GRAYSON, Ky. — WGOH(AM)/WUGO(FM), GO Radio, has been using the JK Audio BlueDriver for about two years. It has been perfect for remotes, news and sports reports.
Francis Nash covers news from the GO-mobile. He reports it and records it with JK Audio’s BlueDriver attached to a cellphone and recorder in his pocket.
When we bought the JK Audio BlueDriver, we would often see other stations doing a remote, perhaps at the same event, talking into a cellphone and trying to interview someone by passing it around. Meanwhile we were interviewing people in a professional matter, using a quality mic with our call-letter flag. Some stations would approach us to ask about how the BlueDriver setup works.
Well, it’s pretty simple. You connect it to the bottom of your microphone, get your iPhone, BlackBerry or other cellphone out, pair them up via Bluetooth and from that point, you speak into your mic, not the phone.
Bluetooth
Different phones will have varying methods of finding a Bluetooth device. For example, when an iPhone is paired the first time it asks for a PIN number, then you are ready to connect the phone and BlueDriver. From that point on, your cellphone remembers the BlueDriver and will show it as “JKBDRF31.” The next time you are ready to broadcast, you select it and push your Bluetooth button on the BlueDriver to connect.
On remotes, we use a small earphone into the iPhone and dial the studio number to establish the line. When you are connected, the iPhone will ask your source — speaker, headphones or JKBDRF31. While dialing and talking to a control room, select headphones and you can talk and listen to get ready for the remote.
When the on-air cue is sent, you will hear it in headphone or on speaker if you have it selected. When ready to broadcast, we tap the JKBDRF31 source on the phone and start our broadcast.
The BlueDriver is great for on-site business remotes at businesses. It allows you to travel anywhere, phone in pocket, mic in hand, working a crowd or exploring the set. For spot news or sporting event reporting, it is quick, convenient and professional. We have covered parades with interviews as they march and set it on podiums for coverage of speeches.
While the BlueDriver can be paired with a headset, we use it exclusively with the cellphones. Each person at the station may have a different cellphone, but as long as the phone has Bluetooth it is paired with the BlueDriver easily.
The BlueDriver has a mic trim to set volume sensitivity. There is a 3.5 mm output to go from the mic to a small recorder. You can carry a small digital recorder in another pocket with a connection to record your news story for later use. We have found charging the battery-powered BlueDriver for a couple of hours through the mini-USB port will give you plenty of power to use for a two-hour remote.
The only learning curve is understanding the Connect button procedure for pairing, then for simple connect and for shutting down. You might want to keep the small user guide handy the first few times.
The cellcast era that unchained us from the slavery of phone landlines has been a blessing to broadcast radio. With the advent of cellphone remotes and Bluetooth phone connections, the JK Audio BlueDriver is a “must have” device for a station that wants to look and sound good, and keep it simple and easy “on the go” to remotes and news events and interviews. GO Radio has a strong commitment to local news, local high school and college sports and community events. While we have many JK Audio devices, the BlueDriver is one of the most useful.
Francis Nash is the general manager of WGOH(AM) and WUGO(FM).
For information, contact Joe Klinger at JK Audio in Illinois at (815) 786-2929 or visit www.jkaudio.com.
