I can still remember the first time I clipped a lavalier microphone on someone for a TV broadcast. It was during my internship at AT&T Corporate Television in 1978, back when razor blades were still used for editing and the smell of hot glue meant progress.

The mic was a Sony ECM-50, a small, rugged piece of engineering that quickly became my favorite. It needed a quirky little “N” battery that you could only find in specialty stores, but it sounded beautiful.

A few months later, I met what felt like pure science fiction: my first professional wireless microphone system. It was a Sony UHF transmitter and receiver paired with that same ECM-50 element, and for the first time, I could capture sound without being chained to a cable. The audio was clear, the signal was stable, and there were no wires to trip over. It just worked.

For a long time, wireless microphones felt like magic. Today, they feel more like triage. The magic has been replaced by management. Behind every concert, broadcast, or corporate event, there’s now a quiet war being fought over invisible real estate: radio spectrum.

The Shrinking Airwaves
Wireless microphones used to have plenty of room to breathe. For decades, most systems operated comfortably within the UHF television range from 470-806 MHz. These frequencies offered the perfect balance of power, antenna size, and propagation. But that was before governments realized the commercial value of those airwaves.

The first big hit came in 2009, when the transition to digital television freed up the 700 MHz band. The Federal Communications Commission auctioned that space to mobile broadband carriers like AT&T and Verizon, shrinking the number of open TV channels available for wireless microphone use. A few years later, it happened again with the 600 MHz band, much of which went to T-Mobile. Each time, the usable spectrum for professional microphones shrank.

While those auctions raised billions of dollars for the U.S. Treasury, none of that windfall ever found its way back to the professional audio community that once depended on those frequencies. Wireless microphone users—from broadcasters to theaters to houses of worship—lost access to critical portions of the spectrum without compensation or assistance to transition. The mobile carriers that won the auctions gained valuable assets, while production teams were left scrambling to replace equipment and redesign systems at their own expense. In effect, it was a one-sided trade: Culture and communication ceded ground so commerce could expand.

What had once been an open field is now a narrow alley. In most major cities, there may be only one or two available TV channels left for unlicensed wireless microphones. The rest belong to high-power mobile networks or other licensed users. As one engineer put it, “It’s like trying to park 50 trucks in a two-car garage.”

Problems and Solutions
I recently sat down with Mike Sinclair, a professional sound designer, to chat about problems and possible solutions. He's worked on everything from live events to concerts to corporate audio and described it bluntly: “You can plan every cue, map every signal path, and test every channel, but if you don’t have enough frequencies to manage the production there’s very little you can do.”

Even when you do find enough open frequencies, it doesn’t mean it will stay quiet. Modern environments are packed with devices that share or spill into the same spectrum. Multiple digital services are now actively competing for what is ultimately the same limited bandwidth.

The problem isn’t just about congestion; it’s about unpredictability. What used to be simple “set and forget” gear now requires active management. Sound engineers who once mixed audio now find themselves either running RF scans, plotting frequency tables, and negotiating for airspace—or spending a boatload of additional cash buying wireless systems that will do the investigating and hopping for you. Every production feels like a temporary truce with chaos.

The answer is often counterintuitive. You might think throwing more power and more money at the problem would make things easier, but in many cases, it doesn’t. As Sinclair told me, when multiple wireless systems have to coexist in tight spaces, very close together—like, for example, Broadway theaters—the solution is precision, not brute force. Engineers have to be surgical, using highly directional antennas and carefully tuned devices that keep their signals tightly contained to avoid interference.

Devices Fight Back
To survive in this new landscape, manufacturers have had to reinvent their technology. Early wireless microphones operated on fixed frequencies. Modern systems can tune across wide ranges, automatically scan for open spectrum, and adjust power output on the fly.

One possible approach could be treating each microphone as a separate radio signal, using one wide channel to transmit dozens of audio streams using time-division multiplexing. In simple terms, it sends tiny slices of each audio channel in rapid succession so that multiple mics can share a single piece of spectrum without stepping on each other. Sennheiser, one of the world’s leading innovators in professional wireless audio, has been at the forefront of developing new spectrum-efficient technologies, such as Wireless Multichannel Audio Systems (WMAS).

Joe Ciaudelli, the company’s director of spectrum and innovation, explained that WMAS technology "occupies a broader bandwidth but transmits multiple audio channels within that space using time-division multiplexing. This design dramatically increases spectral efficiency, enabling dozens of microphones to operate in a single TV channel.”

Solutions like this allow both microphones and in-ear monitors to operate in the same RF channel, dynamically allocating bandwidth based on priority. A lead performer can get full-fidelity, low-latency audio, while a backstage communication channel can tolerate higher latency and lower quality. For large productions, this means far more microphones can coexist peacefully in the same space.

For high-profile events, technology alone isn’t always enough. On-site professional frequency coordination can offer productions peace of mind by managing and accounting for each frequency.

Companies like Professional Wireless Systems (PWS) provide RF management and coordination for various events, including major productions like the Super Bowl Halftime Show. Jim Van Winkle, general manager at PWS, emphasizes that their competitive edge lies in on-site experience. He notes that an experienced RF coordinator is a "game-changer," bringing invaluable knowledge for pre-planning and crucial troubleshooting if issues arise.

For smaller or budget-limited productions, advanced technology safeguards can still help avoid chaos. One such approach uses wireless transmit/receive pairs that continually search for and stand by with clean backup channels. If interference or dropouts are detected on the main channel, the devices automatically switch to that backup while beginning a new search for the next available path.

Another company that has fully embraced the need for adaptability is Wisycom, a manufacturer long respected for its RF engineering in broadcast, live performance, and location sound. Its CEO, Davide Morsiani, said RF coordination has become "one of the biggest challenges in modern production—not because engineers lack skill, but because the spectrum itself is shrinking and unpredictable. Every location behaves differently, and even the same venue can change throughout the day. Our goal is to give users visibility and flexibility across the widest possible tuning range, so they can adapt instantly rather than rely on luck."

And one final approach that should be mentioned, despite its quixotic nature, would be for the FCC to actually begin policing the use of approved frequencies, as it's clear that everyone isn’t playing nicely in the sandbox.

Unified Voices
Technology alone isn’t enough. The professional audio industry has also learned that it needs a stronger and more unified voice in the policy arena. Shure led the formation of the Wireless Microphone Spectrum Alliance (WMSA), bringing together manufacturers, engineers, and end users to create a coordinated front at a time when spectrum access continues to shrink.

Shure has been deeply involved in the development of regulations in the United States and other countries, with spectral efficiency as the center point of its advocacy. According to Prakash Moorut, Shure’s global head of spectrum and regulatory affairs, WMSA now provides a platform for the industry to proactively educate policymakers about preserving wireless microphone access to spectrum, even as manufacturers innovate to use the remaining airwaves more efficiently.

The WMSA's work is already gaining traction. With more than 200 members, it has begun drawing attention in Washington at a critical moment, as the United States prepares to co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup and later welcome the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, two enormous global events that will rely on hundreds of wireless microphones for live performance, broadcast, and ceremony production.

Its outreach spans the White House, National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), FCC, and Congress, reinforcing how essential wireless microphones are to live performance, broadcast, cultural storytelling, religious services, and civic engagement. As Sinclair put it, “We can innovate all we want, but without spectrum, we’re just building better paperweights.”

Sinclair also floated an idea that goes beyond better microphones and smarter antennas—fixing the imbalance at its source. Many parts of the radio spectrum are still occupied by legacy government systems that haven’t been modernized in decades. Instead of pleading for scraps of spectrum, the professional audio industry could partner with agencies to modernize their outdated communications equipment, offering better technology in exchange for access to cleaner airwaves.

He suggested manufacturers and private sector innovators could help by providing modern replacements for that aging infrastructure, freeing up underused bands for shared, coordinated access. “There are military and public safety systems out there still running gear designed in the 1970s,” Sinclair said. “They’re holding huge chunks of spectrum hostage because no one’s upgraded them.”

As Moorut noted, during the 600 MHz auction, broadcasters—one of the largest groups of professional wireless microphone users—received roughly half of the auction’s proceeds, around $10 billion. That scale of compensation underscores how valuable this spectrum is to the wider media ecosystem, why the wireless production community must be included when national spectrum decisions are made, and how meaningful funding already exists to support the kind of modernization Sinclair is calling for.

Engineering Creativity Under Constraint
Despite the challenges, the show always goes on. Engineers have adapted by developing meticulous coordination strategies that resemble air traffic control. Frequencies are planned weeks in advance, with backup sets pre-programmed and tested. Large events can involve dozens of engineers managing hundreds of transmitters and receivers, all synchronized to avoid collisions.

Sinclair recalled a recent broadcast where every spare frequency was spoken for. “We had to label each transmitter like it was a boarding pass," he said. "One mistake and someone’s mic would vanish mid-sentence.” Some productions have even started reverting to wired microphones for reliability, not as a nostalgic choice but as a practical one.

It’s a strange twist: The technology that once symbolized freedom now represents a kind of scarcity. Yet within those constraints, creativity thrives. It forces precision, collaboration, and a renewed respect for the craft of live sound.

If history is any guide, the demand for wireless bandwidth will only grow. Each new generation of mobile networks (5G, 6G, and beyond) will hunger for more spectrum. Without deliberate protection for professional audio, the remaining white spaces could vanish entirely.

Spectrum is a shared public resource. Every wireless signal, from a singer’s microphone to a teenager’s smartphone, travels through the same air. What’s at stake isn’t just bandwidth, it’s the ability to express and connect through live sound.

The professional audio community has always been inventive, finding ways to make art work under constraint. But the next chapter will depend on collaboration—engineers pushing technology forward, manufacturers sharing innovation, and policymakers ensuring that culture has a place in the spectrum. The future of wireless audio won’t be about finding empty space. It will be about learning how to share it wisely.

