CBC AV MINISTRY

GYM / GYM AUDIO VOLUNTEER ROLE GUIDE

Gym Audio Volunteer Role Guide

Task-focused guide for the Gym Audio Operator position — powering and setting up the Gym PA from the Equipment Room, running the announcer mic and music on the Yamaha mixer, and providing the livestream audio feed, with quick-start checklist and first responses to common problems.

Room: GYMType: GYM-AUDIO-VOLUNTEER-ROLE-GUIDERev: August 25, 2026

Document Control

  • Owner:
  • Last Reviewed: 2026-08-25
  • Depends on Room Overview: Gym Room Overview
  • Printable Quick Reference: Yes

Before You Start

  • Fetch the bleachers kit from the drawer in the Athletic Director’s office (just off the boys locker room). You return it after the event.

Quick-Start Checklist

  1. Fetch the bleachers kit from the AD office drawer.
  2. Set up the mixer at the east-bleachers audio position BEFORE powering anything on: handheld mic in input 1, bluetooth adapter in input 2, right output via XLR to the east-bleachers XLR wall port (about 2 rows up, center), left output via XLR to the Dante AVIO input adapter in the adjacent ethernet jack. Keep both input pans centered (12 o’clock) so the mic and music feed both the PA and the livestream. Power the mixer on — the amp and DSP are still off at this point, so plugging in and powering up causes no pops.
  3. In the Equipment Room, flip the wall switch ON (left of the rack — it looks like a light switch). Use the wall switch, never the breaker.
  4. Wait for the DriveRack PA2 to finish booting before expecting audio.
  5. Verify the DriveRack front-panel output mute buttons are not engaged.
  6. Connect/pair the bluetooth adapter (battery powered — ensure it is charged) and line-check the announcer mic.
  7. Run the event (mic + music).

What You Are Responsible For

You are responsible for the Gym PA — the in-gym sound during basketball and volleyball games. You set up and power the Yamaha mixer, power the system on and off with the Equipment Room wall switch, run the announcer microphone and phone music during the event, and provide the audio feed the livestream uses (via the mixer’s left output to the Dante AVIO input adapter).

What Good Looks Like

  • The system is powered on in time and audio is verified before the event.
  • The mixer is set up and powered on before the amp and DSP are energized, so plugging in and powering up causes no pops or thumps.
  • The announcer is heard clearly in the gym.
  • Phone music is audible and at an appropriate level.
  • The livestream carries the same mix (announcer + music) because it taps the mixer’s left output.
  • Temporary pan settings (such as a room-only announcement) are returned to center after use.
  • At the end of the event, the wall switch is off and the kit is returned.

Operating Steps

  1. Fetch the bleachers kit from the AD office drawer (Yamaha mixer, handheld mic, bluetooth adapter, Dante AVIO input adapter, XLR cables).
  2. Set up the mixer at the east bleachers BEFORE powering anything on:
    • Handheld announcer mic into input 1.
    • Battery-powered bluetooth adapter into input 2 (for phone music).
    • Right output via XLR to the east-bleachers XLR wall port (about 2 rows up, center) — this feeds the in-gym PA.
    • Left output via XLR to the Dante AVIO input adapter plugged into the east-bleachers ethernet jack — this feeds the livestream.
    • Keep each input’s pan knob centered (12 o’clock) so the mic and music feed both the PA and the livestream. See “Routing inputs with the pan knob” below for sending an input to only one destination.
    • Power the mixer on. The amp and DSP are still off at this point, so plugging cables in and turning the mixer on causes no pops — plugging in or powering up into a live system is what makes audible pops/thumps.
  3. Go to the Equipment Room (the “ball closet”) and flip the wall switch ON. It powers only the DSP and the amplifier. Never use the breaker as the daily switch.
  4. Wait for the DriveRack PA2 to finish booting (short delay) and confirm the front-panel output mutes are not engaged.
  5. Make sure the bluetooth adapter has charge and connect your phone.
  6. Line-check the announcer mic before the event.
  7. Run the mic and music during the event, keeping a comfortable level for the room.
  8. After the final buzzer, power down with the wall switch (OFF) and return the kit to the AD office drawer.

Routing inputs with the pan knob

Because the Yamaha mixer’s RIGHT output feeds the Gym PA (in-gym sound) and its LEFT output feeds the livestream (via the Dante AVIO input adapter), each input channel’s pan knob decides where that input is heard:

  • Center (12 o’clock) — both. The input reaches the PA and the livestream. Normal setting for the announcer mic and music.
  • Full right — the PA only. Heard in the room but not on the stream. Use for a quick room-only announcement (something that should not be broadcast): pan the mic fully right for the announcement, then return to center.
  • Full left — the livestream only. Heard on the stream but not over the PA. Use for a crowd mic that captures game atmosphere for viewers without adding pickup in the room, or for a separate input used by someone calling the game for the livestream.

A pan setting only changes which outputs the input feeds (it does not change channel connections). Because the mixer is set up fresh for each event, always check pans during setup and return any special settings to center afterward so the next operator starts from the normal both-outputs position.

Common Problems and First Responses

Problem First thing to check What to do next When to escalate
The PA does not come on when you flip the wall switch Whether the wall switch is ON Confirm the switch is ON. Only check the breaker if the switch does not bring the system up; the breaker is normally left ON The breaker is off or tripped and re-arming it does not restore power
No audio right after switching on Whether the DriveRack is still booting Wait for the DriveRack boot delay before expecting audio Still no audio after the boot delay
No audio even though the system is on Whether the DriveRack front-panel output mutes are engaged Press the output mute buttons on the DriveRack front panel to un-mute Mutes will not clear or audio still does not return
The announcer mic is not heard Whether the mic is plugged into input 1 and the channel is up Confirm the XLR connection and raise the mic level; check the mic cable The mic still has no usable signal
The livestream has no gym audio Whether the mixer left output feeds the AVIO input adapter Confirm the left-output XLR to the Dante AVIO input adapter and that the adapter is plugged into the east-bleachers ethernet jack Audio is still missing on the stream; coordinate with the Gym Livestream Operator or the AV director
An input is heard in the room but not on the livestream (or only on the stream) Whether that input’s pan knob is set to feed the missing destination Confirm the input’s pan is centered (12 o’clock) so it feeds both the PA and the livestream; pan full left for stream-only or full right for room-only The pan is centered and the input still does not reach the expected output

Helpful Context

  • The wall switch (left of the rack, looks like a light switch) powers ONLY the DSP and the amplifier. The breaker panel next to the rack/cabinet is normally left ON.
  • The Gym PA is mono by design: only the mixer’s right output feeds the wall port and the DSP.
  • The mixer’s left output is the source of the livestream audio; it crosses the Dante network to the cabinet and into the ATEM.
  • Dante routing is preconfigured and persists on the devices — you only plug in the AVIO input adapter.
  • The DriveRack PA2 is configured by the AV director through the DriveRack PA2 Control App.

Shutdown or Handoff

  • After the event, flip the wall switch OFF.
  • Unplug the mixer, mic, bluetooth adapter, Dante AVIO input adapter, and XLR cables.
  • Return the bleachers kit to the AD office drawer.
  • Note any problems (mic issues, charging needs, missing cables) for the next operator or the AV director.