Which blocks are you choosing for the near future?

[slemaker]

Hi Everyone,

I'm purchasing more wireless systems and wondering, in your opinions, which blocks are looking good for now and the near future?

Thanks for your input!

Charlie Slemaker

[Nicole Hankerson]

Block 21-27 seem to be good here in Atlanta after talking with a few sound people here. Some say they get a little issues with block 27 but for the most part everything is fine.

Nicole

[Philip Perkins]

http://www.sennheiserusa.com/findfrequency/default.asp

Run the app for your zip code--see what's open.

Philip Perkins

[slemaker]

I guess I should have mentioned I'm an LA guy.  I had a complete venue system and more all in blocks 27,28.  I have replaced some VRT's and transmitters into block 21 and now am looking for suggestions for more purchases...

Thanks for your responses

[Nicole Hankerson]

@Philip Perkins-Thanks for posting.

@Slemaker-I was wondering where you where located. That FQ chart will still help. I understand your question/concern. But posting links in case someone else is in need of the info as well.

http://lectrosonics.com/service/tvlookup/tvstationlookup.htm

Nicole

[Paul Graff]

Hi Charlie,

Also an LA guy (we've met a couple of times).  This has been a big inquiry for me as I have used mostly Block 28 for talent for years.  I do a lot of bag work and have 3 Zaxcom systems in Block 21 that I use for camera hops, so I want to stay away from that for my talent transmitters (which are all Lectro). 

Basically, the lowdown in LA is that 21 is still okay as far as TV, but crowded as far as a lot of mixers use it and Block 22 is much worse than it used to be before the DTV transition.  Personally, I am moving/have moved primarily to Block 25--two DTV stations at the bottom, but the top half is clear.  I'll also eventually get 2 400 systems each in Blocks 24 and 26, but those are both pretty bad in LA--okay for a couple of transmitters, but not much more.

The people who have to coordinate a lot of wireless in a single block (i.e. reality shows) have moved to Blocks 19 and 20.  If I didn't want to stay away from Block 21, I would go to Block 20.  For cart-based jobs this would also necessitate me having my UMC-16B changed by Lectro from "wideband" (21-29) to "wideband low" (19-26, it actually probably starts at the 470 Block, just below 19).  Not a huge deal, but that's two reasons why I shy away from Blocks 19 and 20.  Blocks 470 and 19 make me a bit nervous because of potential police and other activity, but I've worked on some big shows in LA where a dozen or more talent were in Block 19 with no problems, so at least some other mixers/rf coordinators don't share that concern.

In sum, I would go with 20 and 25 and keep your 21 stuff.  So this is where I stand, but I'd love to hear the opinions of others in LA.  I've had lots of Block 28 systems ready to go to Lectro for re-freqing for a few months, but they keep proving to be useful and I keep holding off.  Unlike some of the other wireless manufacturers, Lectro has not yet announced any deadline for their re-freqing service.

PG

[Paul Graff]

I just want to add one more thing, which is since you used the term "blocks" in your OP, I assumed you were talking Lectro (or Zaxcom, which also sells in the "Blocks" established by Lectrosonics).  Many of the multi-RF shows in LA use Sennheiser wireless.  While I am familiar with the operation of their units, I don't own them and am not familiar with their frequency allocation.

PG

[studiomprd]

"  but crowded as far as a lot of mixers use it  "

that may, or may not be a factor depending on the work you do,  but there are lots more wireless in use by bands, churches, hotels, conference facilities, and hundreds of others, which vary from place to place;  there are other forms of interference, as well, and Television broadcasters are only a small part of the total interference picture. 

of course, if buying a large number of wireless systems,one ought to consider the TV stations in the primary operating region.

"  Block 28 systems... they keep proving to be useful   "

the sky did not fall...

[slemaker]

Thanks guys.  The sky indeed did not fall.  Myself and a number of my close associates are still primarily married to block 28.  I feel like I should gradually migrate away, but why at this point?  I suppose there is no good answer.  I've had no problems with 28 so far...