This op-ed originally appeared on our sister brand AV Networks/Systems Contractor News.

There’s a moment in fly fishing when you spot a new bend in the river for the first time. The current moves differently here. It’s deeper, faster, with little eddies and pockets where something might be waiting. Standing there, you realize that finding success is more than just showing up. You have to read the water, pick the right fly and cast just right.

Like a river, a live broadcast is in constant motion. The pace changes from slow stretches to sudden bursts and the flow can turn without warning. Cameras have to be in position before the play unfolds. The replay team has to grab the perfect angles in seconds. Graphics have to update in an instant. The audio mix needs to capture the roar of the stadium without drowning out the announcers. A single missed cue can ripple through the entire show. As a technical manager, I’m the one watching the whole current, making sure every part of the system is moving in harmony.

I’ve seen just about everything that can happen on a live production: power failures; cables going bad; graphics systems locking up moments before going to air. The challenge isn’t just fixing the issue; it’s doing it without breaking the rhythm of the show. In fly fishing, if a tangle forms in your line mid-drift, you don’t freeze or throw your hands up. You work it out quickly and get back to fishing before you miss your window. Broadcasting is the same way.

Knowing When It’s Flowing
When a crew is in sync, the production takes on a rhythm you can feel. Everyone knows their role, but more importantly, they know how their actions affect the people around them. A camera operator frames a shot with the replay team in mind. An A1 rides the crowd noise just right so the announcer’s words cut through. The coordination is almost invisible to the audience, but to those who live and breathe production, it’s the difference between simply getting the show on air and creating something that pulls people in.

Technology has reshaped the craft in ways that were hard to imagine when I started. We’ve gone from analog boards and fixed-truck setups to IP-based workflows, 4K resolution and fully remote productions. Some of those changes have made life easier. What used to take hours of patching can now be done with a few clicks. But new tools bring new kinds of problems. The day you assume everything will work perfectly is the day you get blindsided.

Being There
Nowhere has that evolution been more dramatic than in audio. Today, it’s about creating an immersive, almost cinematic soundscape. Viewers expect to feel like they’re in the building, on the field, even inside the huddle. That means capturing more than just the obvious. It’s not enough to hear the crack of the bat. You need to hear the chatter from the dugout, the sharp intake of breath right before the pitch, and the eruption after contact.

We’ve seen a huge shift toward spatial audio and object-based mixing, where sounds aren’t just panned left or right, but placed in a three-dimensional space. For sports especially, this opens up new ways to tell the story: The mix captures the full story from the quarterback’s calls, the sideline voices and the crowd’s energy, all working together to bring the game to life. It’s not just a mix, it’s an experience.

Microphone technology has also advanced in ways that make a difference on every show. From wireless lavaliers that give athletes mobility without losing clarity to mics that can survive being buried in ice without compromise, the tools we have now let us grab sound that would have been impossible decades ago. Wireless reliability has improved dramatically, but with that comes the challenge of managing dozens of channels in a congested RF environment. That’s a part of the job the audience never sees, but it’s as critical as any camera angle.

Flexibility Is Expected
As productions get more complex, so do the expectations for flexibility. IP audio networking has given us the ability to route and reroute sources anywhere in the world in real time. That means an A1 mixing from a facility hundreds of miles away can have the same control as they would in a truck on site. It’s efficient, but it also demands a higher level of planning. If there’s a hiccup in the network, it’s not just an inconvenience—it can take your entire show down.

The future of broadcast audio is going to be shaped by two competing forces: the drive for ever-greater immersion and the demand for leaner, more remote-friendly workflows. On one side, you’ll have technology pushing us toward hyperrealistic sound environments that rival live attendance. On the other, you’ll have budget and logistical realities pushing productions to do more with less resulting in fewer people on site, smaller crews and more automation. The winners will be the teams that can balance both without losing the soul of the show.

For me, the audio side has always been about authenticity. You can have the sharpest 4K picture in the world, but if the sound doesn’t match the moment, the emotional impact is gone. The excitement of a game-winning play comes alive when the sound matches the energy of the moment. Like reading a river, capturing that moment is a mix of skill, preparation and instinct. You can’t always predict when the big fish will strike or when the perfect crowd swell will happen, but you can be ready for it.

ATLANTA—Move over Shohei Ohtani. Make way Aaron Judge. Tonight’s 2025 MLB All-Star Game will see a private 5G wireless network emerge as a television production all-star in its own right, contributing numerous wireless camera shots, supporting comms and camera control from in and around Truist Park.

“The amazing part about Atlanta is that it’s not just a ballpark, and it’s not just a ballpark with a big parking lot around it,” Brad Cheney, vice president of field operations and engineering at Fox Sports, said. “It’s a ballpark with an amazing entertainment district [The Battery Atlanta] tied to it. That screams connectivity needs for us.”

(Editor’s note: Fox stations and cable network Fox Deportes will air the 2025 MLB All-Star Game at 8 p.m. ET from Truist Park in Atlanta. Viewers can also stream the game with the Fox Sports app and on Hulu + Live TV, FuboTV, YouTube TV and DirecTV.)

Crowded House
The Battery Atlanta, adjacent to the home of the Atlanta Braves, is a mixed use/entertainment complex with shops, bars and restaurants. Office buildings, apartments and a hotel round out its features—any one of which increases wireless network traffic and together, for an event like the All-Star Game, compounds the wireless network challenge.

“We learned back in 2021 during the World Series that The Battery was popular, and it’s continued to grow ever since from when it was relatively small and new,” he said.

To sidestep any 5G network congestion, Fox Sports is working with Major League Baseball sponsor and technology partner T-Mobile for private 5G wireless network coverage of the entertainment district and ballpark. CP Communications is managing the private 5G network and most conventional RF and wireless comms, he added, noting that the RF connectivity of a handful of specialty cameras being deployed will be managed by their respective vendors.

Fox Sports made big use of 5G for wireless camera contribution on Monday (July 14) during FS1’s “Live at the All-Star Game” show and will again rely on 5G connectivity to contribute shots for tonight’s game to “expand the zone of coverage” to include The Battery and Truist Park, Cheney said.

For the 140 wireless communications packs to be used to produce the game, there was no other practical choice. “There’s really no system large enough out there that’s not cellular-based that can do the amount of wireless audio packs we need for communications—not just for us, but also for Major League Baseball, for ESPN and all of the other rightsholders,” said Cheney.

Production Highpoints
Fox Sports will produce the All-Star Game in 1080p Full-HD HDR. Upscaled 4K HDR streams will be available for connected TVs and living room apps, such as Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV and Roku devices.

It will deploy 55 cameras, including six Super-Slow Mo cameras, a FlyCam traveling from The Battery Atlanta into the ballpark at home plate along the first base line, a helicopter camera and a drone camera from Beverly Hills Aerials.

A first for All-Star Game coverage, the broadcaster will outfit the entire umpire crew with body-worn cameras. Base umpires will wear MindFly chest cams, while the home plate umpire will wear a third-generation RF Wireless Mask Cam, the broadcaster said.

Managing the color and the look of the Ump Cams and drone camera isn’t simply a matter of tweaking CCU settings, especially given the need to integrate the camera shots seamlessly into the HDR production of the game.

“We’ve spent some time with colorists to make a profile for the drone that takes the SDR and makes the HDR correctly that matches the broadcast cameras as close as possible, obviously, knowing that the lensing is not the same and the sensors are not the same,” said Cheney. “We then use [AJA Video] ColorBoxes [and color controllers from Cyanview] to actually manage that color throughout the game.”

Fox Sports has a history with this color management strategy for specialty cameras, Cheney noted. During the UFL season, Fox Sports made extensive use of Mindfly cameras, and it has been regularly using the third-generation RF Wireless Mask Cam this season since it debuted during the 2024 MLB playoffs.

“It looks spectacular on its own, but when we get the maestros to tweak it up a bit, it’s going to look exactly like everything else there.”

The broadcaster must also address the effect of changing lighting conditions on color and the overall look of video as the evening game, which starts in daylight, transitions to stadium lighting as night falls. Fox Sports will rely on the ColorBoxes and Cyanview units to make necessary adjustments, according to Cheney.

Five COSM cameras are being deployed for presentation of the game at the COSM venues in Los Angeles and Dallas; however, it’s likely they will be used “once or twice throughout the broadcast to show off a special angle,” he said.

Fox Sports will deploy 40 field-effects mics and 10 player mics for real-time conversations between the announcers and players in the game. Joe Davis and John Smoltz will reunite in the booth for their fourth All-Star Game together. Reporters Ken Rosenthal and Tom Verducci will provide inside information and in-game reports from the field, the broadcaster said.

The ongoing work at Fox Sports leveraging artificial intelligence to uncover storylines from all audio sources that might otherwise get overlooked will not be integrated into game coverage. “That’s something we are working to deploy in Major League Baseball overall, but it’s not something for the All-Star Game,” said Cheney.

“Our audio focus for this show is really about the player audio and the two-ways that we’re able to do with all those players and continually making that kind of the focus of the game itself,” said Cheney.

TORONTO—The North American Spectrum Alliance has submitted two filings to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) addressing the Upper C-band proceeding and the “Delete, Delete, Delete” proceeding (GN Docket No. 25-133) that urge the agency to preserve valuable spectrum needed for media production and distribution across the United States.

The group was founded in January of 2025 with anchor members that include Sennheiser, FOX Sports, the NFL, MLB, CP Communications, Wisycom, PSSI, ATSC and others. It aims to provide a strong, unified voice for protecting spectrum required for content creation and distribution.

The group strongly opposes further reallocation of broadcast-related spectrum in the United States, which has eroded significantly over the years.

In its Upper C-band filing (GN Docket No. 25-59), the North American Spectrum Alliance argued that the remaining 3.98- 4.2 GHz of C-band spectrum must be retained for incumbent users, as it is irreplaceable for the high-quality, reliable media distribution North Americans have come to expect for live sports events, news and entertainment programming.

