I’ve started to use a floor remote triggered by wireless transceiver. I’m starting to realize this is way more complicated than I originally thought when using it around others with remotes. I’m using Yongnuo 603’s which on 2.4Ghz using 16 channels selected by a DIP switch.
This weekend, before shooting, I approached the team photographer and he didn’t really care about anything except “go ahead and trigger it… If you trigger my strobes, just change it until you don’t”. The team photographer was only strobing and wasn’t triggering a back board cam. The issue I ran into was when the other photographers started asking me “what channel” and “what frequency”. I’m not an electrical engineer but I think the technical answer is frequency = 2.4Ghz and Channel = a binary of the DIP Switch selection combo (there is no number to select). I think some of them were confusing freq. with channel like on Pocket Wizards. My old Pocket Wizards (which everyone was using) ran on 344 Mhz and 4 channels. This was complicated because some of them were with the away team, which means this problem is going to happen at just about every game.
So my question is: How do you guys/gals announce that you are using a transceiver? Do you describe what freq & “channel” you are on or do you just say that you are about to do a test trigger fire and for people to check their setup? Do you approach other’s or do you not worry about it unless you are confronted and asked?
I have friends with the yongs, I have never had any interference with my pocket wizards, even on any of the channels past 4 on my multimaxes. Don't sweat it... until you move to pocket wizards at least....
The Yongnuo's live on the 2.4Ghz bands - aka the Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM) radio bands. These are unlicenced, unregulated, bands that anyone can use. Because these bands are free-for-all, lots of gizmos live on this band such as telephones, routers, WiFi, RC airplanes - and Yongnuo radio triggers. Devices that use the 2.4Ghz band transmit an analog signal with an embedded digital code (a Globally Unique ID or GUID) to separate themselves from other devices on the same band. Simplifying, these devices have digital handshaking protocols from transmitter to receiver that talk with each other but reject other devices in the same band.
Pocket Wizards live on an entirely different area of the radio spectrum. Channels 1-16 of the classic and multimax are at 344.04Mhz. Channels 17-32 for the multimax are each on a separate band on the spectrum starting at 346.50Mhz for channel 17 and incrementing by 500Khz for each channel until you get to 354.00Mhz for channel 32. Because all PW's transmit by radio signals with no digital coding, interference is possible when two photographers are using the same freq. Therefore it is necessary to coordinate which channel each photog is using. It is possible to have your own private frequency built into a PW to further separate you from the previously mentioned channels.
So your Yongnuo will not interfere with a PW and there is a very low likelihood that it will interfere with other 2.4Ghz devices unless the manufacturer uses the same GUID as the Yongnuo. Carry on and don’t worry about it.
I will check with other photographers. Normally speaking most pros are on pocket wizards. So when they ask about channels it is usually regarding PW channels.
Great guys, glad someone asked, I was wondering about this the other night for a Victory Circle fill flash. Now I have the answer. I was worried I'd be causing someone else a headache. Just got a younguo to play with.
Since most people are using PW's, I think the terms "frequency" and "channel" are used interchangeably at of ignorance for other possible systems or why "frequency" is different than "channel" (myself included). In fact, I was quite confused when I first started reading this post. haha!
I would be hard-pressed to find someone besides maybe SI photogs and assistants that know anything about the frequency (in the true sense of the word) of their remote triggers.
Most people use the PWs and ask about "frequency" / "channel" without much thought of what it really means, especially if there are other systems in use.
Jonathan Knight wrote:
Most people use the PWs and ask about "frequency" / "channel" without much thought of what it really means, especially if there are other systems in use.
That was my issue really, and what I was afraid I'd battle all season. There's just certain things you can't say to certain photographers. I didn't want to step on toes and I didn't know how to answer.
I will say that the game that spawned this question was after Kentucky came to town. That was pretty much a circus on the endline with the juggling act of all the DSLRs and video cameras. The end of the half looked like three dozen clowns shufflling out of a miniture car and into the media room.
