Wireless days numbered?

[Guest Mick]

I attended a seminar at Sony given by Glenn Sanders of Zaxcom and gleaned from the general discussion afterwards that the FCC is ignoring our little community and arbitrarily doling out UHF frequencies for the exclusive use of various cell phone, TV and other sundry corporations. The time frame according to John Coffey seems to be about two years before the airwaves that we are used to using become jammed up. Zaxcom have some very interesting products coming out and already available that, while not curing the ailment, seem to circumvent it somewhat, especially the wireless transmitter with 12 hours of high quality recording built in.

It would seem to me that most if not all the current wireless manufacturers should brainstorm this issue and see what can be done to give us mixers, who rely so heavily on wireless transmission, some more options.

Kudos to Zaxcom for what seems to be the only option currently available to us, but surely in today's technologically rich society, there's another alternative, not necessarily better but to provide a different way to avoid what will inevitably be a huge problem for all of us.

[Philip Perkins]

I attended a seminar at Sony given by Glenn Sanders of Zaxcom and gleaned from the general discussion afterwards that the FCC is ignoring our little community and arbitrarily doling out UHF frequencies for the exclusive use of various cell phone, TV and other sundry corporations. The time frame according to John Coffey seems to be about two years before the airwaves that we are used to using become jammed up. Zaxcom have some very interesting products coming out and already available that, while not curing the ailment, seem to circumvent it somewhat, especially the wireless transmitter with 12 hours of high quality recording built in.

It would seem to me that most if not all the current wireless manufacturers should brainstorm this issue and see what can be done to give us mixers, who rely so heavily on wireless transmission, some more options.

Kudos to Zaxcom for what seems to be the only option currently available to us, but surely in today's technologically rich society, there's another alternative, not necessarily better but to provide a different way to avoid what will inevitably be a huge problem for all of us.

Rest assured that brains are being stormed, if only because the live-sound and live TV markets, much larger than ours, aren't helped by recording TXs at all.

Philip Perkins

[studiomprd]

" FCC Begins Field Testing of White Spaces Devices "

http://www.shure.com/ProAudio/PressRoom/PressReleaseArchive/2008PressReleases/us_pro_pr_2008_wsfield_test

"Wireless microphones are slated to be tested at one sports and one entertainment venue to be named at a later date. Although the FCC's laboratory testing has not conclusively revealed that White Spaces spectrum sensing technology will reliably protect wireless microphone operations, thorough and well-designed field testing will allow the Commission to meet its commitment to consider the scientific evidence of whether the proposed technology solutions will protect incumbent users from interference "

[studiomprd]

Broadcasting & Cable is following the progress of the testing:

" The FCC has announced it will hold sports- and theater-venue field tests of unlicensed mobile devices during the Aug. 9 preseason contest at FedEx Field in Landover, Md., between the Washington Redskins and the Buffalo Bills, and during the week of Aug. 11, at an undisclosed Broadway show. Sports and theater producers share a concern that the use of unlicensed devices in the broadcast spectrum will disrupt their wireless microphones,... "

It may take a while, but these devices will eventually work, and get approved!

problem is they may get approved before they work well enough for us folks' uses!!

[Guest jimg]

I believe that since white space in the area around DC includes TV 55, the only TV channel common to the areas described in the test plan that is completely unused, testing has been both continuous and unannounced for some time. It would explain a lot about how some of my radios have been working in the areas around DC and Baltimore. 54 works great in DC, 56 works great in Baltimore. There is a 54 in Baltimore and a 56 outside DC but no 55 anywhere nearby. And the FCC reports a TV 55 in Hagerstown Maryland, but reports the location about 25 km from the Northwest part of DC. Hagerstown is a lot further away than 25 km but reasonably close to the announced test site in Meyersville.

Best regards,

Jim