The group reminded the FCC that broadcasters and related incumbents have already lost 60% of the C-band during the 2021 auction and noted that further reallocation would cause significant interference, degrade service and result in untenable costs on both large networks and small businesses alike. The Alliance requests that, if an Upper C-band reallocation proceeds, all incumbents be fully reimbursed for replacement services and associated costs.

In the Alliance’s second filing, submitted in response to the “Delete, Delete, Delete” public notice, it urged the FCC to take a more modernized approach to wireless microphone usage, including temporary authorities. The Alliance characterized the current Special Temporary Authorization (STA) system as “outdated, unnecessarily burdensome and unpredictable,” especially as live productions increasingly rely on spectrum that is being reallocated and diminished.

The North American Spectrum Alliance suggests that specific low-power guard bands, such as 616-617 MHz and 805-806 MHz, be permanently open for licensed wireless microphone usage free of STA requirements. Additionally, it suggests removing the 50-device minimum for Part 74 licenses due to declining TV White Space devices and the dynamic needs of event producers.

More information about the North American Spectrum Alliance is available on its website.

NILES, Ill.—Shure Incorporated has announced that it is forming the Wireless Microphone Spectrum Alliance (WMSA), a coalition that will work to ensure access to RF spectrum for wireless microphones. This alliance will include end users, content creators, live production service providers, equipment manufacturers and other stakeholders.

The group has not, as yet, announced any other members.

In launching the group, Shure noted that wireless microphones are essential for a wide variety of activities, including concerts, events, corporate presentations, houses of worship, sports, film production, television, music, conferences, community meetings, and more across the United States. They are also used in events that are a significant source of revenue for media companies and others.

To protect scarce spectrum for their operations, WMSA will advocate for access to the RF spectrum that allows those events to operate using wireless microphones. More specifically, the group said its mission will be to:

• Preserve RF Spectrum: Ensure the availability of spectrum for wireless microphone users across various industries
• Raise Awareness: Through education, highlight the critical importance of spectrum for concerts, live sports, live events, concerts, the film industry, broadcast, theater, worship and other content creators
• Foster Collaboration: Create a platform for stakeholders to join forces in advocating for spectrum preservation
• Engage Policymakers: Work closely with the FCC, Congress, and other policymakers to advocate for sufficient spectrum allocations for current and future wireless microphone use
• Conduct Public Outreach: Encourage public involvement through outreach and events that demonstrate the necessity of wireless spectrum and the impact its loss would have on various productions

In addition, the group stressed that without proper spectrum availability for wireless microphones, many cities may not be able to successfully operate large-scale sporting events like the Super Bowl or the Olympic Games. Wireless microphones are used extensively for a wide variety of activities during these events, including:

• Press conferences
• Onsite TV and radio production
• Pre-show concerts
• Fundraisers/community events
• National anthems
• Halftime shows
• Broadcast microphones
• Referee/official microphones
• Public address and public safety microphones
• Many other activities that require adequate spectrum for wireless microphones

RF spectrum for wireless microphones will also play an important role in the U.S. for such upcoming major events as the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Olympic Games, the group said.

Shure said that organizations interested in joining this effort can contact Prakash Moorut (global head of spectrum and regulatory affairs at Shure) at moorutp@shure.com.

PARAMUS, N.J.—Sony Electronics has expanded its DWX Series of true digital wireless technology with the DWM-30 professional handheld microphone.

The new model is compatible with the entire DWX family and can use three different Sony mic capsules with different pickup patterns. It also accepts third-party mic capsules, the company said.

The DWM-30 digital wireless microphone transmitter is the successor to DWX Series model DWM-02N. The new model combines a user-friendly design, reduced weight and an approximately six-hour battery life with support for the latest codec modes, it said.

The DWM-30 is compatible with current DWX series models and operates within the frequency guidelines adopted as a result of the FCC spectrum reallocation. This model features a wideband operation (up to 148MHz) and allows tuning to frequencies as mandated by the FCC spectrum guidelines UHF-TV Ch 14-36 (470.125-607.875MHz) and 38 UHF-TV (614.125-615.875MHz).

The DWM-30 offers:

• Improved transmission performance for stable operation.
• Faithful sound reproduction with revised electrical circuits and mechanical structure and support for CODEC MODE 4, which balances high-quality transmission and low latency.
• User-friendly design, reduced weight—about 10% less than its predecessor—and approximately six hours of battery life.
• Support for CODEC MODE 2 supporting low latency of 1.2m/sec and newly added support for CODEC MODE 4. It also supports a wide band of up to 148MHz in the TV white space band with a 375-KHz channel plan, allowing for up to 16 channels per TV band for multi-channel simultaneous connections.
• High Gain Mode that allows for three-stage amplification (+6/+12/+18dB) when normal settings are insufficient.

The release of the Sony DWM-30/UC is planned for spring 2025.

For more information, visit the company’s website.

WASHINGTON—The FCC today voted to allow the use of a new, more spectrally efficient wireless microphone technology within the broadcast TV spectrum. Wireless Multi-Channel Audio Systems (WMAS) uses spectrum more efficiently than currently available narrowband microphones, meaning more microphones can be used without allocating more airwaves.  The rules will permit WMAS to operate on a licensed or unlicensed basis, while preserving the existing spectrum rights of others that share those frequencies. 

The protocol is backed by some of the industry’s largest mic manufacturers including Shure and Sennheiser. The NAB also backs the adoption of the protocol (with certain restrictions).

“WMAS is more spectrally efficient and affords greater protection for all users of the spectrum than conventional narrowband microphones,” Sennheiser told the FCC last week. “Events and studios that currently require multiple TV channels to operate their audio equipment will be able to condense the number of TV channels they require through a WMAS, in many cases reducing the required number of channels to a single channel. 

"A single WMAS can operate, on average, between 48 and 64 wireless microphones with professional sound quality and latency in a single TV channel, as compared to the multiple channels that would be required to operate a similar number of conventional, narrowband microphones with the same level of audio quality.”  

In addition to TV, radio and film studios, wireless microphones—which operate under the FCC’s technical rules for Part 74 low-power auxiliary station devices and Part 15 unlicensed devices—are used in other settings including theaters and music venues, educational institutions, conventions, corporate events, houses of worship, and internet webcasts.  The new rules will allow WMAS to operate in the broadcast TV bands and 600 MHz duplex gap on both a licensed and unlicensed basis, and in other Part 74 LPAS frequency bands on a licensed basis.

WMAS will enable more wireless microphones to operate in the spectrum available (i.e., more microphones per megahertz of spectrum), which provides additional options when more microphones are needed, according to the commission.  The rules do not alter the existing spectrum rights or expectations regarding spectrum access and availability for other authorized users that share the frequency bands with wireless microphone operations (including, for example, broadcast licensees, Wi-Fi, and white space device users). 

WASHINGTON—Ever since the use of wireless microphone technology exploded several decades ago, virtually all TV broadcasters—large and small—“cut the cable,” deploying wireless mics both in the field and in the studio. Ditto with live music, Broadway and Hollywood adopting wireless mics for sound reinforcement and motion picture production.

Paradoxically, as the popularity and use of these devices has risen, the amount of permissible spectrum for their deployment continues to shrink, beginning with the TV channel repack 10 years ago, which made the 800 MHz spectrum “off-limits,” and continuing today with the cap being lowered to 608 MHz.

The FCC issued a “heads-up” notice addressing this as the most recent TV spectrum auctions were ending, advising that wireless mics could still be used in 600 MHz spectrum as long as there was no interference to TV broadcasters or wireless broadband operations. The commission also established a firm “line in the sand” deadline of July 13, 2020, for a complete cessation of wireless mic operations in the 600 MHz spectrum deeded over to the telecoms.

WILL THERE BE ANY ‘WHITE SPACES’ LEFT?

With the deadline less than a year away, like broadcasters, wireless mic users face the loss of more than 80 MHz in the region between 608 and 692 MHz where mics had been allowed to operate (minus, of course, spectrum occupied by TV stations that were operating in that range). This lost chunk of spectrum is in addition to the 100 MHz or so that was reallocated for wireless broadband use when TV channels 52 to 69 “went away” in the aftermath of the 2009 transition to DTV.

The FCC is still allowing unlicensed wireless mic operation on any unoccupied UHF (or VHF) TV channel, but the gotcha is that with the current consolidation of stations into an even smaller neighborhood, there are fewer and fewer unoccupied channels anymore, especially in metropolitan areas—where the great majority of wireless mic users are found.

Admittedly, a wireless mic requires a lot less operational spectrum than a TV station, but users are feeling the pinch nonetheless.

“The reallocation of the UHF Band for mobile and other services is the single largest regulatory challenge that has faced the wireless microphone industry globally,” said Mark Brunner, vice president of corporate and government relations at Shure. “Reduction of TV band spectrum has occurred while demand by productions for wireless microphones and related pro audio equipment has steadily increased. The TV spectrum has been the primary home for wireless microphones since the beginning, and this spectrum is ideally suited to the RF performance characteristics desired by technical crews.”

Karl Winkler, vice president of sales and marketing at Lectrosonics, echoed Brunner’s observations.

“The popularity and utility of wireless microphones has not waned at all despite the loss of a significant portion of the spectrum,” he said. “The convenience, freedom of set design and movement, and the ability to rapidly respond to evolving news situations have all contributed to this popularity. Thus, the loss of spectrum has forced the industry to respond with newer technologies and features, along with the need to offer assistance to customers who have been displaced.”

Winkler noted that this assistance has been in the form of rebates, trade-ins, special pricing and other incentives being offered by wireless mic manufacturers, and observed that while broadcasters were being compensated for the changes forced by the reduction in spectrum, this was not the case with mic users.

“The government has not offered any compensation for wireless users the way they have for broadcasters to repack or go off the air,” he said.

