So, last night didn't reveal any coyotes. I had the umbrella pointed
towards the general wooded area where I heard them prior. However, it
did rain during the night and was overcast. I notice that they are
often silent on those types of nights anyhow.

In daylight today, did some testing. I am finding gain, quite
significant at higher frequencies and not so much as you get lower. I
also was able to more precisely refine the focal point while listening
to some distant sounds. As for what has the most gain: wind, rustling
leaves, and birds. I can see tree branches moving say, a couple of
hundred yards away. When I point the dish in that direction and rotate
a bit, the wind noise will peak. Another notable gain increase was from
some leaves rustling in a tree in my backyard, again barely audible by
ear but the mic brought them right in once aligned. I can hear sounds
peaking as I hone in on target sounds, so I know it's working.

I did go over all recordings from last night. There is a lot less
background noise. Nearby flying planes still manage to get through
although with a bit less amplitude as well as anyone starting a pick up
truck in the neighborhood. Overall, I think it shows promise. I think
I will use the wind noise coming from the wooded area to hopefully get a
closer alignment the next time I use it.

On 12/2/21 12:04 PM, Tobiah wrote:
> On 11/30/21 9:57 AM, Jake T wrote:
>> Hi,  I have a question for this knowledgeable group.  I'm attempting
>> to capture some coyote barks and howls using my old Zoom H2 recorder.
>
> What have you come up with so far?  Are you able to post a recording
> to soundcloud or something?

Yes, I have several weak samples that I recorded before I started using
the DIY parabolic. If I get a chance later, I'll post one or two clips
somewhere.

On Thu, 2 Dec 2021 12:05:20 -0500, Jake T <jaketbone@steak.com> wrote:

>So, last night didn't reveal any coyotes. I had the umbrella pointed
>towards the general wooded area where I heard them prior. However, it
>did rain during the night and was overcast. I notice that they are
>often silent on those types of nights anyhow.
>
>In daylight today, did some testing. I am finding gain, quite
>significant at higher frequencies and not so much as you get lower. I
>also was able to more precisely refine the focal point while listening
>to some distant sounds. As for what has the most gain: wind, rustling
>leaves, and birds. I can see tree branches moving say, a couple of
>hundred yards away. When I point the dish in that direction and rotate
>a bit, the wind noise will peak. Another notable gain increase was from
>some leaves rustling in a tree in my backyard, again barely audible by
>ear but the mic brought them right in once aligned. I can hear sounds
>peaking as I hone in on target sounds, so I know it's working.
>
>I did go over all recordings from last night. There is a lot less
>background noise. Nearby flying planes still manage to get through
>although with a bit less amplitude as well as anyone starting a pick up
>truck in the neighborhood. Overall, I think it shows promise. I think
>I will use the wind noise coming from the wooded area to hopefully get a
>closer alignment the next time I use it.

The problem with a parabolic is that the beam gets narrower as the
frequency rises. That means it has a roughly 6dB per octave gain slope
that needs compensation in the recording.

d

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On 11/30/21 12:57 PM, Jake T wrote:
> Hi,  I have a question for this knowledgeable group.  I'm attempting to
> capture some coyote barks and howls using my old Zoom H2 recorder.  The
> problem I'm having is that these animals are probably at least 1/2 mi
> away.  I have captured some howls last evening, but the sound is not
> much above the background noise and has been difficult to filter so far.
>  Unfortunately, they are located on private properly and I wouldn't be
> able to get any closer.  What could I do on my end?  Thank you.

Well, looks like I was wrong about the tests. This makeshift umbrella I
covered with aluminum tape I believe is still too transparent. Although
it is reflecting and concentrating some of the sound, I still find a lot
coming in from the rear side. So, either the single layered aluminum
tape coating isn't enough, or....

Maybe I should switch out the H2 for a small electret. Right now, I
just have the H2 slid in place on the umbrella rod and held there by
rubber bands. Maybe the area it captures is too wide or too far off
center. I just do this sort of stuff as a hobby, but I may have a chest
electret I could just plug into the H2. It would certainly narrow the
sound capture area over the large amount of area being captured by the
H2. Thoughts?

