Topic: Leaving mics outside over night?

[Colin Liston]

I have to record some animal sounds, specifically geese in their pen at night. 

Would any of you guys leave your mics outside, but covered with a roof, but otherwise in an open pen overnight? 

Suggestions, thoughts?

[bluelawn]

cheaper mics than you have listed in your sig - sure
ie: my at4041s,
geffels, dpa's & the like... nope

[mr qpl]

first of all, where do you live and what night are you leaving them out?

I think that if you keep them dry (roof) and then use the silica moisture absorbers for a night or so after, everything should be ok, however, all bets is off if you live near the ocean.

[Colin Liston]

first of all, where do you live and what night are you leaving them out?

I think that if you keep them dry (roof) and then use the silica moisture absorbers for a night or so after, everything should be ok, however, all bets is off if you live near the ocean.

I do live about 3 miles from the beach and about 500 yards from the intra-coastal waterway.  Good point about the beach though, hadn't thought of that.  Maybe I'll find some cheap mic to use instead.

[audBall]

Wasn't a DPA microphone left in a fisherman's tacklebox for a year only to operate to spec once removed ??  Also, doesn't DPA recommend cleaning their miniature mics with distilled water?  Now, salty humid air and distilled water are drastically different, but I can't imagine the mic (if housed in a windscreen and covered from rain) being damaged from this. 

Just be sure, 'dry' the microphone in the least humid area you find once it's all over.  I'm not even sure that's needed. 

[Gutbucket]

http://taperssection.com/index.php/topic,114977.0.html

[mr qpl]

spoken from experience.

Never leave anything you value out in salt water, salt water spray, mist or whatever, it's really near acidic in its corrosive capabilities

[John Willett]

I have to record some animal sounds, specifically geese in their pen at night. 

Would any of you guys leave your mics outside, but covered with a roof, but otherwise in an open pen overnight? 

Suggestions, thoughts?

This is common in wildlife recording, but I would only do it with certain dynamics and Sennheiser MKH (RF condenser) microphones.

[Gutbucket]

^^^
Self-polarized 'back-electret' mics also generally fair far better than externally polarized (non-RF) condensers in humid conditions.  That's perhaps a factor for the DPAs surviving the fish box without ill effect.  I never heard that story before.  I've done this plenty of times with 4060s for frogs, sqeaking boats, etc.

[audBall]

I seem to recall reading the tacklebox story on this board some time ago, but did find some discussion here.  That's good to know about self-polarized mics.  I'll be sure to take my electrets next time when out in the field.

[digifish_music]

I have to record some animal sounds, specifically geese in their pen at night. 

Would any of you guys leave your mics outside, but covered with a roof, but otherwise in an open pen overnight? 

Suggestions, thoughts?

Mics - I bought a pair of behringer C-2 mics for such 'dangerous' missions -



Random eBay example for $59

They do actually sound good, only down side (IMO) is they have a little more self-noise than the more expensive equivalents (but also if there is background wind/rustling it won't be noticable). So depends on how hi-fi the recording has to be? I'd recommend the C-2's for people here wanting to record from the mosh-pit

Here is a similar example of a recording of ducks & geese from a C2 pair...

http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=39712

and a pic of the recording in session...



Everyone should have a pair of these in their arsenal

Other points...overnight recordings can be very boring, been there done that on a number of occasions It helps alot if your recorder has an auto-split function so that you can specify 1 hour chunks or something.
I love the R09HR for this.

You can also wrap your mics in food grade cling-wrap (they are safe from moisture and condensation then), that will work very well, done that with my C2s and AT3032s, if you keep a tightly stretched film over the capsule then there is no noticeable effect on the sound.

You will notice I am using a tripod, I prefer to use one out in the field as it's light-weight & stable. The pan/tilt head allows you to level the mics when the ground isn't

BTW: where is your recorder going to be?

digifish

[newplanet7]

That is a great shot.

Wonder if that looks strange to a normal passerby

[Gutbucket]

..overnight recordings can be very boring, been there done that on a number of occasions

Oh so true!  Prepare for lots of FWD..FWD.....FWD......FWD........FWD or visual wave scanning in your editor looking find the 'good bits'.

[digifish_music]

..overnight recordings can be very boring, been there done that on a number of occasions

...or visual wave scanning in your editor looking find the 'good bits'.

Which are usually so quiet they can't be seen

[digifish_music]

That is a great shot.

Wonder if that looks strange to a normal passerby

I definitely worried a few people