Joe Ciaudelli, director of spectrum affairs within Sennheiser’s Research and Innovation division, also weighed in on the issue.

“The repurposing of spectrum from traditional over-the-air broadcast to mobile broadband is an issue of distribution of content,” said Ciaudelli. “It slices the distribution ‘pie’ into smaller slices. Conversely, the content creation ‘pie,’ which requires wireless microphones and similar devices, continues to experience exponential growth. Furthermore, productions continue to advance in technical sophistication.”

This has put engineers in a very difficult position, according to Ciaudelli.

“Many producers and directors don’t know the details of the spectrum crunch and regulatory changes,” he said. “They understandably are focused on nontechnical aspects of the production. They just expect the engineers to make it work, without realizing the magnitude of the challenge the engineers face.”

JUST HOW BAD IS THE PROBLEM?

While an exact headcount of wireless microphones, IFB systems and beltpack intercoms in the United States isn’t available, James Stoffo, the chief technology officer at wireless intercom manufacturer Radio Active Designs, offered what he believes to be a good working estimate of the number of such systems that are now competing for spectrum.

“My partner Geoff Shearing and I went to the FCC on multiple occasions on behalf of the broadcast and production communities, and tried to enlighten them as to how many wireless microphones and intercoms were out in the United States,” said Stoffo. “When we first went, the FCC thought there were less than 1,000 wireless in the entire country. Actually, at that time there were closer to 2.5 million devices, and that caused a couple of jaws to drop.”

Stoffo, who has been in the wireless business since the 1980s, and has served as RF coordinator for numerous large events for years, noted that even three decades ago the number of wireless systems in use was close to 2 million and has been growing steadily.

“At the NBC studios in New York, in one building there are probably 500 devices,” he said. “In Broadway theaters—in just a three-block radius—there are probably 1,500 wireless devices. And in Disney World alone there are almost 2,000 devices.”

Obviously, the diminishing spectrum for these devices is a huge issue and one that is not going to go away. So, with the loss of the 600 MHz TV channels, can there still be a “business as usual” attitude among users?

THE SHOW MAY STILL GO ON, BUT NOT WITHOUT CAREFUL PLANNING

Jim Dugan, president of wireless microphone company Wisycom USA and Jetwave Wireless, a firm that specializes in wireless technology deployment, has been involved in many large-scale wireless system deployments during his three decades in the business. These include ABC’s “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rocking Eve” Times Square broadcast, along with many other big-ticket sporting and music events, Presidential inaugurals and more. He was asked about the prospects of being able to “go wireless” at future events, given the contracting spectrum situation.

“It’s all about coordination,” said Dugan, pointing out that he acts, on a volunteer basis in conjunction with the local Society of Broadcast Engineers, as frequency coordinator for special events in Washington, D.C., and also works to coordinate wireless device use for many of the really big events just mentioned.

Dugan cites the most recent NHL All-Star game as a good example of the challenges of frequency coordination.

“There were 500 frequencies in coordination—really a lot of stuff going on,” he said. “We’re in the process of revisiting this whole usage and coordination model right now. I’m also involved in coordinating the New Year’s Eve Time Square broadcast origination. This is really big—ABC does a show, NBC does a show, Fox does a show, CNN does a show. Then there are the international broadcasters who will be there, plus all the musical acts that play at 45th Street—this will be a separate remote for ABC.

“During the past several years we’ve been looking at six TV networks with probably 500 wireless mics,” Dugan added. “There have also been maybe 10 wireless cameras in use too, along with the thousands of people with their cell phones generating RF noise. This is a really good test of the technology.”

Dugan starts notifying the networks in October, but adds that once the coordination plan was established it has pretty much stayed the same over the years.

“This year may be different,” Dugan said. “Due to the repack, we are going to be re-evaluating what’s doable and what’s not within the remaining spectrum.”

EDUCATION IS KEY

Loss of spectrum because of the repack is not the biggest problem facing the wireless mic arena, however, according to Dugan.

“I think it’s spectral efficiency and spectrum management [band planning],” he said. “This problem shows up differently for different verticals. If you’re an ENG operator you want to have 20 or 30 MHz between transmit and receive frequencies for talent. In broadcasting bigger installations, band planning is very important. A lot of people turn these things on and don’t realize that they interact.

“I tend to look at everything in terms of inbound and outbound frequencies,” he added. “People seem to understand this the least. There’s really a big gap in the understanding of ‘best practices’ by a lot of operators t there. It can’t be a situation anymore where ‘planning’ is accomplished by just issuing a purchase order for wireless mic equipment.”

While it appears that post-repack wireless mic usage can continue—along with over-the-air TV broadcasting—there will be fewer and fewer parking slots. This just might be a good time to check out your old tried-and-true corded microphones and cable sets to make sure they’re serviceable, just in case the wireless broadband folks start eyeing some of those remaining parking places.

So, What Exactly Is Left Spectrum-Wise?

With the UHF spectrum above Ch. 36 (602-608 MHz) fast becoming “verboten,” just where can wireless mics, wireless IFB systems and beltpack intercoms operate?

According to the FCC, this depends. Rules allow such unlicensed devices to freely navigate both the VHF and (remaining) UHF spectrum, provided there is no licensed entity operating there. With the repack forcing some very close channel adjacencies, and even movement from UHF down to low VHF slots (there will even be 11 stations operating on Ch. 2 when the dust settles, according to www.rabbitears.info), broadcast spectrum that might be used for wireless mics and similar devices seems to be in short supply, especially in larger markets.

The FCC, in a recently-issued bulletin (“Operation of Wireless Microphones”) rather optimistically states:

“Many frequencies in the TV bands that had been available for wireless microphone use prior to the auction will continue to be available after the transition period.”

Notwithstanding the reality of the highly-compacted post-repack spectrum, there is a glimmer of hope that operation of these devices will still be permitted above 608 MHz within “certain frequencies” in both the wireless broadband’s 614–616 MHz “guard band” (just above TV Ch. 37) and in its “duplex gap” (657–663 MHz for unlicensed mics) and (653–657 MHz) for licensed devices. However, the commission’s memorandum does not specify what the “certain frequencies” may be. (Definitely off-limits are the 617–652 MHz and 663–698 MHz regions.)

The Commission also requires that anyone selling or leasing wireless mic gear capable of operation in these latter two spectrum blocks must inform customers that they “must cease operating on these frequencies no later than July 13, 2020.” It goes on to say that this “sunsetting” may even take place sooner if interference to licensed services (those of wireless broadband providers) occurs.

The FCC memorandum also recognizes some “bands outside the TV bands for wireless microphone use.” Specifically, these are the 169–172 MHz region, some 900 MHz spectrum, as well as 1,435–1,525 MHz in the UHF band, and 6,875–7,125 MHz in the SHF (super high frequency) microwave region. A license is required to “fire up” a wireless device operating on any of the frequencies in these ranges, however, this may not be the easiest thing to get unless you belong to a certain group.

This is spelled out clearly in FCC rules dealing with low-power auxiliary stations (LPAS) licensing and operation, with only large entities such as TV and motion picture production companies, cable TV operators, performance venues or professional sound reinforcement companies that “routinely use 50 or more” such low power devices eligible for a license.

If you don’t fall into this group of “super users,” the commission also sanctions wireless mic operation in some other spectrum blocks, but these are shared, and are not always the best neighborhoods. They include 902–928 MHz (also referred to as the 33-centimeter band), and 1,920–1,930 MHz, along with some additional territory in the microwave region (portions of the 2.4 gHz and 5 gHz spectrum bands.)

If you opt for 33-centimeter spectrum, you’ll be sharing it with industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) RF equipment users, as well as radio amateurs. The 1,920–1,930 MHz block is shared with licensed “Fixed and Mobile” users, as well as some cordless telephones. Also, the commission forbids the plunking down of conventional FM wireless mics (or other communication devices) in this region. As it’s shared, any unlicensed device must perform continuous monitoring and only produce RF where no other signal is detected, which requires a specialized class of wireless mics. You’re also going to have some company in the 2.4 gHz and 5 gHz regions too, with such things as ISM devices, cordless phones, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth transmitters, and even garage door openers and microwave ovens vying for spectrum.

(Note: The spectrum usage information is only a summary of applicable FCC rules and regulations, and is not intended to replace careful reading and observance of the complete rule set. For detailed information on wireless mic operation, refer to the FCC’s 15-100 “Report And Order,” which was released Aug. 11, 2015.)

For more information on the repack, visit TV Technology's repack silo.

London, UK— The decision to standardize on Point Source Audio (PSA) was led by Dave Cowell, lead sound designer and programmer for Carnival UK. Point Source Audio’s body-worn microphones will support the fleets’ performance venues which are in use a standard 15-hours a day, 365 days a year.

Carnival UK (which incorporates Cunard Cruise Line and P&O Cruises UK) are part of Carnival Corporation & plc, the world’s largest leisure travel company, with a cruise fleet of 102 ships operating in North America, England, Europe and Australia.

“The cruising industry is one of the harshest environments for product delivery I have worked in. When microphones fail due to sweat, cable failure or breakages, it significantly affects our product delivery to the thousands of guests we cater to on a daily basis,” described Cowell.

Having used microphones from different manufacturers over the years, Cowell experienced increasing costs but saw no major benefit change to the products. The variation of microphones from ship to ship—including a mixture of omni and directional units—made the shows sound different, as well as life more difficult for the engineers who had to come to grips with new sound challenges on a routine basis.

“There weren’t many available solutions to consider. First and foremost, I was looking for quality, followed very closely by sweat resistance and longevity,” said Cowell. “While the quality aspect was matched from our previous supplier, there were continued issues with sweat ingress and breakages as well as the aforementioned cost implications.”

