Guide to Assistive Listening Devices

Classroom environment

Overview:

• The Gentner PTX portable transmitter enables the voice of the instructor to be transmitted directly to the ear or hearing aid via the RX-6 portable receiver

Operation:

• The PTX portable transmitter is worn by the person speaking and is typically attached to the person’s belt using the belt-hook.
• Clip the microphone element onto the clothing in the chest/neck area, as close to the mouth as possible.
• Turn on the transmitter using the “POWER” button.
• Turn on the microphone using the “MIC ON/OFF” switch.
• Set the “INPUT” selector switch to “MIC”.
• Select a frequency to use by pressing one of the 6 preset frequency buttons,numbered 1 to 6.
  
  NOTE: Any frequency can be used EXCEPT for a situation in which you are using the PTX portable transmitter in an auditorium that has a built-in ALD transmitter. Our built-in transmitters are left on all the time and interference will result if you turn your PTX portable transmitter on to the same frequency. In this case you would want to use a frequency other than the frequency being used by the room’s ALD system. (See auditorium directions below for frequencies)
  
  
• The channel select arrow buttons allow you to manually select any of the 37 FCC approved ALD channels, but you will not need to use these because all the channels used on Haverford’s campus are preset into the 6 preset frequency buttons.
• The RX-6 receiver is worn by the person requiring hearing assistance and can be attached to the belt with the belt-hook.
• Place the attached Tele-coil coupler (or earbud or tele-coil neck-loop) behind the ear fitted with your hearing aid device.
• Set your hearing aid to the Tele-coil mode (if necessary).
• Set the receiver to the same frequency that is set on the PTX transmitter, from 1 to 6, using the channel selector dial.
• Turn on the receiver power using the thumbwheel at the top of the unit.
• Adjust the volume level using this same thumbwheel.

Troubleshooting:

• Interference: Try setting the transmitter and receiver to a different frequency.
• Dropouts: Check the batteries. A low battery can affect range and clarity.

Batteries:

• The PTX transmitter uses 2 AA batteries.
• Typical battery duration is only 4-5 hours.
• When the batteries are close to depletion, the LCD display will flash “LO.”
• The RX-6 receiver uses 2 AA batteries.
• Typical battery duration is about 60 hours.
• There is no low battery indicator on the unit.

Auditoriums

Overview:

The Gentner TX-37A transmitter enables anything connected to the auditorium’s house sound system (including microphones, video sources, music, computer audio, etc.) to be transmitted directly to the ear or hearing aid via the RX-6, or similar, portable receiver.

The TX-37A transmitter is connected permanently to the house sound systems in the following Haverford auditoriums:

• Chase Auditorium
• INSC H109
• Marshall Auditorium
• Sharpless Auditorium
• Stokes Auditorium

Operation:

1. The RX-6 receiver is worn by the person requiring hearing assistance and can be attached to the belt with the belt-hook.
   
2. Place the attached Tele-coil coupler behind the ear fitted with your hearing aid device.
   
3. Set your hearing aid to the Tele-coil mode (If necessary).
   
4. Using the channel selector dial. Set the receiver to the frequency that is used in the auditorium you are in:
   • Chase Auditorium = Channel 2
   • INSC H109 = Channel 6
   • Marshall Auditorium = Channel 3
   • Sharpless Auditorium = Channel 4
   • Stokes Auditorium = Channel 5
5. Turn on the receiver power using the thumbwheel at the top of the unit.
   
6. Adjust the volume level using this same thumbwheel.

Troubleshooting:

Interference: Try moving closer to the projection booth, where the ALD transmitter resides.
Dropouts: Check the batteries. A low battery can affect range and clarity.
Volume too soft or too loud: ask the technician (if available) to adjust the ALD transmitter output level.
Backup measure: Each auditorium has a supply of receiver units pre-tuned to that auditorium's frequency - ask the technician.

Roger Hill
Director of Audio Visual Services
Haverford College
Stokes 020
610-896-1193