Wireless Solution Sweden AB has once again helped solve the seemingly impossible. During the recent APEC summit in Sydney, Australia, an entire fleet of yachts sailing through Sydney Harbour were illuminated with SGM Palco 5 fixtures with OEM installed W-DMX receivers. The display was the first of its kind.

The exhibition was part of a showcase for the leaders and ministers from 21 APEC economies, displaying the best that Sydney has to offer. The APEC summit involved a series of meetings focused on the discussion of economic, trade, security and environmental topics.

Produced and designed by Mark Hammer of Hammer Lighting, in conjunction with Simon Crow of Chameleon Touring, the sailing display was part of the formal finale event hosted at the Sydney Opera House. The display was a formation and exhibition sail involving 5 tall ship and 18 30-foot yachts, which followed a massive fireworks display.

Each of the yachts had their sails illuminated by two SGM Palco 5 RGB LEDs with onboard W-DMX receivers, on either side of their sails. The effects included color changing, rainbow effects, chases and the ability to light up each side differently. The LEDs were powered only by petrol generators.

DMX control was provided by Wireless Solution's W-DMX system. The entire fleet was controlled by one W-DMX transmitter that was fitted with an outdoor aerial and signal booster. This configuration was designed to transmit to the W-DMX receivers within a half-mile radius (1km), however it did better, and controlled the Palcos at much greater distances. At one stage the control boat containing Mark Hammer, a Grand MA console, and the W-DMX transmitter was located under the Harbour Bridge, while controlling the yachts in White Bay, an approximate 4 mile (6.4 kms) distance. According to Hammer, even over this distance, the W-DMX "worked effortlessly and never skipped a beat."

Both Crow and Hammer agree that this project would have been impossible without the W-DMX system and low power consumption of the Palco 5. Crow asked, "What would I have done - put DMX controllers on every yacht? That would never have worked!" He goes further to say that the Wireless Solution system "worked all day and all night without a hitch, and has continued to do so since." He even suggests that we will see a lot more events combining wireless systems and LED due to the flexibility and color options such a system provides with the benefits of low power consumption.

The W-DMX system and the SGM Palco 5s were provided by exclusive Australian distributor, ULA. Crow was very effusive about ULA's attention to detail and customer service and support on this project. He states, "ULA provided fantastic service and extra attention to ensure that the project worked without any issues. Con Nomikos [Acct Mgr - ULA] came on site the day before the event to help during testing - when we checked everything worked on dry land, and then also came on the night to ensure that everything was fine. ULA were a fantastic help."

SGM is just one of a growing number of W-DMX OEM partners including DTS, Clay Paky, Lightronics, Doug Fleenor Design, Antari, and LSC Lighting, among others.

W-DMX is the perfect solution for applications where running DMX cable is not practical. W-DMX technology uses Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) and Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum to avoid interference. Critics worldwide have hailed the system as the number one product for interference-free wireless DMX technology.