Autograph supplied demo units of PSA’s CO-8WD omni headsets for Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth which led to Cowell’s ultimate recommendation to move ahead with Point Source: “From the moment the microphones were plugged in, I could hear the quality. Crystal clear mid and high frequencies made vocal mixing easy. The low end was also great for our male cast members. The gain before feedback was impressive and there was very little EQ applied to any of the performers as the response was so flat out of the box.”

The ability of the headsets to be bent and configured to any conceivable shape without breaking was incredibly important to Cowell. He described the wear and tear the mics typically face: “The production casts are on board between five to seven months and perform two or three shows a night, on average every two days. We have costume changes that run under 8 seconds, so having a unit which dealt with the day to day environment was paramount. The sturdy frame of the headset was also an important factor for the same reasons.”

Cowell summed up his experience by expressing that “our Point Source Audio microphones are delivering monetary benefits as well as continued quality across our delivered product.” He credited the marked improvements by saying, “Thankfully, our relationship with Autograph and the fact we were provided demo units to trial during the aforementioned installation meant that they could be properly tested by myself on board, allowing me to gather an informed opinion on their suitability, both from a product delivery standpoint as well as a cost benefit one.”

Visitors to PLASA 2019 from September 15-17 will be able to demo Point Source Audio’s collection of microphones at Autograph Sales & Installations’ stand H10 in Olympia, London.

To learn more about Point Source Audio products, visit www.point-sourceaudio.com or its UK distributor, Autograph Sales & Installations at http://www.autographsales.co.uk.

About Carnival United Kingdom Carnival UK (which incorporates Cunard Cruise Line and P&O Cruises UK) are part of Carnival Corporation & plc, the world’s largest leisure travel company, whose portfolio of global cruise line brands includes operations in North America, England, Europe and Australia. Their cruise fleet of 102 ships is the most extensive globally, visiting more than 700 ports around the world, employing over 120,000 people worldwide and attracting 11.5 million guests annually.

About Autograph Sales & Installation Autograph Sales & Installations was established in 1982 by Autograph Sound, a global pioneer in audio for theatre and one of Europe’s leading sound rental companies. Then, as now, Sales & Installations’ activities complement those of the hire division by bringing the same design principles, system engineering, technical expertise, and leading-edge technologies to a much broader spectrum of clients in education, worship, industry and retail. They are also acknowledged leaders in providing installed audio solutions for contemporary theatre and dedicated performance spaces.

About Point Source Audio Point Source Audio (@PSA_audio) manufactures and distributes worldwide their SERIES8, EMBRACE, and CONFIDENCE collection of miniature microphones—a unique line of headset, earworn and earmounted microphones known for their robust bendable boom and waterproof features. The company also holds two patents for the EMBRACE concealable microphone as well as the patent for the world’s first modular in-ear comms headset that is supporting the hearing health for audio, lighting and camera techs using headsets everywhere from sports to space. Founded in 2004, Point Source Audio is headquartered in Petaluma, Calif. For more information call (415) 226-1122 or visit www.point-sourceaudio.com. Follow the company on Twitter at www.twitter.com/PSA_audio.

Petaluma, Calif.— Point Source Audio (PSA), manufacturer of specialty sub-miniature body-worn style microphones, has launched Mic Finder, an interactive web-based tool designed to help sound teams—from TV to theatre—pinpoint specific mic elements and mic styles to suit applications from corporate presenters to rock n’ roll musicals to violin mic’ing.

Expanding beyond traditional lavalier and headset style microphones, recent advances in the company’s approach to body-worn mics include the patent-pending Confidence™Collection microphones highlighting built-in redundancy, and the EMBRACE™Collection of concealable microphones that are twice patented. The company emphasizes that these additions present a world of fresh possibilities when sound teams are challenged with unique requisites—from facial hair to drop hoop earrings—when fitting mics on actors or speakers.

The Mic Finder web tool is accessible online via desktop, tablet, and mobile devices. The tool presents a series of questions to narrow microphone choice and shares successful experiences from real-world examples that best match the users’ needs.

“What we’ve learned in working closely with our customers is that no two mic’ing situations are the same; the smallest variable can make one mic selection perfect in one situation, and a disaster in another,” said Yvonne Ho, sales and marketing VP for Point Source Audio.

Users looking for the right microphone simply select the relevant application with various considerations from Mic Finder’s menu settings. Product recommendations are then presented along with customer use cases including:

• Mics that hide
• Mics that survive heavy water/sweat
• Mics for fast-moving musical theatre
• Mics for preaching
• Mics that fight feedback
• Mics that shape and bend
• Mics that accept custom color
• Mics for bearded performers
• Mics that backup themselves

Besides finding the right microphone performance features, sound teams must also battle variables such as costuming, concealment, venue size, loudspeaker placement, vocal projection, and more. Ho explained with examples: “We get questions routinely on how to head mic an actor with no hair, or one who sweats heavily, or sometimes both at the same time.”

The novice sound person can learn about mic choice with consideration for speaking or singing, whereas those new to Point Source Audio mics can discover unconventional mic’ing possibilities including how EMBRACE microphones can be used for violinists or boom headsets for flutists doubling on several instruments in one performance.

The company expects to continue expanding the tool with new products and technology solutions alongside noteworthy applications in real-world environments. To access Mic Finder, visit www.point-sourceaudio.com/mic-finder

About Point Source Audio

Point Source Audio (@PSA_audio) manufactures and distributes worldwide their SERIES8, EMBRACE, and CONFIDENCE collection of miniature microphones—a unique line of headset, earworn and earmounted microphones known for their robust bendable boom and waterproof features. The company also holds two patents for the EMBRACE concealable microphone as well as the patent for the world’s first modular in-ear comms headset that is supporting the hearing health for audio, lighting and camera techs using headsets everywhere from sports to space. Founded in 2004, Point Source Audio is headquartered in Petaluma, Calif. For more information call (415) 226-1122 or visit www.point-sourceaudio.com. Follow the company on Twitter at www.twitter.com/PSA_audio.

Manteo, N.C.— Through wind and rain, stage fights, environmental acoustics and more, Point Source Audio mics have weathered all the challenges in The Lost Colony, the outdoor theatre production located on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The audio team, confident in their PSA investment since 2013, recently added the new patent-pending CO2 Confidence Collectiondual-element headset mic to their collection of 24 active on set mics.

“We were excited to see a product that made the application of the dual elements simpler by combining those wire runs and keeping things as tidy as possible. That mic has been a great benefit to the production,” says Sound Designer/composer Michael Rasbury. “The [lead] character is most likely to have a mic issue due to the activity required by this role; stage combat; perspiration.”

Since 1937, The Lost Colony has been telling the story of the first English colonies in North America and their mysterious disappearance. Over the past few years, the audio systems have been overhauled, upgraded and redesigned, including the ever-important microphones.

Robust equipment to withstand elements including water—in the form of rain and perspiration— as well as wind and heat is invaluable for theatre, but especially for outdoor theatre. The associate producer Lance Culpepper explains: “To provide our audience the experience that they’re expecting, we really have to put a lot of our resources into ensuring that the audio equipment can sustain itself through all of these dynamic changes. That’s one of the reasons why microphones are so important to us. Prior to the Point Source mics, we saw a much shorter lifespan with the previous microphones and we had to send them out for servicing more frequently. We don’t see those problems with the Point Source mics.”

“I am beyond pleased with the addition of Point Source microphones to our production,” states A1 Joseph Reynolds. “The waterproof elements are paramount to an outdoor period drama, where the perspiration of the talent could compromise mic functionality. I especially enjoy the dual behind the ear headsets. It helps to have consistent placement and keeps the mic off the talent’s face.”

Placement is an important consideration as noted by Rasbury. “From a design perspective, the low profile of these microphones is key for getting the mic near the voice without detracting from the 16th-century costume design. Our show is also very physical in nature. We have a large company and large-scale fight choreography. Given the way these mics attach to both ears, they stay on the actor and in the correct place throughout the show.”

The other feature of the PSA mics that the team wants to highlight is that “the frequency response of these elements is excellent (20Hz to 20kHz),” says Rasbury. “Our show also includes gunshots, explosions, and loud actor responses; these do not distort at high SPL.” Reynolds adds, “The frequency response is tailored nicely to the full range of human speech and I don’t have to slice up every channel with a parametric scalpel.”

The CO2 Confidence Collection has two waterproof and frequency-matched elements, each measuring a tiny 3mm. Both elements offer built-in redundancy and integrate PSA’s first-to-market features including IP 57 waterproof rating and the “unbreakable” headset boom. Point Source Audio mics are engineered for durability and to endure challenging mic applications.

Culpepper appreciates the support from Point Source Audio. “They’ve been great to work with,” he says. “The communication has been excellent as well as customer service-wise. Knowing that we’re not just another account number with them means a lot to our organization.”

The audio team at The Lost Colony includes sound designer Michael Rasbury, A1 Joe Reynolds, and A2 Josiah Rodgers. Microphones supplied by Wake Forest, NC-based Provision Audio Video Solutions.

For more information about Point Source Audio and its products, visit www.point-sourceaudio.com.

AboutThe Lost Colony

First staged in 1937, The Lost Colony is the nation’s premier and longest-running outdoor symphonic drama. Written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Paul Green and produced by the Roanoke Island Historical Association, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit, The Lost Colony’s 2019 season runs May 31-Aug. 23, 2019 at Roanoke Island’s Waterside Theatre, located within the Fort Raleigh National Historic Site on the Outer Banks. For information, go to www.thelostcolony.org

About Point Source Audio

Point Source Audio (@PSA_audio) manufactures and distributes worldwide their SERIES8, EMBRACE, and CONFIDENCE collection of miniature microphones—a unique line of headset, earworn and earmounted microphones known for their robust bendable boom and waterproof features. The company also holds two patents for the EMBRACE concealable microphone as well as the patent for the world’s first modular in-ear comms headset that is supporting the hearing health for audio, lighting and camera techs using headsets everywhere from sports to space. Founded in 2004, Point Source Audio is headquartered in Petaluma, California. For more information call (415) 226-1122 or visit www.point-sourceaudio.com. Follow the company on Twitter at www.twitter.com/PSA_audio.

