Tour Guide System | How Retekess T130 Communication Interpretation System Empowered Our Multilingual Mission

Johanna, Advocacy Coordinator
Cumberland County Food Security Council (CCFSC), Maine🌱

Hello everyone, I am Johanna, a member of CCFSC,  CCFSC is on a mission to build a just, resilient, and sustainable food system that everyone has access to. We aim to educate and provide the resources needed to obtain healthy local food and end food insecurity. 

Our efforts focus on educating our community about why our neighbors are food insecure and what can be done to create greater food security in Cumberland County.

"Our community speaks many languages – but Food Security has no language barrier."

At CCFSC, we unite leaders across Maine to build a hunger-free and food security future. But in meetings where Spanish, French, Somali, and English filled the room, critical ideas got lost in translation. Attendees struggled to grasp policy details, and our message of food justice wasn’t reaching everyone equally.

We needed a tool to bridge the gap – something simple, reliable, and accessible for all. That’s when we found the Retekess T130 Interpretation System.

Why Retekess T130 Became Our Voice

Small Size, Big Impact

We run pop-up events everywhere – from Portland’s GreenDrinks at Fork Food Lab to school workshops. The T130’s compact receivers slip into pockets, and setup takes minutes. No more bulky equipment! The transmitter weighs just 58g and the receiver is only 45g. That means we can easily pack it up and take it to any venue .

Multi-Channel Magic

The T130 supports 99 channels, making it ideal for our multilingual meetings. With multiple channels running at once, participants could choose the language they needed, providing them with real-time, accurate translations that allowed our community members to fully engage in the conversation. At our ‘Centering Student Voices’ session, 4 interpreters worked simultaneously. Parents heard translations in their native languages.

Unexpected Durability

After 12+ events – including rainy ferry rides to Long Island – every unit still works flawlessly. Past systems failed monthly.

Conclusion

In general, the Retekess T130 Classic model met our expectations. During the event, the sound transmission was particularly clear, and the multi-language translation effect was also very good. Whether it was the speaker's voice to the simultaneous interpreter, or the simultaneous interpreter's voice to the audience, the sound transmission was very smooth, and the sound quality was very pleasant without any hissing sound.

But we think there are still some aspects to be improved. We hope to add a mute button. Especially when the sound needs to be temporarily controlled during the event, the one-button mute makes the operation more flexible and avoids any additional noise or unnecessary interruptions.

(I have learned that the upgraded models of the T130 series, T130S and T130P, are already equipped with a one-button mute function, which is better than my current experience. You can try it next time. It can also be seen that the quality and service quality of Retekess have been greatly improved.)

Final Thoughts

The T130 didn’t just make our events sound better—it made them feel better. We believe that food security starts with equity and inclusion, and this system helps us live those values by making sure no one is left out of the conversation.

We’re grateful to have found a tool that supports our mission so directly. For any organization trying to connect with their community in a real way, we wholeheartedly recommend the Retekess T130.

— The CCFSC Team

Organization: Cumberland County Food Security Council
Mission: Building a just, resilient food system for all Mainers.