May 15, 2018. The Let’s Loop PEI project officially launched yesterday with the first day of an informational workshop, led by Bill Droogendyk of Better Hearing Solutions, on what a hearing loop actually is and how it works, followed by a site survey at South Shore United Church in Tryon.
Pieter Valkenburg (left) and Jack Sorensen (right) loop wire between the pew rows during the site survey at South Shore United Church. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)
A temporary loop was set up in the classroom where the workshops are being held, and I had a chance to try out the hearing loop receiver. It didn’t work for me, so I was a bit disappointed. That’s when it was confirmed that I have no technological brain! In order for the receiver to work, you have to first turn it on (duh!) and, second, the receiver has to be in an upright, not a horizontal position. Once those two points were corrected, it was UNBELIEVABLE! How do you describe a reaction that’s both astonishment and delight? The clarity of sound was indescribable!
PLR-BP1-Williams-Sound-Loop-System-Body-Pack-Rece
We were getting excited about the possibilities and eager to try out more of the ways to access a hearing loop. Annie Lee MacDonald, who has an iPhone, had downloaded the app (see https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/loopbuds/id1111272148?mt=8). Bill had brought along the special earbuds, OTOjOY, needed to access the hearing loop with the iPhone app. The telecoil is in the earbuds. Success!
Next, Brenda Porter, whose hearing aids have an activated T-coil switch, tried the hearing loop. Another success!
We still have to try out the special pocket talker, something to look forward to in today’s workshop. Stay tuned!
Check our upcoming events page for information on a public information session coming up on Friday, May 18, 2018 at 7 pm at West River United Church in Cornwall, where you can experience the hearing loop, have any questions answered, and if needed, purchase a receiver, pocket talker, or the OTOjOY earbuds. You can email us at hearpei@gmail.com or comment on this blog. You can also follow us on Twitter: @HearPEI
Follow this link to our Upcoming Events page: Upcoming Events
© Daria Valkenburg
The Aural Report 