Petaluma, CA ­– Point Source Audio (PSA), will be displaying their patent-pending CO2 Confidence Collection, a new class of built-in redundant microphones, at this year’s Infocomm trade show being held June 12-14 in Orlando, FL.

The CO2 Confidence Collection all have dual elements, each measuring a tiny 3mm, that offer built-in redundancy and comes in three styles: headset, lavalier, and in Point Source Audio’s patented EMBRACE™ embodiment. The CO2 dual elements maintain two of the company’s signature features: IP 57 waterproof rating (rated against water, sweat and makeup), and the “unbreakable” headset boom bendable up to 360° to bolster durability.

The CO2 Confidence Collection, released in February 2019, has been gaining market acceptance as a convenient mic redundancy solution in their core theatre market as well as house of worship and corporate audio markets. Forty of PSA’s CO2 headsets were recently utilized for double mic’ing at the 2019 American Israeli Policy Conference (AIPAC) held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC, in early March.

The CO2 headset microphones were also used at the recent USITT 2019 Stage Expo for the keynote speech and other high profile events. Jeff Polunas, Special Events Sound Coordinator for the USITT Sound Commission, incorporated the CO2 Confidence mics into his audio rigs saying, “I think they are top of the line products and anyone that would be using them would be happy to have them in their production.”

Attendees can see the full line of specialty miniature, body-worn style microphones and the patented EMBRACE™ earmounted lavalier, as well as in-ear audio headsets at the Infocomm booth 5443. For more information about Point Source Audio’s various audio solutions, visit www.point-sourceaudio.com.

About Point Source Audio
Point Source Audio (@PSA_audio) manufactures and distributes worldwide their SERIES8, EMBRACE, and CONFIDENCE collection of miniature microphones — a unique line of headset, earworn and earmounted microphones known for their robust bendable boom and waterproof features. The company also holds two patents for the EMBRACE concealable microphone as well as the patent for the world’s first modular in-ear comms headset that is supporting the hearing health for audio, lighting and camera techs using headsets everywhere from sports to space. Founded in 2004, Point Source Audio is headquartered in Petaluma, California. For more information call (415) 226-1122 or visit www.point-sourceaudio.com. Follow the company on Twitter at www.twitter.com/PSA_audio.

Petaluma, Calif. — Point Source Audio (PSA) announced that it has appointed China’s EAD and South Korea’s Capstone Pro to be distribution partners for its SERIES8 and EMBRACE™ microphones as well as its CM-i series of patented in-ear headsets. The appointments come on the back of an expansion effort in response to increased sales and product awareness outside of the USA for Point Source Audio. These partnerships further expand the company’s worldwide reach, which now includes international partners in the United Kingdom, Australia, Japan Italy, Norway, Finland and France, among others.

“We’re excited to be working with both Capstone Pro and EAD,” said James Lamb, President of Point Source Audio. “The creative community in these regions is massive and our products fit their needs. Our goal is to continuously improve our customers’ experience around the world in every aspect and we are confident that our new partners will help achieve that.”

Integral to achieving this growth trajectory in the Asia Pacific region is also the appointment of AS Audio APAC Pte. Ltd. as the manufacturer’s representative in the territory. Based in Singapore, the company, led by Alex Schloesser, will support the Asia Pacific business and develop its distribution network. AS Audio will also handle all technical and sales support for Point Source Audio throughout the APAC region.

Schloesser comments, “Developing and growing the PSA business is a rewarding and enjoyable task. Wherever we take the products, they shine and stand their ground with the competition. I very much look forward to be taking PSA into APAC.”

Point Source Audio is a manufacturer of specialty sub-miniature body-worn style microphones and patented lavalier mounting systems specifically designed for theatre applications. The company creates value-added solutions through intelligent designs, driven by market demand — examples include their IP 57 rated waterproof models and unique headsets which retain the position of the microphone capsule regardless of performer activity.

About EAD
Established in 1997, Guangzhou Donghui Digital Technology Development Co, Ltd is a professional audio and video integrator and distribution company. The company is headquartered in Hong Kong with branches in Guangzhou and Beijing. For more information, visit their website at www.ead.cn.

About Capstone Pro
CAPSTONE PRO, led by founders Kevin Kim and Jesse Park, both veterans of the professional audio industry, was established in 2018. The company distributes pro audio brands including Point Source Audio throughout Korea. For more information visit their website at www.capstonepro.co.kr.

About Point Source Audio
Point Source Audio (@PSA_audio) manufactures and distributes worldwide their SERIES8, EMBRACE, and CONFIDENCE collection of miniature microphones—a unique line of headset, earworn and earmounted microphones known for their robust bendable boom and waterproof features. The company also holds two patents for the EMBRACE concealable microphone as well as the patent for the world’s first modular in-ear comms headset that is supporting the hearing health for audio, lighting and camera techs using headsets everywhere from sports to space. Founded in 2004, Point Source Audio is headquartered in Petaluma, Calif. For more information call (415) 226-1122 or visit www.point-sourceaudio.com. Follow the company on Twitter at www.twitter.com/PSA_audio.

Petaluma, California — Point Source Audio (PSA) today announced the patent-pending CO2 Confidence Collection microphones. The new class of wireless microphones all have dual elements offering built-in redundancy—and showcase an appealing new slimline design. They integrate two of the company’s important first-to-market features in miniature microphones: IP 57 waterproof rating, and the “unbreakable” headset boom bendable to 360° to bolster durability. All this unlocks new conveniences and simplicity for broadcast, audio, and production techs as well as please the presenters and performers they serve. The CO2 Confidence Collection microphones are shipping February 4.

“Double mic’ing can be heavy lifting when it comes to the cabling and their clutter; that’s why our CO2 Confidence Collection is specifically intended to ease the workload of many A2’s and sound engineers working in live mic applications. We released our first dual element mics in 2017 and now we’ve added other popular styles to the collection—our development team also originated a design such that the back-up mic practically disappears from view,” said Yvonne Ho, Point Source Audio’s vice president of Sales & Marketing. “The new form factor pairs our smallest elements at roughly 3mm each to create a dual mic’ing system that is barely detectable.”

Groundbreaking Double Mic’ing Simplicity in Three New Mic Styles

The ingenious double mic’ing setup of the CO2 Confidence Collection comes in three popular styles: headset, lavalier, and in Point Source Audio’s patented EMBRACE™ embodiment. The mics’ new petite form factor is based on the company’s existing omnidirectional single element microphones of a mere 3mm—and that are all waterproof. The backup element is fashioned to the existing mic in tandem and where the independent and continuous wire paths are integrated into a singular wire jacket giving audio technicians a clean alternative to cumbersome cable dressing. The mic cable splits approximately nine inches above connection to the body-packs to allow ample room for separation of the transmitters.

Time-Tested Waterproof Endurance

The CO2 Confidence mics utilize the same waterproof elements that have helped audio teams power through many challenging stage conditions from water, sweat, makeup and even (fake) blood-soaked stage actors in productions ranging from Sweeney Todd to Singin’ in the Rain to Monsoon Wedding. Cyril Auclair, Assistant and FOH Mixer at Paris’ Théâtre du Châtelet, sums up his experience with Point Source Audio’s waterproof mics in Singin’ in the Rain this way: “We are happy with the product because after 110 shows and a lot of water the mic is perfect!!”

Sonic Excellence Seamlessly Matched in Both Elements

The Confidence microphones feature precisely matched elements to a near identical ±0.5 dB difference. Whereas a usual method of redundant mic’ing can be achieved with two separate microphones, audio between them may vary due to differences between the microphone brand, the microphones’ age, as well as variances in the specifications. The Confidence Collection solves this challenge with elements that are factory matched in frequency and sensitivity—so when a vital backup is initiated, any difference in audio performance is nearly undetectable.

SERIES8 Technology

All the dual element omnidirectional microphones come with SERIES8’s award-winning performance features and specifications. SERIES8 microphones are used worldwide—trusted by productions from Hamilton to the Tootsie Musical, and renowned performing arts programs at Belmont University, Berklee College of Music, Lindenwood and more. The backward compatibility is an advantage for existing SERIES8 customers to add the new dual element mics with total confidence in form, fit and function.

Locking X-Connectors for Added Confidence

All SERIES8 microphones feature convenient interchangeable X-Connectors for a rapid and inexpensive way to quickly change the microphone wireless termination from one brand to another. Both ends of the screw-on X-Connector now have locking “teeth” to give added confidence to the connection. More importantly, the low-cost X-Connector spares offer no-hassle repair or troubleshooting on-site.

Pricing and Availability

The CO2 Confidence Collection are offered in headset (CO2-8WD), lavalier (CO2-8WLp) and earmount (EO2-8WL) styles in beige, brown and black color starting at $825 (US) through Point Source Audio Authorized Resellers and Distributors worldwide (prices may vary).

More information about Point Source Audio and the CO2 Confidence Collection can be found by visiting www.point-sourceaudio.com.

STOW, OHIO — Alteros, an Audio-Technica company, has introduced two new handheld transmitters — the GTX24HHP live performer handheld and GTX24HHB broadcast handheld (shown) — along with remote and network control software platform that makes it easier to set up and operate the GTX Series L.A.W.N. (Local Area Wireless microphone Network) Ultra-Wideband (UWB) wireless microphone system.

WIRELESS MIC SYSTEM

A 6.5 GHz digital system, the GTX Series L.A.W.N. UWB system offers immunity to radio frequency spectrum regulatory changes, bandwidth loss and channel crowding, resulting in interference-free performance, even in the most demanding live broadcast settings, the company says.

