What was the last call / cue?

Dancing with hearing problems

Wouldn’t it be a pity if dancers would skip the activity just because of hearing problems? Well, they would not be the first dancer dealing with this subject, and possibilities exist. So already now dancers request to connect a transmitter to the amplifier, so the commands are transmitted wirelessly to one or more receivers. Then desired optimum is to transmit voice only without the music, but this is dependent of the possibilities of the amplifier.

Meanwhile the number of users increases, and if they use the same or comparable systems, 1 transmitter is enough to receive the sound with the volume set by the user. But it already happened that 2 or more dancers requested a connection of their transmitter, causing trouble even for the technically knowledgeable caller.

The problems are the more likely the bigger the hall is, so especially at Jamborees and Conventions. There more than one hall exists, and who would not like to be able to change halls without any problem? If this means to ask one dance leader to disconnect the transmitter, to disassemble the set-up, change hall and ask the next dance leader to connect the transmitter to the other amplifier easily 1 – 2 tips are missed. How comfortable it would be to simply switch the channel.

To enable this dancers of our activities should use a common system. Therefore I asked dancers using such systems about their experience. Next was to check whether the frequencies are usable across Europe for free and on a long time basis. Besides the already used equipment I also checked alternatives for finding an inexpensive equipment with high quality, which are available several years. My target is to suggest a kind of norm.

The result is a system already used by several dancers: IMG Stage Line 16T / 16R, available across Europe from dealers of Monacor, see page.

With this information I asked the EAASDC board to think about a test of this. My suggestion is, that using transmitters owned by EAASDC the 4 most popular halls of a Jamboree or Convention will be equipped as a standard. One receiver should be used to check the sound, first the person setting it up, then by interested users thinking of buying it themselves. The already taken step was buying 1 transmitter and 1 receiver plus accessories. This equipment was available during the last Jamboree in Schwäbisch Hall. Both in the callers meeting and in the EAASDC membership meeting this project was introduced. Some interesting feedback contained the question for time period of availability. A list of used frequencies gives the possibility to find equivalent equipment. Furthermore the EAASDC information table was equipped with information flyers and address cards.

At the entries of hall 1 signs were fixed pointing out that hearing aids are used in this hall, especially mentioning the channel number. If I think of halls being numbered we will try to have channel 1 in hall 1 etc.. But there might be reasons why to do it differently. The transmitters can be set to 16 different channels, but with an appropriate distance between halls one channel might be re-used.

The target is to equip especially the big events with transmitters. Therefore I will ask EAASDC for the ok to buy more transmitters. Because dancers already have equipment like this I also try to put transmitters in more halls by using their ones. Therefore I beg these dancers to get in touch with me, with information about type of equipment and more information, for example, if their names may be known by the Hearing-Aid-Coordinator or by the public. For that a questionnaire can be asked from me.

I hope, not only EAASDC but also neighbor associations will be convinced by this idea. I will not be successful in Great Britain since there halls are equipped with induction loops as standard. But other associations have already declared interest.

In the meantime there is an agreement with MONACOR INTERNATIONAL BREMEN, so that members of EAASDC member clubs which have their home address in Germany or Austria can benefit of a significant discount compared to the RRP on selected items.

For more information I am happy to help.

Joachim Rühenbeck
hearing-aid(at)eaasdc.eu
+49 / 202 / 7387158

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