On Fri, 3 Dec 2021 07:01:04 -0500, Jake T <jaketbone@steak.com> wrote:

>On 11/30/21 12:57 PM, Jake T wrote:
>> Hi,  I have a question for this knowledgeable group.  I'm attempting to
>> capture some coyote barks and howls using my old Zoom H2 recorder.  The
>> problem I'm having is that these animals are probably at least 1/2 mi
>> away.  I have captured some howls last evening, but the sound is not
>> much above the background noise and has been difficult to filter so far.
>>  Unfortunately, they are located on private properly and I wouldn't be
>> able to get any closer.  What could I do on my end?  Thank you.
>
>Well, looks like I was wrong about the tests. This makeshift umbrella I
>covered with aluminum tape I believe is still too transparent. Although
>it is reflecting and concentrating some of the sound, I still find a lot
>coming in from the rear side. So, either the single layered aluminum
>tape coating isn't enough, or....
>
>Maybe I should switch out the H2 for a small electret. Right now, I
>just have the H2 slid in place on the umbrella rod and held there by
>rubber bands. Maybe the area it captures is too wide or too far off
>center. I just do this sort of stuff as a hobby, but I may have a chest
>electret I could just plug into the H2. It would certainly narrow the
>sound capture area over the large amount of area being captured by the
>H2. Thoughts?

Two things. The reflector needs to be stiff - it won't work otherwise.
You could spray it with lacquer. Of course it isn't folding up again.
secondly the microphone pattern has to illuminate the umbrella
properly, A cardioid is about right, and make sure the one you are
using is pointed directly into the centre of the umbrella.

d

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On Wed, 01 Dec 2021 19:52:59 -0800, the village idiot dropped this turd:

> Clipping's all the rage here in 2021! Where have you been? :D

.... and then the retarded dumbfuck retreated back to his shit hole.

FCK. WAFA.

> Maybe I should switch out the H2 for a small electret.  Right now, I just have the H2 slid in place on the umbrella rod and held there by rubber bands.  Maybe the area it captures is too wide or too far off center.

I think you'd want to use the front mics, and position the front of the device, (the LCD) toward the center of
your umbrella. I mention this because it would be natural to align the unit horizontally along the rod when
using rubber bands.

I messed around with an H2 for a while, and ultimately found that it was too noisy
for outdoor recordings. Not sure whether this is due to the preamps or mics, or both.
I eventually went with a Tascam HD-P2 that I use with Rode NT1-A's. Now you're looking
at some money, but if that setup has any problems, adding noise to the recording is not
one of them. Maybe you could get by with a decent mic/preamp along with the H2.

Toby

"Ralph Barone" wrote in message news:so8ltk$5i4$1@gioia.aioe.org...

palli...@gmail.com <pallison49@gmail.com> wrote:
> John Williamson wrote:
> ===================
>>
>> Another point to bear in mind here is that while they are surprisingly
>> good considering the intended use of the machine, the H2 mics are not
>> the most sensitive in the world, and at low levels, there is self noise
>> in the mics and preamps to consider.
>>
>
> ** Rarely the main noise source when recording outdoors.
>
> The OP has indicated his issue IS with ambient noise sources including
> aircraft.
> My earlier post was not purely in jest.
>
> Folk trying to do the impossible with sound gear is nothing new.
>
>
> ..... Phil
>
>

I’m surprised that nobody yet has suggested wrapping the H2 with a nice
juicy steak. That should cure the distance problem.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

That's f'n hilarious!

Poly

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On 12/3/21 10:48 AM, Tobiah wrote:
>> Maybe I should switch out the H2 for a small electret.  Right now, I
>> just have the H2 slid in place on the umbrella rod and held there by
>> rubber bands.  Maybe the area it captures is too wide or too far off
>> center.
>
> I think you'd want to use the front mics, and position the front of the
> device, (the LCD) toward the center of
> your umbrella.  I mention this because it would be natural to align the
> unit horizontally along the rod when
> using rubber bands.
>
> I messed around with an H2 for a while, and ultimately found that it was
> too noisy
> for outdoor recordings. Not sure whether this is due to the preamps or
> mics, or both.
> I eventually went with a Tascam HD-P2 that I use with Rode NT1-A's.  Now
> you're looking
> at some money, but if that setup has any problems, adding noise to the
> recording is not
> one of them.  Maybe you could get by with a decent mic/preamp along with
> the H2.
>
>
> Toby