The L.A.W.N. system enables operation outside the crowded UHF spectrum, free from database registration, licensing, complex support equipment, and even RF frequency coordination. It supports repeated deployment, from studio-to-studio and location-to-location, of 24 simultaneous, low latency (<3ms), 48 kHz/24-bit audio channels in any indoor or outdoor broadcast or performance environment, according to A-T.

HANDHELD MIC TRANSMITTERS

Available this summer, the GTX24HHP “performer” and GTX24HHB “broadcaster” microphone transmitters join a product line that includes the GTX3224 control unit, GTX24 bodypack transmitter, and GTX32 transceiver.

Intended for live performance, the GTX24HHP “performer” wireless handheld mic features a lightweight, ergonomic design that accepts popular thread-on microphone capsules using a 1.25-inch /28-thread pitch. This allows performers to select their preferred mic sound and performance from a wide range of manufacturers, including new Audio-Technica capsules.

The GTX24HHB “broadcaster” wireless handheld mic includes a dedicated “flag mount” section and incorporated “talkback button,” while incorporating interchangeable mic capsule mounts for maximum sound and performance flexibility.

According to Alteros President and CTO Jackie Green, “Modern facilities and systems are taking advantage of IP-based networking technology to reduce operational costs, simplify workflows, ensure … production quality, and even simplify equipment setup and operation.”

The Alteros R&D team worked closely with key professionals in the live, touring and broadcast markets to identify their desired workflows, interfaces and functionality.

The resulting Ethernet-based system allows easier setup, control, monitoring, naming, and network and clock management via a sophisticated user interface that can be accessed directly or remotely on multiple device platforms.

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LOS ANGELES—At the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain, at the end of February, T-Mobile announced that it plans to build out its 5G services in 30 major U.S. cities this year, including New York, Los Angeles, Dallas and Las Vegas. While the “Un-carrier” — as the company likes to refer to itself — was not specific about what frequency spectrum those services will use, wireless microphone, in-ear and communications equipment users are already on notice that they may have to vacate the 600 MHz band sooner than the FCC’s post-incentive auction TV station repack schedule would suggest.

T-Mobile acquired 31 MHz of the 600 MHz spectrum licenses made available by the FCC’s Incentive Auction, which ended in April 2017, spending nearly $8 billion. The carrier sought the spectrum because it allows it to “cover every single American with low-band spectrum, which travels twice as far and is four times better in buildings than mid-band spectrum.”

The company has built out its new 600 MHz services quickly, lighting up its first site, in Cheyenne, Wy., in August 2017. By the end of 2017 the carrier had expanded its coverage in what is known in the telecom industry as Band 71 into 26 more U.S. counties.

T-MOBILE OUT IN FRONT

T-Mobile kicked off 2018 with an announcement that its 600 MHz services had been extended to 586 cities and towns in 28 states. The carrier also announced during MWC that it has expanded into 90 more towns and cities across 26 states, including major population centers such as San Jose, Calif., Jacksonville, Fla., Seattle. Louisville, Ky. and Tucson and Mesa, Ariz.

T-Mobile was not alone in acquiring 600 MHz spectrum in the auction, of course, but thus far it is the only carrier to deploy new low-band spectrum services. While the carrier’s initial focus was on building out its Band 71 infrastructure for rural populations, affecting relatively few broadcasters, professional audio companies and other operators, its more recent announcements — and actions — have now put wireless mic users in urban areas on notice.

The carrier’s swift rollout of Band 71 services has put wireless audio equipment operators in “phase zero” of the TV station frequency repack. That term was coined by Karl Voss, Lead Frequency Coordinator for the NFL, for those impacted ahead of the FCC’s planned 10-phase repack schedule.

The potential impact on wireless mic users should not be underestimated. Licensed and unlicensed wireless audio equipment operators must vacate frequency spectrum in the 600 MHz band as soon as any of the new licensees announce an intention to begin using it, whether for testing or full-time services.

The situation is complicated by the fact that Band 71 uplink and downlink spectrum is in 5 MHz blocks to either side of the duplex gap, so does not conveniently line up with 6 MHz-wide TV channels. Per 47 U.S. Code § 503, the FCC may impose a fine of "$10,000 per violation or per day of a continuing violation and $75,000 per any single act or failure to act" on anyone who continues to operate in the relevant spectrum.

According to James Stoffo, founder of wireless comms provider Radio Active Designs, “I’ve done my last show using equipment that operates above 608 MHz, except for the 653-663 MHz duplex gap. If there are no DTV stations in the duplex gap, then we can be assured that those frequencies will remain clean for wireless system usage, as long as the special restrictions for that band are met, until we get a better sense for the RF out of band emissions by the adjacent LTE downlink and uplink.”

If T-Mobile wants to fire up services in an area it can, provided the company sends advance notification to protected users — but wireless mic operators are considered secondary users and are not protected. Happily, the company is bending over backwards to be a good spectrum neighbor, but it can only do so much.

At the DTV Audio Group’s Spectrum Workshop at the SVG Summit in New York in December, Dan Wilson, senior manager spectrum engineering for T-Mobile, encouraged wireless mic operators to visit the carrier’s dedicated website, where it posts updates to the list of new Band 71 sites. The carrier has been notifying its “significant email distribution list” of wireless mic users whenever it updates that list, said Wilson, who is encouraging those not on the list to contact the company. T-Mobile is also working with the SBE and NFL frequency coordinators and, less successfully, with tech companies such as Microsoft and Google and the white space database companies, he reported.

AHEAD OF THE FCC TIMETABLE

Tests conducted by T-Mobile have revealed several scenarios in which the carrier’s equipment and wireless mics can interfere with each other, Wilson reported. In the uplink spectrum, the wireless mic will cause interference to the T-Mobile base station. In a venue, a wireless handset could cause interference to a wireless microphone receiver.

In the downlink spectrum, wireless mic interference directly into handsets is a concern, he said. The downlink base station into the wireless receiver is also a concern.

Each downlink receiver is 40W plus the antenna gain, he noted. Anyone doing frequency scans will immediately see T-Mobile’s downlink, which is active 24/7, he said, but handset use will depend on customers in the venue.

Wireless mic operators should not assume that the TV station repack will follow the FCC’s timetable, said Wilson. “We are working with stations to move them earlier than the 10-phase plan.”

T-Mobile previously announced that it had partnered with Fox Television Stations to assist in repacking its 600 MHz spectrum. The carrier has also partnered with PBS and America’s Public Television Stations (APTS) to assist rural translators in the move to new airwaves, clearing the spectrum for its Band 71 services.

As part of the Fox agreement, WWOR-TV in New Jersey will repack in early 2018, more than one year sooner than the originally scheduled FCC deadline of August 2019. According to Wilson, T-Mobile won licenses to 622–632 MHz in the downlink spectrum (663-673 MHz in the uplink block) in the New York metro area and will begin services in Manhattan in Q3 2018 after assisting WWOR to relocate.

Wireless audio equipment operators in New York City will be affected if they are using those uplink block frequencies but will initially not see a lot of uplink activity since there are currently only two 600 MHz handsets on the market, he said. However, Wilson added, T-Mobile plans to launch more than a dozen new 600 MHz-capable smartphones in 2018.

In short, wireless mic users can’t rely on the FCC’s projected 39-month transition plan to replace affected equipment with gear compliant with the new rules. The bottom line? Start budgeting for replacement equipment and begin replacing that equipment now.

OLD LYME, CONN.—The FCC has set a deadline for wireless microphone manufacturers to cease operation in the 600 MHz band, so as a result Sennheiser is providing its customers an opportunity to trade in their equipment that would be affected for new gear.

Between now and Dec. 14, owners of any non-compliant wireless systems from any manufacturer can trade it in for the latest Sennheiser FCC-compliant equipment through a special rebate program.

There are three steps to the rebate program. Step one, equipment owners should check eligibility for the rebate by checking for a printed sticker on the equipment that indicates its operating frequency range; anything above 608 MHz will require an upgrade to maintain FCC compliance. Step two, consumers may purchase authorized wireless equipment from an authorized Sennheiser dealer. Step three, consumers will send the outdated gear to Sennheiser.

Here is the list of eligible products for the promotion: XS Wireless Series; evolution wireless D1 Series; AVX Series; evolution wireless we 100 G3 Series; evolution wireless ew 100 G3 Portable Series; evolution wireless ew 300 G3 Series; evolution wireless ew 300 IEM G3 Series; evolution wireless ew 500 G3 Series; SpeechLine Digital Wireless Series; 2000 Series; 2000 IEM; 3000/5000 Series; Digital 6000.

WASHINGTON—Wireless mic makers will now have to include a disclosure with devices made to operate in the 600 MHz band, which will become the domain of wireless broadband once the TV station channel repacking is complete. The specific language of the disclosure, displayed in the .jpeg below, was released today in an Order from the Federal Communications Commission. It will to into effect upon publication in the Federal Register.

“This disclosure informs consumers that wireless microphone users must cease any wireless microphone operations in the 600 MHz service band no later than July 13, 2020. In addition, in many instances they may be required to cease use of these devices earlier if their use has the potential to cause harmful interference to 600 MHz service licensees’ wireless operations in the band,” the order states.

It applies to those who manufacture, sell, lease, or offer for sale or lease,” wireless microphone or video-assist devices authorized under FCC rules. The disclosure applies to wireless devices operating at 617-652 MHz and 663-698 MHz.

The disclosure for licensed wireless mics and video-assist devices is covered under commission rule 74.851 (l), and for unlicensed mics, under rule 15.37 (k). Both state that, “The text must be displayed in a clear, conspicuous, and readily legible manner. One way to fulfill the requirement in this section is to display the consumer disclosure text in a prominent manner on the product box by using a label—either printed onto the box or otherwise affixed to the box—a sticker, or other means. Another way to fulfill this requirement is to display the text immediately adjacent to each [applicable device] offered for sale or lease and clearly associated with the model to which it pertains.”

