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December 2017The 600 Mhz band has been auctioned off. The cutoff date is in 2020, unless your usage causes interference to another whitespace device. Other spectrum space has been opened up for use and there is product available that takes advantage of that space.FCC general info page about wireless microphones, their use, and links to other FCC documents. Report and Order, covering white space devices in the TV and other bands. 11 August 2015 READ THIS DOCUMENT
Get licensedAn FCC license can be obtained by any US citizen intending to operate within the US and its territories for a fee of $150. Filling out the application form is fairly complex and it must be letter perfect in order to be processed by the FCC. Two possible ways to get a license are to . . .PAY A PROFESSIONAL TO FILE THE APPLICATION FOR YOU Bill Ruck, a Broadcast Engineer in San Francisco who holds Broadcast Auxiliary Low Power Radio Station Authorization WQMP992 and an FCC General Radiotelephone License, can prepare the application for you for a fee of about $100, plus the $150 filing fee. Bill is extremely knowledgeable about the application procedure and his services are highly recommended. Contact Bill at 415-564-1450 or DO IT YOURSELF BY FOLLOWING THE STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS BELOW The instructions you can find by clicking the link should be sufficient for individuals who fit the most common profile of sound professionals in the motion picture and television industry. The guidance presented here is offered as a convenience to you but because circumstances vary and FCC rules change, we cannot guarantee that your application will be approved. (this is somewhat old, and may or may not still work) Information beyond this point is left as historical background.
November 2014Sennheiser has a useful page that outlines the broader issues that face wireless microphone users. Further, near the end of the document, they are promoting a petition to the FCC that provides for the auction winners in the coming whitespace auction to make payment to wireless microphone users who are displaced by their acquisition of spectrum space. On the surface, it sounds like a good idea, but it could also be construed as misplaced liberalism. Still, if you have gear in the 600mHz band, and it gets displaced by the auction, what are YOU going to do? Can you afford to just go out and replace it? click here |
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October 25, 2014The FCC has postponed the wireless spectrum auction (for the 600mHz band) until 2016 due to pending court challenge. click here |
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September 30, 2014The FCC lays groundwork for additional unlicensed use of TV band and 600mHz band spectrum. click here |
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April 2014SennheiserThe FCC has a further spectrum auction scheduled to take place sometime in 2015. In light of this, Sennheiser continues to file comments with the Comission. The website also contains a sample support letter that microphone owners can download and use to express their own views to the FCC. Sennheiser Update
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July 2013The FCC's news bureau released a statement from Commissioner Ajit Pai on the current state of the record concerning the 600MHz band plan. It looks like another 100MHz of spectrum space is about to be made unavailable.March 2013From the FCC, information about the Universal Licensing System for unlicensed wireless microphone registrations. ClickMeThis link leads to a text file that defines the SQL databases used for this information: ClickMe January 2012From Shure: A TV band whitespace device has been approved by the FCC and released to the market in January 2012. ClickHereFCC Second Memorandum and Opinion OrderIF you use wireless microphones, the FCC released the Second Memorandum and Opinion Order relating to the operation of unlicensed devices in the TV broadcast band, and other parts of the electromagnetic spectrum. You should attempt to read the Memorandum (it's long) to understand how this affects you and your wireless ...life.FCC Frees Up Vacant TV Airwaves for Super Wi-FiAt the FCC site, look for: FCC Frees Up Vacant TV Airwaves For "Super Wi-Fi" Technologies and Other Technologies.The Future of Wireless Microphoneswww.prosoundweb.comMicrosoft develops technology that allows wireless broadband and wireless microphones to coexist.Our October 2011 meeting was devoted to learning about this development. See the video from the meeting by clicking this link.Ranveer Chandra, one of the presenters at our October Meeting published this paper, White Space Networking with Wi-Fi like Connectivity in August 2009. FCC Sends "Get Out Of The Pool" Notice - January 2010The FCC has finally sent out their notice to all users of wireless microphones and/or other devices that operate in the 700MHz Band to stop operating this equipment by June 12, 2010.www.fcc.gov/cgb/wirelessmicrophones/ Statement from FCC Chairman Genachowski November, 2009Are Your Wireless Mikes Legal?While the FCC hasn't sent out the "Get Out of the Pool Now" (GOOTP) letter yet, things are beginning to happen. Verizon has been sending a generic GOOTP letter to some people; never by name, just a "dear sir" sort of letter. The link, above, is to a good article by Kevin Cobus that appeared in Tecnologies for Worship magazine. The error in the channel width for TV stations is noted. It should be 6mHz, NOT 6gHz. You can find the latest info from Shure here. This is a comprehensive document; recommended reading. June 15, 2009The Big Switch came and went. Here (Seattle), it seemed a non-event. KING TV5 got to be the nightlight station, with a continuous message running telling what to do if this is all the TV that you receive. The cable companies, since their signal is captive, didn't have to do much (apparently), and they can still broadcast using VST (vestigial sideband transmission, the $100 term for analog TV) since their signals are captive. There was a lot of confusion surrounding this, and Comcast seemed to be doing their best to compound and confound. Your webmaster got three of their "decoder" boxes, but with 2 TVs that aren't connected to the decoders, there seems to be minimal difference. Of course, who knows what Comcast has in mind for the future?The 700mHz band is now off limits to wireless microphones, but it remains to be seen what people actually do about this. Consider the situation on the Citizen's Band (27mHz). The last tally for the dollar amount raised in the whitespaces auction is just under 20 BILLION dollars. Shure and Sennheiser are both offering some level of trade-in towards the purchase of new wireless gear. While it's better than a boot in the butt, it's a small comfort. Microsoft has still not proven to the Commission's satisfaction that their proposed hardware can co-exist with wireless microphones without interference.
