Wireless Microphone Interference Problems

We love wireless microphones.  No messy cable runs, no tripping hazards, no tangled messes to deal with after the event it over…you get the picture.  Wireless mics are great, if they work.  Outside interference is the main performance issue with wireless mics.  Cell phones have become the biggest issue for wireless system users.  Here is the problem – both of these devices operate in the same general frequency band.  The band available for use is called the UHF band.  This stands for ultra high frequency.  You don’t really need to know that.  What you do need to know is that if you are hosting an event near a cell tower, you need to be extra careful about your frequency settings for the mic system.  You will also need to consider range issues.  The cell tower is basically a giant blowtorch of a transmitter.  Your little belt pack system doesn’t have anywhere near the power that a hard wired tower can put out.  Your wimpy signal is going to be overwhelmed by whatever they happen to be broadcasting.  If you are really close to one, you are either going to experience severe range reduction – the unit works, but you can only get 25 feet away from the receiver, no signal whatsoever, or you may even get noise or other parties “hijacking” your line.

Wireless Microphone Interference Fixes

Because of FCC regulations on consumer wireless equipment, the only option that you have is to change frequencies and hope for a better result.  At Pittsburgh Sound Rental, we offer units with hundreds of frequency possibilities.  During your setup, you will want to ensure that you try a few different options to get a clear, interference free signal.  Be aware that these open frequencies can change.  If for example, you are near a television antenna, they may broadcast on different frequencies at different times of day.  There isn’t really any way to plan for this, you just need to be ready with a backup plan if things go south.

Wireless Microphone Rental Recommendations

Regardless of where you rent your wireless system from, we have two recommendations for you.  Ensure that wherever you rent from also includes a hardwired mic as a last resort backup option.  This ensures that you can utilize your sound system even if wireless operation isn’t possible at your venue.  Secondly, make sure to rent a system that can easily change from a trouble frequency to one that is free.  The systems that you should be looking at will have a screen on the receiver that looks like the unit shown.