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Re: remote island seabird recording project

Subject: Re: remote island seabird recording project
From: "David Kuhn" dkuhn012001
Date: Wed Aug 5, 2009 2:40 pm ((PDT))
Hi Rob, thank you so much for your well-considered response and ideas and 
suggestions. Getting back to you below--

--- In  Rob Danielson <> wrote:
> Hi David--
> I agree, it makes a lot of sense to carry along complete redundancy 
> of batteries, associated power cables, recording media and essential 
> adapter cables every time one heads out-- even if just for swapping 
> out and trouble-shooting. Taking a butane soldering iron, wire 
> strippers and a small multi-meter?

----------I don't yet have a small butane soldering "iron" Rob, but will look 
into it, now that I have had some soldering experience. Googling I see a lot of 
them.
> 
> With all the long duration recording you are planning, I'd be 
> concerned about only having one charger. Having the 702 stationed and 
> running somewhere most of the time is a lot of power usage. You're 
> going to want to have fresh, full batteries to put into that unit 
> every time you visit it.

--------I'm planning to use the PCM D50 for the long runs, because it uses AA's 
which I have a lot of.
> 
> Relying on the sun could cut dramatically into charging efficiency so 
> a smart charger capable of telling you the actual charge state, 
> capacity & how long a battery has been charging can relieve a lot of 
> anxiety and premature outages. A lot of the larger batteries can take 
> an 1-2 amp fast charge rate so it might be good to see if the solar 
> panel is large enough to take advantage of this efficiency.  I'm sure 
> your testing everything out at home. 
Not a bad idea to cycle every 
> battery pack, every cable, every memory card several times to make 
> sure its not acting up before making room for it in the pack.

--------------I hadn't thought to check memory cards for malfunction, even the 
new ones can act up I suppose
> 
> Seems like you might want some extra gear to address the trade winds. 
> A fairly large wind break on the back side of the mic that faces the 
> wind can do wonders. Is there a stretchy, open weave, non-whistling, 
> fabric that people have successfully used to create a wind break? 
> I've used taut mosquito netting and its worked pretty well but 
> there's probably something better.

-----------That's real good one--I will try shade cloth today
> 
> As for M-S technique, of course, the mkh 40 is brighter in the center 
> compared to the omnis you're used to. I start exploring positioning 
> for a 30/40 rig favoring this tendency. Positioning consistent, 
> treble content  towards either side can create a greater sense of 
> imbalance than with a SASS or other spaced omni array, so I tend to 
> be a bit more conservative about centering subjects of interest with 
> this rig.  Next, I start thinking about getting interesting things 
> happening perpendicular to the mid mic axis on both sides. Having 
> some texture on both "hard" sides seems to be crucial in getting 
> dramatic lateral spread. I try to ignore content that's coming from 
> the 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock region at this stage and identify 
> sources that can be more purely, "sides."  The 10 o'clock and 2 
> o'clock zones are usually be picked-up better by the mid mic anyway. 
> Its not crucial to have M-S monitoring in order to go about mic 
> positioning this way. I can usually detect the directions of the 
> sound sources and relative volumes more reliably by ear and explore 
> adjustments with my head and mock them with the array. Rob D.

-------------I'm getting onto this M-S, and expect to get a lot of trial 
experience in the next while.

