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speaker talking. A radio aid increases the emphasis on sound, but visual
clues are still important. Experience and practice are necessary to make
full use of this available ‘sound’.
Is the fmGenie a true wireless radio system?
Yes. The Connevans fmGenie is an FM radio system working on a similar
basis to the domestic BBC VHF radio network, although the fmGenie
operates at a higher frequency and cannot be picked up on a conventional
domestic radio. BBC Radio 2 transmits between 88-90.2 MHz in the VHF FM
band and narrow band radio microphone systems for the hearing impaired
operate around 173-175 MHz. In order that a number of radio aid systems
may operate on the same site, a number of channels have been allocated,
each with specific frequencies. Manufacturers use varying channel coding
systems; the fmGenie uses a channel number code system (see appendix 8
for a comparison chart).
Who manufactures the fmGenie?
The fmGenie system has been designed by Connevans and is
manufactured, sold and serviced in our factory in Merstham
– Made in Britain.
How well does it work?
The fmGenie has a very good frequency response with low levels of
distortion. For hearing aid users the overall performance of the system will
probably be limited by the user’s own hearing aids. If the hearing aids are
correctly fitted then the overall system will perform well, but if the hearing
aids are badly chosen or fitted it will not. The system will give a range of at
least a room inside or coverage outside of over a football pitch, thus
meeting most requirements.
Who will the fmGenie help?
As a rough guide an fmGenie radio aid will be of benefit to anyone who is a
good hearing aid user. If you are able to sit beside a hearing aid user in a
quiet room and communicate via their hearing aids rather than by lip
reading (i.e. if the person is able to make good use of their hearing aids)
then a radio aid will be of benefit, allowing the hearing aid user to ‘listen at
a distance’. The fmGenie will help to counteract the problems of distracting
sounds outside that quiet room situation. The fmGenie will also help those
with a mild or no hearing loss, who will benefit from help with
concentration in lectures, by using earphones or headphones.
How does it sound?
Using a pair of test headphones it is possible for a hearing person to ‘get a
feel’ for the improvement that an
fmGenie can give in noisy
situations. When demonstrating
an fmGenie to a user sitting
nearby, an initial response from
the hearing aid user of “sounds
the same”, is not unusual. It is
difficult to improve on the
hearing aids themselves and
because a consultation room is
usually quiet it is not until we
move outside into a more usual
level of ambient noise with a
greater distance from the person talking that the user realises the potential
benefit of a radio aid.
Bear in mind however, that a hearing aid user is not used to interpreting
sounds from afar. “Over here” means nothing, people often don’t
understand at first where the sound comes from if they cannot see the
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The fmGenie radio aid system
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The fmGenie radio aid system
Where can I find further information?
www.connevans.info/fmgenie