Ok, finally managed a comparative audio sample. This time, I held the
H2 with LCD toward umbrella center. The audio was the sound of a
mechanical light timer that was about 15 feet away from the umbrella.
The first half is with the umbrella; the second half is not, just the
front of the H2 facing the same direction as the timer. I used no
compression, AGC, or limiting and the gain was set at maximum:

https://sndup.net/4x29

Unfortunately, I can't tell if this is good performance or bad
performance. I can barely hear the timer without any help from where I
was standing.

On 12/3/21 2:09 PM, Jake T wrote:
> On 12/3/21 10:48 AM, Tobiah wrote:
>>> Maybe I should switch out the H2 for a small electret.  Right now, I
>>> just have the H2 slid in place on the umbrella rod and held there by
>>> rubber bands.  Maybe the area it captures is too wide or too far off
>>> center.
>>
>> I think you'd want to use the front mics, and position the front of
>> the device, (the LCD) toward the center of
>> your umbrella.  I mention this because it would be natural to align
>> the unit horizontally along the rod when
>> using rubber bands.
>>
>> I messed around with an H2 for a while, and ultimately found that it
>> was too noisy
>> for outdoor recordings. Not sure whether this is due to the preamps or
>> mics, or both.
>> I eventually went with a Tascam HD-P2 that I use with Rode NT1-A's.
>> Now you're looking
>> at some money, but if that setup has any problems, adding noise to the
>> recording is not
>> one of them.  Maybe you could get by with a decent mic/preamp along
>> with the H2.
>>
>>
>> Toby
>
> Ok, finally managed a comparative audio sample.  This time, I held the
> H2 with LCD toward umbrella center.  The audio was the sound of a
> mechanical light timer that was about 15 feet away from the umbrella.
>  The first half is with the umbrella; the second half is not, just the
> front of the H2 facing the same direction as the timer.  I used no
> compression, AGC, or limiting and the gain was set at maximum:
>
> https://sndup.net/4x29
>
> Unfortunately, I can't tell if this is good performance or bad
> performance.  I can barely hear the timer without any help from where I
> was standing.
>
>

More notable differences just before dark. I could hear the television
in the neigbour's house. Hardly audible at all without the mic. Some
northern cardinals in a tree probably 30 feet away blasted through when
the dish was aimed right at them. When I compared without the dish,
they were almost lost in the background noise. I also took that
opportunity to align for maximum amplitude while aimed at the cardinals.
Time will tell how well (or poorly) it works, but I think keeping the
H2 vertical instead of horizontal has improved audio a lot. I also
tried using the 120 degree pattern instead of 90, but 90 showed better
signals. Keeping my fingers crossed. At least there weren't 20 mi/ hr
winds like earlier today.

On Tuesday, November 30, 2021 at 9:57:36 AM UTC-8, Jake T wrote:
> Hi, I have a question for this knowledgeable group. I'm attempting to
> capture some coyote barks and howls using my old Zoom H2 recorder. The
> problem I'm having is that these animals are probably at least 1/2 mi
> away. I have captured some howls last evening, but the sound is not
> much above the background noise and has been difficult to filter so far.
> Unfortunately, they are located on private properly and I wouldn't be
> able to get any closer. What could I do on my end? Thank you.

I've been enjoying the adventure this thread reflects. (pun likely) If I were in a delightfully rural place like Jake T's, I would enjoy optimizing the recording of nature's sounds. I have a 7' long EV 643, the most directional mic there is (I think.) Unwieldy, it's totally useless on a football sideline. "Parabs" quickly became the tool of choice there. Several collapsible parabolic light reflectors are out there, starting around $40. I'd like to try a supercardioid mic with its element at the focal point where a light would be placed, pointing into the reflector. LF sounds from behind the 'dish' would not be blocked but rolloff would be helpful there. The supercardioid rejects slightly more of the spherical sound field than a cardioid. Here's one place I would not use an EV RE15. Most others reject more HF off-axis sound.

