Working for national radio station Today FM, the Clara based professional sound company were tasked with broadcasting a live, three-hour radio show from the Hook Head lighthouse in Co. Wexford - the oldest intact operational lighthouse in the world. The broadcast included the presenter abseiling down the lighthouse (whilst presenting!) and a live band performing inside the lighthouse - as well as the production of the daily radio show itself.
With each element posing its own audio challenges, this outside broadcast required an audio setup with a small footprint yet with enough inputs and outputs to handle both sends and returns for the microphones, band and broadcast. The combination of the compact 32 channel M-200i and S-1608 connected via Cat 5 cable over two floors satisfied the requirements with the iPad controllable M-200i proving particularly useful for sound-checking the band in the unusual shape performance room.
The first two-and-a-half hours were broadcast from inside the lighthouse with the last 20 minutes from the top of the lighthouse culminating with the presenter continuing to present the show as he abseiled down.
The Roland M-200i was positioned half way up the lighthouse with the S-1608 Digital Snake at the very top with the unobtrusive Cat 5 cable running down the 192 steps in between. The radio mic and IEM (In Ear Monitors) used by the abseiling presenter were connected to the S-1608 and the programme itself was broadcast using the M-200i. The M-200i was also used for mixing and broadcast of the live band.
Recks Audio were also contracted recently by Riverside TV, operating their Roland M-300 live digital console and the Roland R-1000 standalone recorder for outside broadcast for television. The M-300 forms part of the Riverside TV 'ROB1' state of the art High Definition five camera Outside Broadcast Unit and KA Band Satellite Uplink. This purpose built facility features five HD fibre camera channels with full camera control and power along the fibre which can handle multi-track audio for live mix to broadcast and recording for later post production if needed.
The Roland M-400 live mixing console and the M-200i were also chosen by Recks Audio - again for client Today FM - for the broadcast of an intimate album launch by Imelda May at Bewleys Coffee House in Dublin.
(Jim Evans)