------------Again, thanks Rob--
David
> -- 
> 
> 
>
>
> At 3:18 PM -0700 8/3/09, David Kuhn wrote:
> >
> >Hi listeners,
> >I, and an Ornithologist colleague 
> ><http://www.pacificrimconservation.com/>http://www.pacificrimconservation.com/
> > , are 
> >starting a recording project in August on the island of Lehua, 20 
> >miles off Kauai--see photos at: 
> >
> ><http://www.hawaiioirc.org/OIRC-ISLETS-Niihau/OIRC-ISLETS-Niihau-Lehua.htm>http://www.hawaiioirc.org/OIRC-ISLETS-Niihau/OIRC-ISLETS-Niihau-Lehua.htm
> >or  <http://tinyurl.com/lxo6u4>http://tinyurl.com/lxo6u4
> >
> >Lehua Islet is a restoration project which has recently been 
> >relieved of its rabbits and rats, which were introduced in the last 
> >two centuries. With these aliens removed, and native plants 
> >restored, there is reason to hope the island might regain its former 
> >wealth of nesting seabirds (as evidenced by fossil remains).
> >I'm very excited about this project. I credit Magnus Robb and his 
> >book "Petrels Night and Day" for much of the inspiration (see 
> >message 37419 
> ><http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/naturerecordists/message/37419>http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/naturerecordists/message/37419
> > 
> >) .
> >We'll be on the island for a week, having been delivered by boat to 
> >swim ashore with all gear in waterproof bags strapped to surfboards. 
> >There is a WeatherPort shelter on the Island. Our purpose is to 
> >record soundscapes and individual birds, to survey the species known 
> >to be nesting there (at least 11 species) as well as to discover 
> >other species prospecting for nesting opportunities. I'll set up to 
> >record all night at least 3 nights, after we determine the best 
> >sites. Most recording and listening will be at night, given the 
> >seabirds' habits of arrival and departure under cover of darkness. 
> >Daytime recording will target nestlings and attendant adults.  
> >Here is the recording gear I plan to take along, hopefully with 
> >enough back-up and redundancy to make it through the week:
> >
> >Recorders:
> >   Sound Devices 702
> >   Sony PCM D50
> >   Sony MZ-RH1
> >Microphones:
> >   Telinga Stereo
> >   SASS modified with MKH20's
> >   Mid-side set-up with MKH 30/40
> >   Senn K6/ME62 pair
> >   Hydrophones-- Aquarian Audio H2a XLR PIP, tho I may not be able to 
> >safely get far enough offshore to escape the snapping shrimp 
> >cacophony
> >Other:
> >   ART Phantom II power box
> >   Sound Devices Mixpre
> >   Plenty of cable, 200', 50', and 6', plus back-up
> >   Plenty of batteries, and there is a solar charger at the shelter
> >   Sony MDR 7506 headphones, two
> >   Adequate windscreens, I think, for all mics--this can be a windy place!
> >
> >This will likely be a rich learning experience for me, on a 
> >virtual desert island (no water) with no outside support once we 
> >land. Weather will be NE trade winds 10 to 15 knots and 
> >no rain, unless a tropical storm comes in from the southeast, which 
> >would yield a short period of light or no winds and the best 
> >recording conditions, followed by heavy rain.
> >Comments and advice welcome. In an ensuing post I'll ask 
> >for guidance in use of mid-side, which is new to me.
> >
> >Aloha,
> >David
> >
> >  >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
> >David Kuhn
> >www.soundshawaiian.com
> ><david%40soundshawaiian.com>
> ><dkuhn012001%40yahoo.com>
> >808 335 0398
> >Cell 808 651 8247
> >Mail to: PO Box 1018
> >Waimea, Kaua'i HI 96796
> ><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
> >
> 
> Hi David--
> I agree, it makes a lot of sense to carry along complete redundancy 
> of batteries, associated power cables, recording media and essential 
> adapter cables every time one heads out-- even if just for swapping 
> out and trouble-shooting. Taking a butane soldering iron, wire 
> strippers and a small multi-meter?
> 
> With all the long duration recording you are planning, I'd be 
> concerned about only having one charger. Having the 702 stationed and 
> running somewhere most of the time is a lot of power usage. You're 
> going to want to have fresh, full batteries to put into that unit 
> every time you visit it.
> 
> Relying on the sun could cut dramatically into charging efficiency so 
> a smart charger capable of telling you the actual charge state, 
> capacity & how long a battery has been charging can relieve a lot of 
> anxiety and premature outages. A lot of the larger batteries can take 
> an 1-2 amp fast charge rate so it might be good to see if the solar 
> panel is large enough to take advantage of this efficiency.  I'm sure 
> your testing everything out at home. Not a bad idea to cycle every 
> battery pack, every cable, every memory card several times to make 
> sure its not acting up before making room for it in the pack.
> 
> Seems like you might want some extra gear to address the trade winds. 
> A fairly large wind break on the back side of the mic that faces the 
> wind can do wonders. Is there a stretchy, open weave, non-whistling, 
> fabric that people have successfully used to create a wind break? 
> I've used taut mosquito netting and its worked pretty well but 
> there's probably something better.
> 
> As for M-S technique, of course, the mkh 40 is brighter in the center 
> compared to the omnis you're used to. I start exploring positioning 
> for a 30/40 rig favoring this tendency. Positioning consistent, 
> treble content  towards either side can create a greater sense of 
> imbalance than with a SASS or other spaced omni array, so I tend to 
> be a bit more conservative about centering subjects of interest with 
> this rig.  Next, I start thinking about getting interesting things 
> happening perpendicular to the mid mic axis on both sides. Having 
> some texture on both "hard" sides seems to be crucial in getting 
> dramatic lateral spread. I try to ignore content that's coming from 
> the 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock region at this stage and identify 
> sources that can be more purely, "sides."  The 10 o'clock and 2 
> o'clock zones are usually be picked-up better by the mid mic anyway. 
> Its not crucial to have M-S monitoring in order to go about mic 
> positioning this way. I can usually detect the directions of the 
> sound sources and relative volumes more reliably by ear and explore 
> adjustments with my head and mock them with the array. Rob D.
> -- 
> 
> 
>








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