GREEN BAY, WI — Arrow Audio, the contractor hired to update the wireless system at Lambeau Field, home of the Green Bay Packers, needed to make sure there would be nothing cheesy about its ability to keep the lines of communication open. To ensure audio quality, range and the freedom to adapt to evolving RF conditions, Arrow Audio chose Lectrosonics for the job. “On game day, an NFL stadium can have more than 400 wireless channels in use,” said Gary Trenda, Arrow Audio’s lead systems designer. “In a congested RF environment like this, finding a system that would work reliably was a major concern, as was audio quality and range. The NFL has a Game Day Frequency Coordinator (GDC) who assigns frequencies to the various wireless users so that they don’t interfere with one another. For this installation, the GDC also recommended a preferred frequency range.”
“To accommodate the GDC’s recommendations,” Trenda continued, “the ability to swap different receiver modules for alternate frequency blocks and the ability to easily dial in frequencies became crucial. Further, this capability enables us to adapt to changing conditions should it become necessary. These requirements strongly influenced our purchase considerations.”
Trenda and audio technicians from Made Ya Look, Inc., the game day audio and video services provider, opted for a 4-channel wireless system consisting of four Lectrosonics UT Digital Hybrid Wireless handheld transmitters with VMS super cardioid capsules and a Venue VRMWB receiver system stocked with 4 VRT tracking receiver modules.
“The Lectrosonics gear outperformed the other systems,” said Trenda, “primarily because of the robust RF performance and the audio quality of their Digital Hybrid Wireless technology. The technicians from Made Ya Look preferred the sound of the super cardioid capsule on the UT transmitters and were particularly impressed with the UT’s 100 mW transmit power, which provided exceptional range. It’s not uncommon for the talent to be on the opposite side of the stadium from the receivers. The range and solid reception of the system was very impressive.”
The new Lectrosonics system is typically used for “in-house” activities on the field and throughout the main stadium seating. These activities include the national anthem vocal performance, promotional activities during the game and various half-time events. Audio from the Lectrosonics receivers typically gets routed through the main stadium sound reinforcement system, but also splits out for TV broadcast and other feeds as required.
With the new Lectrosonics system in place, Trenda reports that everything is working exactly as they had hoped for, and he credited Lectrosonics’ customer/technical support services for much of the project’s success.
“The team at Lectrosonics was very helpful,” Trenda said, noting that Lectrosonics field sales representative Matt Robertson “provided a demo system and helped us specify the proper equipment. After our purchase, Karl Winkler (director of business development) helped guide us through the frequency selection process. Since the installation, the system has worked flawlessly. The audio crew from Made Ya Look has been very pleased with the new equipment, especially with the improved audio quality and RF reception. It all just works seamlessly.”
For more information, please visit www.lectrosonics.com.
