Wireless mics get reduced bureaucracy UK regulator Ofcom has written to holders of wireless microphone licences explaining how from January 4th new licences will give them the confidence to invest in new kit. Hitherto wireless microphones have been lurking between analogue TV signals, with one channel (69 - 855.25MHz) all of their own. But the brave new world of …
Pretty much, no.
If you want to use anything other than the 4 license free VHF channels for radio mics (IIRC) you need a license. It isn't (at the moment) that expensive.
This includes, but is not limited to, radio mics (which for most fixed locations like theatres are already in white space, at my work we use channels 67/68 which we won't be able to use after 2012, and 52/53, which we might), walkie-talkie type radios and other comms equipment (in the 400MHz region below the TV bands, excluding the 433MHz group used for anything and everything), TV links for wireless cameras etc, in-ear monitor transmitters etc. Basically anything that doesn't live in 433 MHz, 2.4GHz or 5.8GHz.
When you run a big building, using (at various times) up to 35 radio mic frequencies, 40 comms channels and often hire in wireless cameras, when Ofcom start talking about market pricing for spectrum, you know you are going to get shafted.
A ``simple''* flag day switchover to digital tv in the entire country would've left much more space for this sort of thing. I don't really see much improvement resulting from the various spectrum shuffles. Not entirely ofcon's fault, of course.
* Simple in the sense that once it's over, it's over, and doesn't raise questions what part of the country has switched over yet and what part hasn't. But in true Britain goes metric style, it got botched. The aussies got that metric switchover thing pretty much working on first try, FWIW.
The Register 
Biting the hand that feeds IT
Copyright. All rights reserved © 1998–2024