[Paul Graff]

...still primarily married to block 28.  I feel like I should gradually migrate away, but why at this point?

This is exactly where I'm at.  I just want to be at least somewhat ready when problems do occur or if I go somewhere where they monitor such things (CBS Radford, big sporting events, political conventions, awards ceremonies perhaps...)

I've been traveling all over the country with 28 and 25 and my 21 hops.  28 is clear everywhere except, of course the Qualcomm floTV at the very bottom of the block.

PG

[Philip Perkins]

27/28 still ok in SF--my units in that range are older so I guess I'll ride them into the dirt.  Qualcomm here too.

Philip Perkins

[Marc Wielage]

I agree with Paul above. I researched this a lot about 18 months ago and came to the conclusion that Blocks 19 and 20 would be almost wide open in LA, which prompted me to get a Wideband Low Venue. I just used 5 frequencies in block 19 about two weeks ago on a North Hollywood shoot, and it was virtually clear on a sweep except for a couple of giant spikes at the very low end (probably close to the emergency band).

The minor drag with block 19 is that the Xmit transmitters are a little long (maybe 1/2") compared to what we're used to with Block 21: the lower the block, the longer the wavelength. 22 has always been iffy for me in LA; I got clobbered with RF on that block during a memorable downtown shoot a couple of years ago.

27/28 are bound to be clear for the moment, but the question is when the telephone people are going to blast it.

I'm curious how the new 4-channel Lectro D4 digital xmitter on 900+ MHz will work out...

--Marc W.

[Darryl Linkow, C.A.S.]

This is exactly where I'm at.  I just want to be at least somewhat ready when problems do occur or if I go somewhere where they monitor such things (CBS Radford, big sporting events, political conventions, awards ceremonies perhaps...)

Paul, anything in 700 Mhz. that has been sold off by the FCC for other uses, can not be used at Radford!  Tim Holly will not let anyone break the law on his watch and rightfully so!  Did you go to the RF seminar that 695 had a while back where Tim spoke?  If so, do you remember what Tim said about the FCC?  They are the second biggest income producing agency in the US government, right after the IRS.  And with fines in the thousands of dollars, along with a jail sentence, it just isn't worth it to use frequencies that are no longer available to us! 

[Izen Ears]

  Man it sure sucks that they blocks they took away were 27-29 since they have the shortest tx antennas!  Pisses me off that the block 21s are 8 inches long, I once 'startled' an actress getting a thigh rig with that too-long antenna.  Luckily she was supercool, and I just turned the tx upside down but I don't like doing that since the antenna tends to peek out no matter what.

  Why couldn't they take away the lower blocks?!  I have such pleasant memories of my old block 28s and 29s with the 3-4" antennas.

  Dan Izen

[studiomprd]

" will not let anyone break the law on his watch and rightfully so!  "

while we all need to play by our host's rules (as we have done for many years at NFL Football games, Academy Awards, and many, many other venues and circumstances, the fact is that the law, the FCC regulations, do not yet specifically prohibit the use of wireless microphones in the "700 mHz band"  that television broadcasting has recently left.  The new "owners" of those frequencies would like wireless mic's not to be there, but as of 3 December, the FCC has not even begun the rule-making process or set a schedule to implement such prohibition, though it is widely expected to happen.

and I don't think the antenna length on wireless TX's had anything to do with the spectrum allocation process, although the propagation characteristics of the waves at various frequencies was an important factor.

[PTA]

Hmm, after reading some of this I am beginning to question myself on the block I was about to purchase.  I am in the Sacramento area, occasionally do work in the Bay Area, and one day might be moving down to Southern Cal.

I was going to buy block 19, but now I am wondering if there is a better option?  I'm looking to get a Lectro SR system that I can use both as a camera hop and also as talent lavs depending on the shoot.

Any advice on the block I should get taking all this into account?

[studiomprd]

you can usually get a couple of channels working well on any block, anywhere.