299Ft, doubly so because the transmitter has a tiny antenna, and moves all over the place, changing orientation all the time.
You can't beat Physics.
It's a miracle wireless mics operate as WELL as they already do, given the murderous constraints.
Now , if you could only radiate 5W RF from a halfwave antenna, well, that would be something else.
But I suspect you can not.
I've had and built several. I would never again use a an analog FM system that didn't have diversity features...multiple antenna & RF sections that the receiver switches between. Otherwise you will be susceptible to multipath dropouts.
Now I would only consider a digital system that transmits on multiple frequencies simultaneously, with error-correction to recover 100% when one drops out.
But the whole radio trans/receive part is only one concern. The interface from pickup to first tube grid is critical. I like short cable to a tube preamp at my feet. If you like what you get with an FET between your guitar and tube amp, well that's about the tone options you will get with the best pro wireless.
To each his own, but the original contention that cables "make feedback noise over your speakers" just says you're using really horrible microphone cables and way too much gain; might not even be possible then. The last time I had microphonic cables was silicone super-flex self-retracting coil-cables in 1960 which were kind of squishy and used a shield braided of a flat copper tape over a fiber core; they would make a ton of noise when they slapped the floor.
How much inconvenience can cable be in a church? Must be a lot more fun than my old church was, we hardly jumped around spinning at all.
I wouldn't recommend wireless unless you had the best digital wireless and/or were moving around more over a huge area. For mics on dancing singers, or if you dance on/off stage playing that's a different consideration.
Admittedly, unbalanced high-gain cables are a huge risk in themselves; at some point you end up with short cable to a preamp on the floor or a good wireless system just so some blinking neon sign or trucker with a CB linear doesn't cause you problems. But a cheap wireless system will never compete with a cable. You won't usually find wireless in the studio.
Now I would only consider a digital system that transmits on multiple frequencies simultaneously, with error-correction to recover 100% when one drops out.
But the whole radio trans/receive part is only one concern. The interface from pickup to first tube grid is critical. I like short cable to a tube preamp at my feet. If you like what you get with an FET between your guitar and tube amp, well that's about the tone options you will get with the best pro wireless.
To each his own, but the original contention that cables "make feedback noise over your speakers" just says you're using really horrible microphone cables and way too much gain; might not even be possible then. The last time I had microphonic cables was silicone super-flex self-retracting coil-cables in 1960 which were kind of squishy and used a shield braided of a flat copper tape over a fiber core; they would make a ton of noise when they slapped the floor.
How much inconvenience can cable be in a church? Must be a lot more fun than my old church was, we hardly jumped around spinning at all.
I wouldn't recommend wireless unless you had the best digital wireless and/or were moving around more over a huge area. For mics on dancing singers, or if you dance on/off stage playing that's a different consideration.
Admittedly, unbalanced high-gain cables are a huge risk in themselves; at some point you end up with short cable to a preamp on the floor or a good wireless system just so some blinking neon sign or trucker with a CB linear doesn't cause you problems. But a cheap wireless system will never compete with a cable. You won't usually find wireless in the studio.
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Check this out:
Radial Engineering Tonebone Dragster Guitar Wireless Load Correction Device | Musician's Friend
I see there's digital systems with tuners for < $99 now. It's a new world!
Radial Engineering Tonebone Dragster Guitar Wireless Load Correction Device | Musician's Friend
I see there's digital systems with tuners for < $99 now. It's a new world!
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