I wonder if this kind of parab would outperform the EV 643. The best way to compare two pickups of a single source is to record them simultaneously on a two-track unit. A/B listening on a single speaker quickly reveals which is preferred. So, Jake, If you have a suitable mic and would like to try something better than rain gear, I'll pick a reflector and have it shipped to your address. Lemme know. rwrising@dslextreme.com. No, I can't ship the 643, but ... .

~ Roy W. Rising "If you notice the sound, it's wrong."

On Sat, 4 Dec 2021 11:24:54 -0800 (PST), "Roy W. Rising"
<rwrising@dslextreme.com> wrote:

>On Tuesday, November 30, 2021 at 9:57:36 AM UTC-8, Jake T wrote:
>> Hi, I have a question for this knowledgeable group. I'm attempting to
>> capture some coyote barks and howls using my old Zoom H2 recorder. The
>> problem I'm having is that these animals are probably at least 1/2 mi
>> away. I have captured some howls last evening, but the sound is not
>> much above the background noise and has been difficult to filter so far.
>> Unfortunately, they are located on private properly and I wouldn't be
>> able to get any closer. What could I do on my end? Thank you.
>
>I've been enjoying the adventure this thread reflects. (pun likely) If I were in a delightfully rural place like Jake T's, I would enjoy optimizing the recording of nature's sounds. I have a 7' long EV 643, the most directional mic there is (I think.) Unwieldy, it's totally useless on a football sideline. "Parabs" quickly became the tool of choice there. Several collapsible parabolic light reflectors are out there, starting around $40. I'd like to try a supercardioid mic with its element at the focal point where a light would be placed, pointing into the reflector. LF sounds from behind the 'dish' would not be blocked but rolloff would be helpful there. The supercardioid rejects slightly more of the spherical sound field than a cardioid. Here's one place I would not use an EV RE15. Most others reject more HF off-axis sound.
>
>I wonder if this kind of parab would outperform the EV 643. The best way to compare two pickups of a single source is to record them simultaneously on a two-track unit. A/B listening on a single speaker quickly reveals which is preferred. So, Jake, If you have a suitable mic and would like to try something better than rain gear, I'll pick a reflector and have it shipped to your address. Lemme know. rwrising@dslextreme.com. No, I can't ship the 643, but ... .
>
>~ Roy W. Rising "If you notice the sound, it's wrong."

A hypercardioid may be too narrow in the main lobe to make use of the
full diameter of the reflector. A good compromise would be about 3dB
down at the reflector edge.

d

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Ok, so for a bit more info on my DIY parabolic, I made a frequency sweep
today. Nothing really pro here. I set up my laptop about 150 feet away
from the dish and used Audacity to sweep from about 300 Hz to 10 Khz.
Unfortunately, moments before I started the test, someone started a leaf
blower which is heard in the background.

The first half is the dish; the second is the H2 removed and pointed in
the direction of the laptop. I think it's obvious that there is gain,
quite a lot in the 2-3 Khz range, then decreases below and above that
range. I had hoped for more gain below 800 Hz, but I guess that's not
going to happen with this dish. Now I can see why a Chickadee was so
easy to hone in on this morning and very high gain.

Here's the recording (and I almost started saying the SOB words during
the H2 only section, irritated with the leaf blower in the background):

