Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1487667
44 PRODUCTION SOUND & VIDEO – Winter 2023 connected it to a Comtek PR 216 receiver so that there was no chance of it falling out. Our Director and First AD had individual push to talk handheld microphones feeding into each actor's Comtek PR 216 receiver, allowing direct communication as required. Another problem solved. But of course, there were plenty of challenges outside of the planes as well. Many of our sets were large and spread out, meaning that a remote antenna setup was required. Hank assembled the first iteration of the remote antenna cart using my active Wisycom LPDA antennas. Seventy-five feet of cable was usually enough to get the job done, but starting with the aircraft destroyer scenes, the Wisycoms began struggling to reliably pick up the actors' transmitted signals as they darted to and from the Corsair planes. To solve this RF issue, we switched them out for a couple of professional wireless brand Helicals. The circular polarization pattern of Helical antennas made it possible to pick up the RF signals despite all the metal plane bodies that had been interfering with signal transmission. I tend to collect sound carts and gear in general. I don't like to sell or get rid of older equipment when I upgrade to more modern tools. Sure enough, an old rock-and-roll brand cart I picked up years ago at Guitar Center ended up forming the base of the remote antenna cart. After we got to the muddy battlefield set, I was forced to upgrade to bigger front wheels and added the top shelf for stability. One of our main exterior sets that was built to scale was the flight deck of a Navy aircraft destroyer. It was built on an airstrip outside of Savannah, Georgia. Some of the scenes to be filmed included Corsair Photo: John Hank Martin