Carnival, I hate it. But still have fun.

[remco_k]

As some of you might know I work voluntarily for a local radio station in my home town.
I do all kinds of technical things there, from keeping all computer related stuff going to maintaining the transmitters and buying new equipment. In fact, all technical needs: lets call remco_k.

So, next sunday other people working at the radio station have organised a (relative) big carnival party. All kinds of local carnival societies (like 5 or so) are coming to our event, they have to play fysical games against eachother, while we are live broadcasting that event over the entire afternoon. (12:00 to 19:00 local time (GMT+1)).
So far I'm not really in the picture other than that I install all the needed equipment, make the connection to the studio so that audio can be broadcasted live from that particular place.

But the organisers have thought that it would be nice to have some local artists come over and sing their f*cking carnival song live on our stage. And this is where I do get in the picture, since not everybody can make that sound good, I'm doomed for doing that.
No problem for me at all, I have all kinds of specializations, among those is live mixing some singing drunk idiot.
Just add a significant amount of reverb and everybody sounds good.
But, its fun so I decided to do that, its for the good, for our station and local benefits. Now I must stay there the entire afternoon, listing to all that f*cking carnival music, look at stupid drunk people, but making sure everything sounds nice when broadcasted live on the air. Thats what I'm for and among others thats what i love to do in my free time.

So, I invite you all to listen along with us; you might not understand what we are saying (its in Dutch), but you'll pretty fast get the idea that that event is in fact really nice to be with... Only not for me.
The live broadcast starts this sunday at 12:00 local time (GMT+1) and ends at 19:00.
You can listen to it via our internet stream; wich can be found on the website: http://www.radiostadmontfoort.nl
I must warn you, we are a local radio station, not a professional radio station. So things might just be something different.

Pictures of last years event are here: http://www.radiostadmontfoort.nl/cms/cp ... p?album=32
This year we do it somewhat smaller.
In case anybody wonders: I am not on any picture, as I made them all myself.
Also I did'nt do the light there, because I cant do audio and light at the same time.

[remco_k]

Oh yeah, you've told that you have a dutch girlfriend. You won't be hearing me on-air. Only in some particular circumstances most of the time when other presenters are fallen asleep or so.

Yeah, ear plugs. I use them allways when doing stuff like this and light shows. I have got myself some little semi professional plugs.
They can be adapted to 3 stages; low, medium and military.

Alpine musicsafe

Unfortunately I come across many DJ's as well as LJ's and other kinds of people who never wear earplugs. For DJ's I kind of understand...
I think they are messing with their hearing, don't have no clue whats waiting for them when they are 20 years older from now. I'm 33 now (yes, that old!), and I dare to say that my hearing is near perfect. I think many people who are now young can't say the same when they are 33. (Think of Mp3 players and stuff like that). I'm somehow really worried about that.
In a few years I'm 80, still with good hearing, but everybody younger than me, can't hear anything, not even my kids... Or am I too worried now?

The good part about that is that they don't have to hear that idiot carnival music.

[remco_k]

Well, its done.
Edit: Intended to make a short posting about it, but that did'nt work out as you see.

First of all, I was happy with my earplugs. Especially when this ugly guy came up and starts singing (and not just because of the loudness of the PA (wich I had in my own hands):

(clickable for larger version)
But, I have to be honest, he did make a good party!
Listen MP3.

Second of all: Everything did go fine.... Almost.
1. We use a special wireless STL (Studio Transmitter Link), never had any problems with it. Until last sunday. Suddenly it has begon switching itself on and off 5 times in 3 seconds or so. (Listen MP3 -- this is what people at home heard) In the beginning I had no idea why it did that. Its an old thing, so the power led on the front did'nt tell me that. That one just stayed on. After some little research and almost burning my hand on the cooling ribs on the backside of the transmitter, it was obvious; It was way to hot. Maybe because of the relative high temp inside the place, because of many many many people. Also the flightcase where it is build in was stacked in between other flightcases with equipment. So some heat could have come from there too.
The transmitter was not used in those circumstances before, so we had no clue on forehand... Until last sunday the transmitter cooled himself with the 'natural' airflow inside its flightcase. I always thought it was enough, but obvious it is'nt. So going to build in some fans shortly.
Anyway, the short term solution was me blowing air inside the flightcase against the cooling ribs, having effect almost immediately; the transmitter kept on working. But when I stopped blowing at it, the problem came back within few seconds. So, there I was, sitting on my knees on stage(!) with my back to the audience blowing air into some flightcase, just to keep the live broadcast going. So you see, I'd do anything for the local radio station.
But, since it was just 13:30 and more than 5 hours to go, what I was doing was no long term solution. So I kept on blowing, and another guy from the station went out looking for a fan of any kind.
The result is on the picture:

(also clickable) (moment of an artist singing somewhere else in the place, I'm standing with headphones on to check the on-air return signal and doing the mixing for the PA)
After we "installed" this fan, the transmitter kept on going like old times.
The hole timeframe this all happened is about 15 minutes. I noticed the error situation 2 minutes after it has started. At that very moment some people who know me where calling me on my cellphone about the problem. In fact, I could have not noticed the problem myself at all, because in this situation I barely listen to the on-air return signal. So it was a lucky moment.
The live broadcast itself was disturbed about 5 minutes, right at the moment of some DJ presentation and announcement.
I am going to make sure that this never happens anymore.

2. When another artist was singing I accidentally pressed his intrumental CD on 'Cue'.... Whoops.