https://sndup.net/7vms

On 12/4/21 2:24 PM, Roy W. Rising wrote:
> On Tuesday, November 30, 2021 at 9:57:36 AM UTC-8, Jake T wrote:
>> Hi, I have a question for this knowledgeable group. I'm attempting to
>> capture some coyote barks and howls using my old Zoom H2 recorder. The
>> problem I'm having is that these animals are probably at least 1/2 mi
>> away. I have captured some howls last evening, but the sound is not
>> much above the background noise and has been difficult to filter so far.
>> Unfortunately, they are located on private properly and I wouldn't be
>> able to get any closer. What could I do on my end? Thank you.
>
> I've been enjoying the adventure this thread reflects. (pun likely) If I were in a delightfully rural place like Jake T's, I would enjoy optimizing the recording of nature's sounds. I have a 7' long EV 643, the most directional mic there is (I think.) Unwieldy, it's totally useless on a football sideline. "Parabs" quickly became the tool of choice there. Several collapsible parabolic light reflectors are out there, starting around $40. I'd like to try a supercardioid mic with its element at the focal point where a light would be placed, pointing into the reflector. LF sounds from behind the 'dish' would not be blocked but rolloff would be helpful there. The supercardioid rejects slightly more of the spherical sound field than a cardioid. Here's one place I would not use an EV RE15. Most others reject more HF off-axis sound.
>
> I wonder if this kind of parab would outperform the EV 643. The best way to compare two pickups of a single source is to record them simultaneously on a two-track unit. A/B listening on a single speaker quickly reveals which is preferred. So, Jake, If you have a suitable mic and would like to try something better than rain gear, I'll pick a reflector and have it shipped to your address. Lemme know. rwrising@dslextreme.com. No, I can't ship the 643, but ... .
>
> ~ Roy W. Rising "If you notice the sound, it's wrong."
>

I've been considering trying out what's called a "beauty dish" which is
aluminum and looks parabolic, although I don't know if they truly are,
but I certainly see lots of them above 24" diameter and not too
expensive. My only concern is that, being aluminum, they might taint
the sound (perhaps making the sound "tinny").

On Saturday, December 4, 2021 at 11:49:42 AM UTC-8, Don Pearce wrote:
> On Sat, 4 Dec 2021 11:24:54 -0800 (PST), "Roy W. Rising"
> <rwri...@dslextreme.com> wrote:
>
> >On Tuesday, November 30, 2021 at 9:57:36 AM UTC-8, Jake T wrote:
> >> Hi, I have a question for this knowledgeable group. I'm attempting to
> >> capture some coyote barks and howls using my old Zoom H2 recorder. The
> >> problem I'm having is that these animals are probably at least 1/2 mi
> >> away. I have captured some howls last evening, but the sound is not
> >> much above the background noise and has been difficult to filter so far.
> >> Unfortunately, they are located on private properly and I wouldn't be
> >> able to get any closer. What could I do on my end? Thank you.
> >
> >I've been enjoying the adventure this thread reflects. (pun likely) If I were in a delightfully rural place like Jake T's, I would enjoy optimizing the recording of nature's sounds. I have a 7' long EV 643, the most directional mic there is (I think.) Unwieldy, it's totally useless on a football sideline. "Parabs" quickly became the tool of choice there. Several collapsible parabolic light reflectors are out there, starting around $40. I'd like to try a supercardioid mic with its element at the focal point where a light would be placed, pointing into the reflector. LF sounds from behind the 'dish' would not be blocked but rolloff would be helpful there. The supercardioid rejects slightly more of the spherical sound field than a cardioid. Here's one place I would not use an EV RE15. Most others reject more HF off-axis sound.
> >
> >I wonder if this kind of parab would outperform the EV 643. The best way to compare two pickups of a single source is to record them simultaneously on a two-track unit. A/B listening on a single speaker quickly reveals which is preferred. So, Jake, If you have a suitable mic and would like to try something better than rain gear, I'll pick a reflector and have it shipped to your address. Lemme know. rwri...@dslextreme.com. No, I can't ship the 643, but ... .
> >
> >~ Roy W. Rising "If you notice the sound, it's wrong."
> A hypercardioid may be too narrow in the main lobe to make use of the
> full diameter of the reflector. A good compromise would be about 3dB
> down at the reflector edge.
>
> d
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Don - The size of the dish and the distance from its center to the focal point are variables that make the size of the front lobe almost inconsequential. Rejection of the spherical sound field matters more. Here, a "Figure of Eight" mic might be even better. However , summations and cancellations from the large back lobe are unpredictable and might degrade the result.

~ Roy W. Rising "If you notice the sound, it's wrong."

