ElectroVoice RE3 Wireless mic antenna problem

A

Alan Haworth

New member
Jan 6, 2020
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Wichita, KS
I installed a RE3 Wireless mic system for a local golf course on their clubhouse patio. The antennas were separated about 50 feet with coax runs. The side of the patio with the antenna connected to the "A" antenna input receives with good range, but the "B" port only pickup the signal about 5 percent of the time.

I can swap the coax cables between ports "A" and "B", but it always the the one connected the "A" port that works.
What really makes weird is that I have tried three different RE3 receivers and all have the same issue.

Any suggestions?
 
When troubleshooting, have you unplugged aerial A and checked reception with only aerial B connected?
It could be that the unit is programmed to default to using aerial A until such time as reception on that input drops to unusable levels, and you've only managed to achieve that condition on very rare occasions?
FWIW,
David.
 
If there is a way to field program which antenna is being used or preferred , I have not been able to find the information. EV tech support suggests my extended antennas are at fault, but the problem exists using the factory supplied antennas on the back of the receiver.

I have tried using only the B antenna port by removing the antenna from the A input, but the received signal was much lower and the receiver still showed it was using the A Input.

There are exceptions when the B port receives as well as the A port, but one out of ten or less causes dropouts.

I powering up the receiver with a strong signal into the B port and nothing into the A port, but the receiver locked onto the A port anyway.
 
Alan Haworth said:
I have tried using only the B antenna port by removing the antenna from the A input, but the received signal was much lower and the receiver still showed it was using the A Input.

I powering up the receiver with a strong signal into the B port and nothing into the A port, but the receiver locked onto the A port anyway.
Click to expand...

OK, that nixes my idea, sorry it wasn't useful.
My gut felling is that it's more likely a software/programming glitch if it still tries to use port A with no aerial connected and better signal into port B, but if that were the case there would likely have been more chatter about it online, (and EV may have been more willing to look at your case).
 
I talked with EV prior to posting this thread. After talking with EV, they sent me two replacement units. The same issue appears on all of the units.

The country club previously had RE2 units with the same antenna system and the performance was satisfactory.

If the RE3s were installed in theater stage setting, I would never have noticed the problems. I am using the mics outdoors on a country club patio. The mics have excellent range, I can get 250 feet away from the receiver, when the antenna is connected to the "A" antenna input port. Inside a theater or meeting room, it is unlikely that I would be that far away.

However walking over to the area were the other antenna is located, the receiver never switches to the "B" antenna port. There should be marked increase in signal from the "B" antenna port causing the receiver to switch antenna ports.

I would like someone using RE3s to share their experience with the performance of the diversity system.

If someone can explain how the RE3 determines the best antenna to use that would be helpful. It apparently is not just on RF signal strength. I have RF signal generators and tested the sensitivity of the receiver on each antenna port ( no difference) but I can not get the diversity to function.
 
A couple months ago I put in three of the RE3 handheld systems at two installs and did not notice the receivers preferring one antenna input over the other. These were using the 1/2 wave antennas front mounted on the rack mount kits.
There is no diversity antenna set up function in the menu....at least in the normal user menu.

What antennas are you using? Are they active or passive?
In the set up menu there is the option to turn on and off power on each antenna port, I would turn it off if your not using
any active pre-amps in the antenna line.
 
It appears that problems I had were caused by the antenna arrangement of the previous installation. The RE3 replaced a RE2 system. The RE2 worked fine with two 3 dB gain mobile radio antennas (passive) at the operating frequency.

The new receiver does not switch antennas solely on the strength of the RF signal from the antenna. ("The diversity reception technology minimizes the chances of signal dropouts by providing two separate antenna locations which are electronically chosen moment-by-moment based on signal strength and stability. "). My best guess is that the second condition (stability )for switching was not met. A friend that worked for the Union Pacific told me that the RE3 system was designed to detect and switch antennas based on "mulitpath" signal fade.

I put a BNC "tee" on the "A" antenna port and connected both antennas to the same port. The "B" port was connected to one of the supplied antennas with a short extension cable to get it outside of the metal rack cabinet. This solved my range problems. Installing a new antenna system was not an option due to budget.

Have you noticed that the RE3s in your installation switchs antennas often or just occasionally?
 
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