HONOLULU, HI – Senator Mike Michaels, CAS and Robert Dickerson provided audio support for the referees at the 2011 NFL Pro Bowl, held at Aloha Stadium earlier this year.
"For the first time, the NFL opted to use Aloha Stadium's wireless mic system," Michaels said, "and this decision resulted in our using three Lectrosonics REFUM referee transmitter systems in tandem with a fully stocked Venue receiver mainframe holding six VRS receiver modules and two Lectrosonics ALP500 shark fin antennas to aid reception.
"The Lectrosonics REFUM system incorporates the REFUM transmitter and the REFSWITCH muting device that can silence the transmitter's audio without any clicks or pops," Michaels continued. "While we had two backup units available and ready on the field, we only used the one system that was originally outfitted on the referee because we encountered no issues whatsoever throughout the entire game."
Now known as the Lectrosonics Mute Switch, the REFSWITCH muting device was placed on the referee's preferred side to facilitate quick and easy control over his audio output.
When issuing calls, the referees signaled the official score keeper/statistician, who is located in the press box over the 50 yard line. In the process, he also faces the TV cameras. The referee's ability to quickly and easily mute/unmute the audio feed is critical.
A Countryman EMW Omni Classic lavalier microphone was used with the REFUM transmitter system. The Venue receiver system was housed in the stadium's audio control booth.
Along with reliability, "it's extremely important that the equipment doesn't suffer any frequency interference," noted Michaels. "The NFL appoints game day frequency coordinators who are empowered to oversee the usage off all radio frequencies by those who are credentialed to attend and support the event. The NFL's GDC's (game day coordinators) were responsible for managing close to 400 frequencies. They gave preference to my request for two clear frequencies in Block 26 that we had used previously plus a third frequency. All were 100 percent solid."
"Larry Fisher, President of Lectrosonics, was extremely helpful in providing us with the latest developments in non-rechargeable lithium battery technology," Michaels added. "With the batteries he provided, we witnessed a solid 9.5 hours of battery life. The Pro Bowl required the transmitters to be enabled well in advance of the pre-game activities, so the longevity of these batteries was greatly appreciated."
For more information, please visit www.lectrosonics.com.