On Saturday, December 4, 2021 at 12:09:47 PM UTC-8, Jake T wrote:
> On 12/4/21 2:24 PM, Roy W. Rising wrote:
> > On Tuesday, November 30, 2021 at 9:57:36 AM UTC-8, Jake T wrote:
> >> Hi, I have a question for this knowledgeable group. I'm attempting to
> >> capture some coyote barks and howls using my old Zoom H2 recorder. The
> >> problem I'm having is that these animals are probably at least 1/2 mi
> >> away. I have captured some howls last evening, but the sound is not
> >> much above the background noise and has been difficult to filter so far.
> >> Unfortunately, they are located on private properly and I wouldn't be
> >> able to get any closer. What could I do on my end? Thank you.
> >
> > I've been enjoying the adventure this thread reflects. (pun likely) If I were in a delightfully rural place like Jake T's, I would enjoy optimizing the recording of nature's sounds. I have a 7' long EV 643, the most directional mic there is (I think.) Unwieldy, it's totally useless on a football sideline. "Parabs" quickly became the tool of choice there. Several collapsible parabolic light reflectors are out there, starting around $40. I'd like to try a supercardioid mic with its element at the focal point where a light would be placed, pointing into the reflector. LF sounds from behind the 'dish' would not be blocked but rolloff would be helpful there. The supercardioid rejects slightly more of the spherical sound field than a cardioid.. Here's one place I would not use an EV RE15. Most others reject more HF off-axis sound.
> >
> > I wonder if this kind of parab would outperform the EV 643. The best way to compare two pickups of a single source is to record them simultaneously on a two-track unit. A/B listening on a single speaker quickly reveals which is preferred. So, Jake, If you have a suitable mic and would like to try something better than rain gear, I'll pick a reflector and have it shipped to your address. Lemme know. rwri...@dslextreme.com. No, I can't ship the 643, but ... .
> >
> > ~ Roy W. Rising "If you notice the sound, it's wrong."
> >
> I've been considering trying out what's called a "beauty dish" which is
> aluminum and looks parabolic, although I don't know if they truly are,
> but I certainly see lots of them above 24" diameter and not too
> expensive. My only concern is that, being aluminum, they might taint
> the sound (perhaps making the sound "tinny").

I've never noticed a "polycarbonatey" sound from a sideline parab. ;-)

~ Roy W. Rising "If you notice the sound, it's wrong."

On 04/12/2021 20:09, Jake T wrote:

> I've been considering trying out what's called a "beauty dish" which is
> aluminum and looks parabolic, although I don't know if they truly are,
> but I certainly see lots of them above 24" diameter and not too
> expensive. My only concern is that, being aluminum, they might taint
> the sound (perhaps making the sound "tinny").

Spray some insulation foam on the back to damp them and make them more
rigid?

--
Tciao for Now!

John.

On Sun, 5 Dec 2021 09:08:33 +0000, John Williamson
<johnwilliamson@btinternet.com> wrote:

>On 04/12/2021 20:09, Jake T wrote:
>
>> I've been considering trying out what's called a "beauty dish" which is
>> aluminum and looks parabolic, although I don't know if they truly are,
>> but I certainly see lots of them above 24" diameter and not too
>> expensive. My only concern is that, being aluminum, they might taint
>> the sound (perhaps making the sound "tinny").
>
>Spray some insulation foam on the back to damp them and make them more
>rigid?

Best answer to all this is an old satellite dish - solid metal, not
mesh. The LNB mount is where the microphone goes and all you need is
to sink a pole into the ground to mount it on.

d

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So after several days of tinkering around with the umbrella, waiting for
the right timing (the coyotes I'm listening for don't seem to howl on
cloudy or inclement nights), and trying to navigate around the
neighborly noises, I finally achieved a workable result:

https://sndup.net/5zmm

I sat at the dish almost freezing my butt off and then around 10 PM, I
began to hear their barks and howls. I immediately started rotating the
dish as it's on a tripod until getting maximum amplitude in the
headphones. The location was not where I had expected! The other
nights where I had captured audio with just the H2 in "90 degree" mode,
the way I had it positioned was just outside the 90 degrees, so that's
probably why the audio was so weak. This time, with the dish's help,
and a quick honing in, the coyotes were much better this time. Still
not perfect as I was recording, a car was approaching and ended up
parking smack dab right in between me and the howling (the increasing
noise you hear at the end). Not much I could do about that. Also,
another neighbor playing his television about 50 feet away, so if you
hear some weak artifacts over the first quarter, that's where they came
from. However, I think this is a good start and now I know where to
point.