News (somewhat dated)January 3, 2009 The FCC has released coverage maps for DTV stations with lines representing coverage before and after the DTV transition. Note that the coverage area simply means that this was the limit for some level of reception (Grade B contour). It must not be interpreted that there is no signal strength outside this line; i.e. trying to operate a wireless microphone on that channel outside of the coverage area is specifically not recommended.http://www.fcc.gov/dtv/markets/ These maps would seem to be the definitive resource in determining which TV channels are not utilized in your local area. Be sure to read the report that accompanies these maps. Here are the coverage maps for Seattle-Tacoma and Portland. May 16, 2008. The Grand Ole Opry, CMA, CMT, MTV and other Nashville-based music interests joined forces this week in an effort to stave off the efforts of manufacturers who are anxious to produce new television white space device, by filing a five-page letter of concern with the Federal Communications Commission. Read more. May 13, 2008. Motorola resubmits its whitespace device for further testing. Read more. May 6, 2008. Shure has filed a letter with the FCC specifically asking for more testing of non-wireless microphone devices, such as those proposed by Google and Motorola. These devices have failed in previous testing, and Shure is asking the FCC to require further testing, emphasizing that the Motorola proposal is still a "proof of concept." Read more. April 17, 2007. Read here and here two papers attempting to explain the new uses for the white spaces created after the DTV switch in 2009. Note, however, that there is absolutely NO mention of wireless microphones. It's as if they don't exist. Scary. Really Scarry. |
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Pacific Northwest-specific InformationChart showing current and future whitespace for Seattle-TacomaChart showing current and future whitespace for Portland Page showing all Seattle area frequency assignments Page showing all Portland area frequency assignments Seattle-Tacoma coverage maps and Portland coverage maps |
Shure BrothersShure's whitespace siteShure's FAQ Spectrum Change Overview Shure's Frequency Finder Shure's Wireless Workbench software (free). Does useful frequency coordinating function. Shure table showing how their wireless products use what parts of the spectrum. TV Channel vs Frequency info too.
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Federal Communications CommissionExcel Spreadsheet showing final USA channel assignmentsFCC homepage FCC Spectrum Task Force homepage FCC Office of Engineering and Technology homepage Unlicensed and Unshackled — Whitepaper on Unlicensed Devices FCC Spectrum Auction Band Plans Spectrum Allocation Chart — DC to Light Search for info about TV stations in an area FCC Rules, Part 74 (authority under which existing wireless microphones operate) FCC Rules, Part 15.219 (license-free operation in the AM broadcast band) Part 15.239 Operation in the FM broadcast band CFR-47 — FCC Rules 700MHz Band Plan (pdf) Excel Spreadsheet showing final channel assignments |
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Auction 73 / 700mHz bandJanuary 24, 2008News Article The FCC began the auction of the spectrum above 700mHz on 1/24/08. There are 1099 spectrum licenses and 214 registered applicants. The bidding lasts a month and the gummint expects to make 10 Billion ($10e9!) dollars from this. You can follow the action on the FCC's website: http://auctions.fcc.gov Auction 73 (700mHz band) Auction 73 Summary Final ResultsAs of June 15, 2009, the gummint made just under 20 Billion dollars from the sale of the 700mHz band.
Be HeardIf you're concerned about what may happen to your ability to use wireless microphones, in-ear monitoring, and other wireless devices after the DTV switch is thrown, do make yourself heard by your elected representatives. It is important to let both sides know your position (those in favor of opening up whitespace to other uses and those working to protect wireless microphone usage in whitespaces).The FCC, when in the process of rulemaking, leaves a block of time open for public comment. If you have issues with their proposed rules, you (yes you) should make your issues known to them. There is a particular protocol for contacting them, and the website link further down this page will help you be successful in doing this. The following representatives have legislation pending now, and need to hear your viewpoint:
Grammy.org's very helpful page for contacting elected representatives
Back to AES PNW homepage
Last modified 12/08/2017 9:40:4. |
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