Re-blocking Lectrosonics wireless

[Ed Denton]

As I'm sure most of you are aware, in Australia there has been a large sell-off of spectrum to telco's and as of 2015 it will be illegal to operate in 694-820 MHz. I have two UM400A and UCR411A sets in block 28 which I will need to have re-blocked and I also want to add an SRb as a wireless link.

I was thinking of having my UM400A's and UCR411A's changed to block 26 and buying an SRb and two SMDA also in block 26 that way I could use my old UM400A's as the link tx's with the new block 26 SRb on the camera and I could use the new block 26 SMDA's as talent mics with my old UCR411A in the bag. However another soundo suggested that I would get some serious intermodulation having the link in the same block as my talent mics because they are in such close proximity in the bag. What I would ideally like to do is have my block 28 UM400A's re-blocked to block 24 and buy a block 24 SRb to pair them with, and also have my UCR411A's re-blocked to block 26 and buy two block 26 SMDA's to pair with the old UCR411A's.

Is this possible? I heard that it is only possible to have Lectrosonics re-blocked a max of 2 frequency blocks, i.e. from 28 to 26. Is this true or can I get my UM400A's moved from block 28 to 24?

Hope this makes sense! Any helpful answers much appreciate and hope you all had a great Christmas.

[geordi]

You'd probably be happier selling them off as-they-are and picking up kit in the blocks you are seeking. If for no other reason than people are still buying the higher blocks, and the usage of the spectrum doesn't completely prevent their functioning perfectly. 

 

There is a chart out there (at least for the USA) showing how the higher frequencies have been partitioned out for the auctions, and who has bought them and where. The 700mHz spectrum is NOT being contiguously used across the USA, there are big spaces (just like in the days of analog TV broadcasting) and also "guard bands" between the sold blocks, making for several-mHz-wide spaces that do exist everywhere. For kit that only transmits in localized areas and in the kHz spacing of bandwidth... Options still exist for the bold.

 

I'm not saying it is smart or acceptable to the constabulary to try this, but in the increasingly congested lower bands, I don't blame anyone for using their kit in a 'wild wild west' kind of mentality. Pirate transmissions still have to be FOUND before they can be prosecuted, eh?

[Philip Perkins]

The last time I had some Lectros refreq'ed it cost $621 per unit for 411a and $396 for each 400a.  Thus to reblock a "set" is US $1017, plus shipping.    Compare to cost of buying used etc....   SM-series tansmitters are cheaper to do 

(mine were $297 US), and refreqing an SRb was US$506, although I haven't had one of those done (yet) so I might be wrong about that cost.  LMa and 400 (no "a") TX were trade-in only--no refreq.

 

philp

[JDirckze]

Hi Ed, I'm currently using 2 x block 24/411's in my bag for talent, and my link is also on block 24 (SRb w/UM's). I don't have any issues with intermod and neither should you if you have coordinated properly. I do suggest your link Tx and talent Rx be spaced apart physically as much as possible in the bag though. Cheers, Jase

[studiomprd]

Ed Denton: " I would get some serious intermodulation having the link in the same block as my talent mics because they are in such close proximity in the bag. "

not really,  but there may be some front end overload (aka de-sensing) of the RX's from the TX.

" I heard that it is only possible... "

<old cap>

[Ed Denton]

Just an update for anyone interested or considering having their Lectrosonics wireless re-blocked:
I spoke to one of our local Lectro dealers in Melbourne and it is possible to have any of their hybrid-digital wireless (UM, SM, UCR, SR etc) moved to any block. The two block max shift was for the older analogue series of wireless. Sweet.