On 12/5/21 5:14 AM, Don Pearce wrote:
> On Sun, 5 Dec 2021 09:08:33 +0000, John Williamson
> <johnwilliamson@btinternet.com> wrote:
>
>> On 04/12/2021 20:09, Jake T wrote:
>>
>>> I've been considering trying out what's called a "beauty dish" which is
>>> aluminum and looks parabolic, although I don't know if they truly are,
>>> but I certainly see lots of them above 24" diameter and not too
>>> expensive. My only concern is that, being aluminum, they might taint
>>> the sound (perhaps making the sound "tinny").
>>
>> Spray some insulation foam on the back to damp them and make them more
>> rigid?
>
> Best answer to all this is an old satellite dish - solid metal, not
> mesh. The LNB mount is where the microphone goes and all you need is
> to sink a pole into the ground to mount it on.
>
> d
>

True. I had been researching those. Some are actually within an
achievable price range for me. One firm advertises a 39" offset one for
just over $100. However, based on my results last night, I don't think
anything beyond what I'm using will be necessary. No dish or elaborate
mic is going to circumvent neighbors and cars passing on the road. The
sample I shared did have a car slowly approach and park, but I was able
to negate most of it. One night, there will be no cars and no neighbors
running their TV. With last night being Saturday, I didn't expect much
so was surprised with what I did get.

The good news is that the dish does amplify the coyote voices. I had
concerns after I saw little improvement with large, tame dog voices, but
the ones near me are at a much lower frequency than the coyotes.

On 12/5/2021 2:54 AM, Jake T wrote:
> So after several days of tinkering around with the umbrella, waiting
> for the right timing (the coyotes I'm listening for don't seem to
> howl on cloudy or inclement nights), and trying to navigate around
> the neighborly noises, I finally achieved a workable result:

Wow that's not too bad at all given your distance. I still think
an appreciable amount of the hiss is coming from the H2 internals.

Toby

On Sun, 5 Dec 2021 07:50:33 -0800, Tobiah <toby@tobiah.org> wrote:

>On 12/5/2021 2:54 AM, Jake T wrote:
>> So after several days of tinkering around with the umbrella, waiting
>> for the right timing (the coyotes I'm listening for don't seem to
>> howl on cloudy or inclement nights), and trying to navigate around
>> the neighborly noises, I finally achieved a workable result:
>
>Wow that's not too bad at all given your distance. I still think
>an appreciable amount of the hiss is coming from the H2 internals.
>
>
>Toby

I would be surprised if the H2's own hiss came even close to an
outdoor noise level.

d

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On 12/5/21 10:50 AM, Tobiah wrote:
> On 12/5/2021 2:54 AM, Jake T wrote:
>> So after several days of tinkering around with the umbrella, waiting
>> for the right timing (the coyotes I'm listening for don't seem to
>> howl on cloudy or inclement nights), and trying to navigate around
>> the neighborly noises, I finally achieved a workable result:
>
> Wow that's not too bad at all given your distance.  I still think
> an appreciable amount of the hiss is coming from the H2 internals.
>

Thanks. They aren't nearly as far away as I thought, more like 500 feet
not half a mi as I guessed originally. If I get a night of no cars or
TV's, I'll get further improvement for sure.

>
> Toby

On Sun, 5 Dec 2021 11:39:01 -0500, Jake T <jaketbone@steak.com> wrote:

>Thanks. They aren't nearly as far away as I thought, more like 500 feet
>not half a mi as I guessed originally. If I get a night of no cars or
>TV's, I'll get further improvement for sure.

I hesitate to suggest, but how much would you have to pay for 500ft of
mic cable?

d

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On 05/12/2021 18:39, Don Pearce wrote:
> On Sun, 5 Dec 2021 11:39:01 -0500, Jake T <jaketbone@steak.com> wrote:
>
>> Thanks. They aren't nearly as far away as I thought, more like 500 feet
>> not half a mi as I guessed originally. If I get a night of no cars or
>> TV's, I'll get further improvement for sure.
>
> I hesitate to suggest, but how much would you have to pay for 500ft of
> mic cable?
>

When I read the OP, the problem seems to be gaining access to private
land, not the cost of a cable.

--
Tciao for Now!

John.