Discussion:
Waterproof protection or waterproof windscreen
(too old to reply)
Jeff Latour
2010-06-18 16:32:40 UTC
Permalink
Hi,

Are you aware if a waterproof windscreen is manufactured by anyone (I
saw the SA 202 from Svantek, but I don’t know if this really work)?
If not, what do you suggest as a protection against rain for outdoor
measurement? Normally we try to avoid measurement when there is a
risk of rain, but sometime we have no choice (fortunately this happen
rarely)?

Thanks to you all.
Cheers.
Jeff
Jeff Latour
2010-06-18 16:34:45 UTC
Permalink
I forgot to mention that it's for 1/2" mics.

thxJeff
Kari Pesonen
2010-06-18 18:22:36 UTC
Permalink
Hi,
It works. Material is closed cell foam. The screen has higher
attenuation
than similar screens made from open cell foams have.
Attenuation at different frequencies is compensated in those outdoor
microphones that Svantek has designed for these special wind screens.

Please note that also the complete microphone construction must be
"waterproof", not only the wind screen.

In the second half of 1970's a short paper concerning use of condoms as
a water protector around a microphone and preamplifier was published
in JASA. The authors studied effects on frequency response.

One method in short time measurements is to use multiple layer terry
cloth "roofing" above the microphone. Terry cloth does not cause
significant noise in rain as does, for example, an umbrella.

Kari Pesonen


"Jeff Latour" <***@mjm.qc.ca> wrote in message news:79f4ced7-9a7f-4ca8-b397-***@h13g2000yqm.googlegroups.com...
Hi,

Are you aware if a waterproof windscreen is manufactured by anyone (I
saw the SA 202 from Svantek, but I don’t know if this really work)?
If not, what do you suggest as a protection against rain for outdoor
measurement? Normally we try to avoid measurement when there is a
risk of rain, but sometime we have no choice (fortunately this happen
rarely)?

Thanks to you all.
Cheers.
Jeff
Angelo Campanella
2010-06-19 03:05:04 UTC
Permalink
"Jeff Latour" <***@mjm.qc.ca> wrote in message news:79f4ced7-9a7f-4ca8-b397-***@h13g2000yqm.googlegroups.com...
Hi,

Are you aware if a waterproof windscreen is manufactured by anyone (I
saw the SA 202 from Svantek, but I don’t know if this really work)?
If not, what do you suggest as a protection against rain for outdoor
measurement? Normally we try to avoid measurement when there is a
risk of rain, but sometime we have no choice (fortunately this happen
rarely)?

/////////////

I've monitored sound outdoors for over two decades. My simplistic method
uses nerf balls sprayed with "ScotchGuard" when available, and a tiny and
very thin polyethylene baggie over the mic itself. The mic is an electret
type. After a rainfall and before the nerf dries, an electret sensitity drop
of a dB or so often occurs... Granted, that pushes a type 2 measurement a
bit, but the data is still useful.

But there are permanent monitors used every day and year round. Those
windscreens are of open cell foam, but they are large in diameter (5" or so)
and have a clear cavity inside so that the mic is not in contact with the
foam. Then a teflon rain hat is installed in place of the mic grid cap. The
Larson Davis arrangement combines an electrostatic actuator inside that rain
hat. Great for holding Type 1 quality for weeks at a time.

Ange
GregS
2010-06-21 15:13:28 UTC
Permalink
Post by Jeff Latour
Hi,
Are you aware if a waterproof windscreen is manufactured by anyone (I
saw the SA 202 from Svantek, but I don=92t know if this really work)?
If not, what do you suggest as a protection against rain for outdoor
measurement? Normally we try to avoid measurement when there is a
risk of rain, but sometime we have no choice (fortunately this happen
rarely)?
Thanks to you all.
Cheers.
Jeff
I can only think of Tyvek, which is polyethelyne fiber.
angevineac
2010-06-21 20:52:04 UTC
Permalink
ACO Pacific makes a treated 3-inch (WS1-80T) and a 7-inch (WS7-80T) diameter windscreen.
http://www.acopacific.com/accessor.html. We have a couple 7-inch. Not cheap, I recall a few
hundred dollars each. Otherwise, I enclose a regular windscreen in a very thin film bag from the
produce sections of grocery stores and wrap it with a piece of velcro around the preamp to hold it
taught so the wind won't rattle it. Cheap bags are good when running multiple loggers.

Also, pay attention to protecting the SLM itself. We have found some types of meters experience
intermittent operations from moisture problems. You can use another thin bag to put it in during
surveys. We also use softpack vinyl bags that are made for our particular meter having a soft clear
plastic top to allow us to see the screen and push the buttons.

Condoms don't work as well as you'd think for microphones unless it may be a short term measurement.
We did some trials back in the 1980's and gave up. They are sensitive to UV rays and after a
number of days exposure tend to decompose or split.

There are some manufacturers of outdoor microphone systems that include desicants and heaters in a
mic tube. Very expensive but maybe the way to go for very long term monitoring.
http://larsondavis.com/PermanentOutdoorMicrophone_Preamplifier.htm
http://larsondavis.com/EnvironmentalShroudModelEPS2106.html

Dan Prusinowski


Jeff Latour wrote:
Hi,

Are you aware if a waterproof windscreen is manufactured by anyone (I saw the SA 202 from Svantek,
but I don’t know if this really work)?
If not, what do you suggest as a protection against rain for outdoor measurement? Normally we try
to avoid measurement when there is a
risk of rain, but sometime we have no choice (fortunately this happen rarely)?

Thanks to you all.
Cheers.
Jeff

--- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: ***@netfront.net ---
Riccardo Balistreri
2010-06-23 06:34:32 UTC
Permalink
Post by Jeff Latour
Hi,
Are you aware if a waterproof windscreen is manufactured by anyone (I
saw the SA 202 from Svantek, but I don’t know if this really work)? If
not, what do you suggest as a protection against rain for outdoor
measurement? Normally we try to avoid measurement when there is a risk
of rain, but sometime we have no choice (fortunately this happen
rarely)?
Thanks to you all.
Cheers.
Jeff
B&K does as well, but that stuff is for monitoring stations etc...
probably quite expensive and can't avoid an influence on the response of
the mic. But I have the feeling that you are talking about speaker
measurements done outdoor? Who is we? (sorry Jeff, to know your
background and what you are doing, if you don't mind)

R.

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