Base station operation
Talk – Press to enable/disable the microphone. Quickly press to turn it off or on. Press and hold to use in “push to talk (PTT)” mode. In PTT mode, the microphone will only be enabled which you are pressing the button. In either mode, the Talk button will illuminate when the microphone is enabled.
Headset volume control – Adjusts the listen level of the headphones.
Call – Sends an alert call to all beltpack units, causing the Call button to flash. Depending on the beltpack’s internal settings, it will also beep and/or vibrate. Use “call” to get the attention of a user who has gone off comms, or as a cue light.
Remote mute (all mics) – Mutes all microphones connected to beltpacks. Microphones can be unmuted by pressing the button on the base station (all mics), or pressing the “Mic” button on the beltpack (single mic only). Use this feature sparingly: the stage manager should be able to maintain order on comms without resorting to muting other users’ microphones.
Remote mute (buzzer) – Mutes all beltpack buzzers. This can be a useful feature to use when in “show mode.”
In range – Shows which beltpacks are on and in range.
Wireless beltpack operation
On/Off – Press to turn on. Press, hold for two seconds and release to turn off. When the unit is on, a quick press will show battery status.
Call – Sends an alert call to all comms units, causing the Call button to flash. Depending on the beltpack’s internal settings, it will also beep and/or vibrate. Use “call” to get the attention of a user who has gone off comms, or as a cue light.
Mic (on/off/PTT) - Press to enable/disable the microphone. Quickly press to turn it off or on. Press and hold to use in “push to talk (PTT)” mode. In PTT mode, the microphone will only be enabled which you are pressing the button. In either mode, the Mic LED will illuminate when the microphone is enabled.
Buzz (on/off) – Press to turn the call alert buzzer on or off. When in show mode, the buzzer must be turned off.
Vibrate – Press the Mic and Buzz buttons at the same time to turn call alert vibration on or off.
Volume – Adjusts the volume of the headphones.
In range – The “in range” LED blinks when the beltpack is in range of the base station. A solid LED shows the beltpack is out of range or the base station is off.
Comms procedure
- Before use, make sure you know how to operate all features of the comms, including mic control, volume adjustment, buzzer control and vibration control.
- Turn on the base station. Turn on the beltpack.
- After ensuring the microphone is turned off, put on the headset.
- Wait a few seconds to make sure you aren't speaking over a conversation. Then, turn on the microphone and announce that you are on comms; "Karen on comms," Turn off the microphone.
- Be aware of the "vibrate" and "buzzer" settings and ensure they are set appropriately.
- Announce when you are going off comms; "Karen off comms."
- When you have finished using the comms, turn off the beltpack and return it to the charging station.
Comms etiquette
- Only have your microphone open when you are speaking. Double-check that the microphone is closed before putting your headset on or off, having a face-to-face conversation, coughing, etc.
- There should only be one conversation at a time.
- Keep unnecessary chatter to a minimum.
- Discuss with your stage manager how you should acknowledge their standbys. Responding with "standing by" or the department name (eg. "Standby Sound 12." "Sound.") is normal procedure.
- Do not speak during standbys.
- When speaking to a comms user face-to-face, be mindful that they may be involved in a conversation you cannot hear.
- Be mindful that you cannot see who is listening on comms – anyone can pick up an unattended set of comms and overhear your conversation. Conversely, be aware that comms are intended for select people only and should not be used as an eavesdropping tool.
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