Hi daan...
On a slightly different note:
If you plan on leaving your gear for extended recording sessions, I=B9d
suggest bringing some flashing bike lights to mark its location =AD the mor=
e
interesting sounds are definitely to be found @ night, and it=B9s amazingly
easy to =8Close=B9 your gear in a dark jungle.
Have fun...
michael
On 11-12-11 8:18 AM, "davimon100" <> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> Hi Daan,
>
> Sounds like a fun trip.
>
> This article in the AMPS journal, of Simon Koelmeyer's trip to the Amazon=
for
> a recording gig, may give you some other useful tips.
>
> http://www.amps.net/newsletters/NewJournal/Issue65.pdf
>
> You should pop round before you go - I have a case you may want to take f=
or
> your D50. It is new and you have it for nichts. I have some fur fabric =
too.
> It looks like it comes from a rare animal but the customs folk will let i=
t
> through.
>
> Rycote make a rain cover that will surely do a great job, like most of th=
eir
> products, but is also about =A375.- so probably not top of your list.
>
> David
>
> --- In
> <naturerecordists%40yahoogroups.com> , "hartogj" <=
>
> wrote:
>> >
>> > Hi Daan,
>> > I have not recorded in humid and wet rainforests such as you are plann=
ing,
>> but here in the Pacific Northwest my gear gets rained on fairly often.
>> >
>> > I find that fake fur or polar fleece type windscreen fabric
>> > over the windscreen cage is enough to keep rain from direct contact wi=
th
>> the microphones. Maybe a fur cover for your zeplin is all you need - a=
nd
>> perhaps bring an extra change to use while the other is drying.
>> >
>> > I would think a zeplin would also be adequate protection against most
>> things likely fall from the canopy. If you would feel safe standing ther=
e
>> without a hardhat on, then your mics will probably be fine too. Just set=
up
>> somewhere safe.
>> >
>> > Watch the weather forecasts and plan accordingly. Plan your most criti=
cal
>> recording sessions for when the conditions are most favorable.
>> >
>> > Tropical places I have visited seem to have a daily rhythm for rainfal=
l.
>> Wait for the bulk of the daily rain to pass, then put out your gear.
>> >
>> > A misty fog will impact on the vegetation and drip, creating a rain be=
neath
>> the canopy, so for such conditions you might want to place your gear out=
in a
>> clearing, not under the canopy. Otherwise try scouting while it is raini=
ng to
>> find relatively sheltered spots.
>> >
>> > I do not have advice for making a roof over the mics. I attempted that=
once
>> with a wool blanket, but I gave up pretty quickly - dusk was approaching=
and
>> it was taking to much time to figure out how to string it up high enough=
.
>> >
>> > Usually my biggest concern when leaving gear unattended is theft from
>> another human. Place it either where you can guard it, or where it will =
not
>> likely be noticed by anyone.
>> >
>> > Have a fun trip.
>> >
>> > John Hartog
>> > rockscallop.org
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > --- In
>> <naturerecordists%40yahoogroups.com> , Daan Hendriks <daan@> wrot=
e:
>>> > >
>>> > > Hello group!
>>> > >
>>> > > I'm going to Bolivia very soon for holidays, during which time I'll=
also
>>> > > spend a few days in Madidi National Park (which is in the Bolivian
>>> Amazon).
>>> > > I'm bringing my recording rig (a Tascam DR680, MKH8040/MKH30 and So=
ny
>>> > > D-50). It will be rainy season, so I'm expecting it to be very hot,=
very
>>> > > humid, and with millions of biting insects fighting for a piece of =
my
>>> flesh.
>>> > >
>>> > > I've never gone to a place like this, let alone record in one. My p=
lan
is
>>> > > to set up the MKH & Tascam rig for overnight recording (dusk to daw=
n),
>>> > > hopefully within a nice spot of the rainforest itself, or otherwise=
near
>>> > > the lodge where I'll be staying (which is also in the middle of the
>>> > > rainforest). The D50 I'll use during daytime hikes into the jungle.
>>> > >
>>> > > Using the D50 will be easy, but I have some concerns about my plans=
for
the
>>> > > MKH rig, and wanted to see what people have done in similar situati=
ons.
>>> > > Currently my preparations consist of the following:
>>> > > - mics and recorder will be kept in ziploc bags with silica gel pa=
cks
>>> > > during transport, so i can let them 'air' / warm up in the humid
>>> > > environment before using them
>>> > > - the recorder will be kept in a waterproof bag during recording
>>> overnight
>>> > > (and obviously has the battery power needed for 12 hours of recordi=
ng)
>>> > > - i have a good backpack with foam padding to store all equipment
>>> during
>>> > > transport and hikes
>>> > >
>>> > > The main issue I face is keeping the microphones safe for a recordi=
ng
>>> > > sessions that lasts 12 hours without me being present. To protect t=
hem
>>> > > against rain, and things that fall from the trees. The easiest solu=
tion
>>> > > would be of course to put the rig (mics + zeppelin) underneath a ro=
of,
for
>>> > > instance on the patio of a lodge. But if at all possible, i'd prefe=
r to
set
>>> > > up everything at a spot in the forest, press record, and leave, onl=
y to
>>> > > come back the next morning.
>>> > >
>>> > > I've seen pictures of people who constructed a kind of roof made ou=
t of
>>> > > towels and tied to branches of surrounding trees to protect their
>>> > > microphones. This at least will be effective in light rain, but any=
>>>
heavy
>>> > > rain would obviously soak the towel(s) and potentially the micropho=
nes.
>>> > >
>>> > > One solution I thought of would be to use an umbrella, attach it to=
the
>>> > > zeppelin, and put either foliage or towels on top of the umbrella i=
n >>>
order
>>> > > to mask the sound of raindrops falling on the umbrella. This is
>>> currently
>>> > > the 'best' idea I have, but I wonder if it will be sufficient to ta=
ke
the
>>> > > risk of leaving my rig out on its own. An alternative would be to b=
uild
>>> > > some kind of roof using foliage, but to be honest I am not sure how
>>> > > feasible this will be, as that will take quite some time and effort=
and
>>> > > most likely you don't want to stay in one spot for too long because=
of
>>> heat
>>> > > and insects.
>>> > >
>>> > >
>>> > > Apologies for this long post... basically what I want to ask is: wh=
at
>>> have
>>> > > other people done in similar(ish) situations?
>>> > >
>>> > >
>>> > > Thanks for reading!
>>> > > Daan
>>> > >
>>> > >
>>> > >
>> >
>
>
>
>
>>>
>>>
>>> ....................................
>>>
>>> http://michaeltrommer.blogspot.com/
>>> http://soundcloud.com/sans-soleil/
>>> http://michaeltrommer.bandcamp.com/
>>> http://www.myspace.com/mtrommer
>>>
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