We’ve been using wireless systems in church for quite some time now. Decades, even. We’ve gotten a very good handle on most of the technology we use, but wireless is a bit different. Mics, amps, and speakers haven’t changed a whole lot. Mixers have changed quite a bit. But wireless systems are now very, very different. Not only has the hardware evolved substantially over the years, but our world is now awash in more RF energy than ever, and competition for finite bandwidth has compelled the government to become more involved in the regulation and allocation of that bandwidth than ever before. Even simple church wireless systems can be much more complex to set up and operate than their predecessors. That doesn’t necessarily mean that you must have an RF expert on staff, but it might. Let’s look into it.
In these very pages, we have asked the semi-rhetorical question — “How much wireless do you really need?” In a lot of cases, the not-so-rhetorical response is “not much,” and that’s probably good news. Among the signals coming from the platform to front of house, it’s arguable that drums, bass, electric guitars and keys should just be hard-wired. In fact, essentially any instrument that stays put and doesn’t move around benefits from a physical cable. We get solidity of signal and reduced risk of RF interference. Front-line leaders may want to move around more (and may be playing acoustic guitars), so we may need bodypacks for them. And in the case of vocal mics, we can get by with cables, but aesthetic and safety benefits accrue to the use of wireless mics, particularly on the front line. The pastor may have a wired mic at the pulpit, but in recent years, it’s much more likely they’ll roam with either a handheld or a headset. In terms of signals going to the platform, we can also limit the amount of wireless by sending monitor signals over cables, but again — those who may roam around the platform almost certainly need bodypacks. The bottom line here is that just because we can move all of our signals via wireless doesn’t mean that we have to or even should. The necessity for a dedicated RF tech is definitely diminished if we limit our wireless to the bare minimum.
Sweet and Simple
A simple wireless system that doesn’t involve dozens of discrete signals can probably be handled and administered by whomever is already in charge of our technology. Most of the manufacturers of wireless gear offer simplified solutions that facilitate relatively easy installation, configuration, and use of the gear. It’s just a matter of checking the batteries, plugging the stuff in, turning it on, and leveraging the built-in technology to find good frequencies… mostly. There are still concerns over ensuring that all transmitters are operating on legal frequencies — and that receivers are not suffering interference from external sources — and also internal sources. This modality is likely the only plausible way for small churches to get started down the wireless road. If budget allows, it may make some sense for a small church to bring in a consultant to establish an initial wireless setup, but it’s almost certainly more likely that the existing tech leader will handle it. There are some nice resources available to such tech folks — manufacturers offer some free training, and much can be learned at the University of YouTube (and of course all the usual admonitions about seeking videos from trustworthy sources apply).
While it’s usually sufficient for small churches to handle wireless in-house, there comes a time when more complexity is desirable or necessary, and it is at that point that it starts to make some sense to bring an expert into the picture. Some churches are blessed to have tech folks who already have a solid handle on wireless, and it may be plausible for them to ramp up to a higher degree of complexity without hiring someone in. But if not, it’s a pretty good idea to bring someone in to help ensure that the entirety of the system is solidly functional and operating in a legal way. If the budget doesn’t quite facilitate hiring someone on an ongoing basis, bringing an expert consultant in for the initial installation and configuration is an appealing option. If budget precludes ongoing employment of a tech, having an expert get the system online at the outset is certainly preferable to just winging it. Additionally, it would be good if that expert could provide some fundamental training to the person(s) who will be around for the long haul. An expert will know what kind of challenges may arise, and can help prepare church techs for what they’re likely to encounter.
The Next Step
There are certainly cases in which a church using moderately sophisticated technology could benefit from bringing in an RF expert, possibly even on a semi-permanent basis. In some cases, a church may have built up a large stable of wireless tech without having a master plan in place from the beginning. When the system is built in a piecemeal fashion over a long period of time, problems can arise. Developing a master plan from the outset is invariably a good idea, and if budget allows, it’s almost certainly preferable to purchase the entirety of the system in one fell swoop. The advance of technology continues to accelerate, and new tech is coming down the pike faster than ever. One result of this is that a wireless system slowly acquired over time may feature equipment that spans a range of sophistication from old and completely outdated to the latest, high quality offerings of the current day. Compatibility challenges are a near certainty in this scenario. When it comes time for a church to engage in a capital expenditure for audio gear, it may make some sense to postpone the purchase of new mixers and/or speakers in order to free up money so a complete, properly engineered wireless system can be integrated. These are the kind of potential recommendations that can make retaining an expert consultant a good idea.
There are certainly complex modern churches with substantial budgets that require substantial full-time staff for various parts of their systems, and it may indeed make sense for some of them to consider hiring a full-time RF expert. Wireless in general continues to become more complex over time, and the administration of a large, sprawling system may get to be too much for a director of audio to handle in addition to all the other moving parts. It’s not hard to imagine a scenario in which a church is ready to expand or revamp its existing wireless system, and chooses to hire an expert to handle the initial purchasing choices, engineer the deployment of the technology, configure and test everything, and handle the initial frequency coordination. As we all know, wireless, as a broad category of technology, is evolving and advancing at a crazy pace, and presents a moving target. Indeed, megachurches with large, sophisticated arrays of technology may very well need to have a full-time RF expert on staff to keep everything happy, functional — and legal.
The Recap
Small churches that are only beginning to integrate wireless into their workflow will probably be fine purchasing off-the-shelf solutions that are easily plugged in, set up, and used on a weekly basis. Churches that have already started down the wireless path may be able to maintain the status quo or move up to higher levels of sophistication without bringing in an expert, but a consultant could help to streamline and improve RF operations and help to ensure stability going forward. Churches with extensive wireless systems in place and seeking to upgrade almost certainly need to at least bring in a consultant, and hiring an RF tech on either a part-time or even full-time basis may be a worthwhile investment.
John McJunkin is the chief engineer and staff producer in the studio at Grand Canyon University.