A similar approach was taken when the FCC auctioned off the TV channels in the 700 MHz band nine years ago.

As we start a new year, I thought it would be a good time to take a look at new technology trends. Three areas that attracted my attention are ATSC 3.0 (no surprise), two-way ENG and new technology for wireless microphones. After this year’s spectrum auctions, it’s expected that the number of vacant VHF and UHF channels available for wireless microphones will shrink as TV stations are tightly packed into a limited number of UHF channels and some stations move from UHF to VHF.

ATSC 3.0 ARRIVES
I’ve been writing about ATSC 3.0 for a while, but 2016 should be the year the standard finally arrives. As I’m writing this in late December, there are now six ATSC candidate standards available at www.atsc.org/candidate-standards. Last month the ATSC announced that it was conducting demonstrations of ATSC 3.0 over-the-air technology from multiple companies at CES and I’m also sure the standard will be rigorously tested in the lab and the field this year.

Some of the things I hope will happen in 2016, or soon thereafter, are the start of an FCC process to allow broadcasters to transition to ATSC 3.0; agreements among broadcasters on how to transition to ATSC 3.0 while preserving ATSC 1.0 signals for existing over-the-air viewers; and commitments by transmitter companies to make the equipment to transmit ATSC 3.0 and by consumer electronics manufacturers to include ATSC 3.0 in a range of products. ATSC 3.0 won’t be available to consumers in 2016, but we should see one or more “model” stations on the air to give broadcasters and device manufacturers a chance to demonstrate its capability.

TWO-WAY ENG
ENG crews have gotten used to the convenience of using 4G wireless networks to send stories, live and recorded, from the field to the studio. It isn’t surprising that companies are looking to make newsgathering using broadcasters’ own 2 GHz spectrum just as easy. This will require two-way communication, which could complicate deployment in markets where 2 GHz spectrum is heavily used. Even if the system can work on one channel—perhaps by using time domain multiplexing—other broadcasters are not likely to appreciate having a transmitter on an adjacent channel at popular ENG receive sites.

Silvus Technologies’ MIMO radio As with the transition to ATSC 3.0, it will be essential for broadcasters in a market to work together if two-way ENG is to replace today’s one-way truck to ENG receive site model. Two companies taking two different approaches demonstrated their technology at CCW (now called “NAB Show New York”) last November. Silvus Technologies showed a private MESH network using the Mobile Ad-Hoc Network (MANET) multi-hop IP packet-based wireless networking technology, which they first announced at the 2015 NAB Show. The nodes, which could include a mobile unit on the back of a camera; portable units on the mast of ENG trucks; and fixed units on the roofs of buildings form a mesh where any node can communicate with any other node, even if the data has to pass through other nodes on the way.

JVC camera with MESH transmitter/radio in use There is no need to aim dishes and if nodes can see more than one other node, the system becomes self-healing should one node go down. The Silvus Technologies equipment is compact, making it easier to set up temporary networks for certain events. Additional details are available in this whitepaper: http://pro.jvc.com/pro/pr/2015/nab/JVC_PrivateMESH_WhitePaper.pdf.

Silvus Technologies gear is already being used for military and government operations and has been successfully used to provide live, moving camera coverage from sporting events like endurance races where conventional microwave links break. This may be the year the technology moves into the street for live ENG. The Silvus Technologies website, http://silvustechnologies.com, describes their products and applications.

The Moseley AxxceLTE radios are based on the LTE standard, which could make them a solution for a shared, market-wide ENG system. Conceivably, broadcasters in a community could set up their own LTE network and if it is standards-based, it should work with LTE-compliant radios from other vendors’ LTE-based ENG systems we might see at the 2016 NAB Show. One complication is that LTE requires a management computer to control access and allocate spectrum. I had pictured this as a high-powered server, so I was surprised to see the Moseley Broadcast demonstration at CCW running on a little Linux box.

A bit of Googling found OpenLTE— http://sourceforge.net/p/openlte/wiki/Home. This is an open-source implementation of the 3GPP LTE specifications. With a transmit/receive SDR like the Ettus B2XX you can build your own OpenLTE eNodeB. I hope to have some time to play with that this year and learn more about LTE.

You can learn more about Moseley’s plans for LTE in their 2015 NAB Show press release: http://moseleysb.com/mb/pdf/Ax-cellLTEBAS_PressRelease.pdf.

NEW FREQUENCIES FOR WIRELESS MICS
A hot topic at a meeting last month was the impact of the loss of 600 MHz TV spectrum after the incentive auction on everything from live news coverage to the production of major sporting events and Broadway shows. The analog shutdown resulted in the loss of 18 TV channels widely used for wireless microphones. Anyone using wireless microphones on these channels found them obsolete and illegal.

The same thing will happen after the incentive auction as TV spectrum will again be reduced. Fourteen TV channels will probably go away. If the FCC efficiently packs the remaining VHF and UHF spectrum, there won’t be enough TV channels for the wireless microphones in use today.

Wireless microphone companies are developing products for alternative spectrum— 1.4 GHz and/or 5.0 GHz. A replacement for the analog FM technology used today for wireless microphones will be needed to take advantage of the limited spectrum and provide high-quality sound without dropouts. Swapping out existing wireless microphone equipment will take time, so prudent broadcasters and production companies will start looking for solutions this year.

2016 will be an interesting and challenging year, but new technologies are appearing that will help the broadcasters that don’t sell out in the incentive auction. Look for those technologies in a few months at the NAB Show. I’ll be writing about them in this RF Technology column and on other postings on www.tvtechnology.com.

Comments are welcome! E-mail me atdlung@transmitter.com.

WASHINGTON—Wireless microphones will have a spectrum home after the incentive auction, but the neighborhood will be more crowded. The Federal Communications Commission published its rules pertaining to wireless mics this week after having approved them in the Aug.6 regular meeting. Wireless mics will be relegated to shared frequencies between wireless up- and downlink spectrum, and unoccupied TV channels. The move leaves wireless mics without dedicated spectrum for the first time. The FCC tried to mitigate the impact by loosening up the rules for operations.

“We revise our rules to provide more opportunities to access spectrum by allowing greater use of the VHF channels and more co-channel operations without the need for coordination where use would not cause harmful interference to TV service,” the Report & Order stated.

The R&O, along with a Procedures Public Notice also adopted last Thursday, officially opened up the “duplex gap” to wireless mics. The duplex gap will comprise an 11 MHz swath of spectrum separating wireless up- and downlink bands. It will also be open to unlicensed devices and used by TV stations in markets where there are more stations than channels after the repack.

With regard to unoccupied TV channels, or “white spaces,” the commission recognized there would be fewer such frequencies in a reduced TV band, and a greater chance of interference. New wireless mic systems operating in “TV bands and certain other bands” will have to meet the standards set forth by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute, the R&O said.

It also opened up frequencies between 941 and 960 MHz; 1,435 and 1,525 MHz; and 6,875 and 7,125 MHz for sharing with licensed wireless mics.

Sharing—now done with unlicensed devices in TV white spaces—involves registration in one of several databases that are supposed to direct the unlicensed devices to unoccupied frequencies. Bruce Franca of the National Association of Broadcasters found multiple anomalies and misinformation in the databases earlier this year, and the organization petitioned to have them shut down until the system could be fixed.

The FCC, in its wireless mic R&O, said it was “taking steps… to make improvements to the registration system in the TV bands databases to enable more timely and effective reservation of channels that would be protected from unlicensed white space device operations.”

With regard to operation in the VHF channels, current rules allow a power level of 50 mW for wireless mics, versus 250 mW in shorter-waved, UHF frequencies. Following a recommendation from Shure, a wireless mic maker in Niles, Ill., the commission changed the power level metric for VHF operation to 50 mW EIRP rather than conducted power. This helps manufacturers overcome the lower antenna efficiency of the longer-waved VHF frequencies.

The R&O also allows co-channel operations by licensed mic users within a TV channel where the signals falls below a threshold of -84 dBM “over the entire TV channel, provided certain conditions are met.” These include operations limited to indoor locations, and not in an “itinerant fashion where the signal threshold could be ever-changing, and the location is not being used for over-the-air television viewing.”

The 84-page R&O outlines many more technical parameters, including transition periods for moving, and is available online. TV Techology will follow up in the weeks to come with information from mic manufacturers and users.

Joe Snelson

SEATTLE—A Federal Communications Commission request for comment on a proposal to reserve one vacant UHF TV channel in each geographic area of the U.S. for use by unlicensed white space devices and wireless mics has unleashed criticism from an array of television industry organizations.

Joe Snelson, president of the Society of Broadcast Engineers noted that just a few years ago, the commission had issued plans to assign two dedicated channels—in most markets on each side of UHF channel 37—for wireless microphone use. “The ground rules have changed several times from the original two channels,” he said, “and it seems like it keeps moving.”

(As this story went to press for the July issue of TV Technology, SBE had not yet provided formal comments to the NPRM. However, the FCC did suspend the comment period deadline, originally set for Aug. 3.)

In its response to the NPRM (15-146), the Radio Television Digital News Association said that, in television markets where a broadcast station is located on that previously dedicated wireless microphone spectrum, “news operations in that market would be left without assurances that they could cover breaking news to the extent possible in other local markets.

“This approach would run counter to the commission’s [previous] finding that some exclusive 600 MHz spectrum is necessary for licensed wireless microphone operations,” the association continued. “Having already slashed its allocation for wireless microphones by two-thirds down to 4 MHz, the commission cannot feasibly reduce it any further.”

The proposed sharing of spectrum with WSDs has been a particular sticking point in the commission’s proposal. “White space” refers to channels in the television band that are not licensed to broadcasters in a particular television market, but are licensed to broadcasters in other markets. A WSD would determine whether it could operate without interfering with a broadcaster in any particular market by accessing a database detailing which channels are open to WSD use.

A broad coalition of industry associations representing broadcasters and advocates for users of unlicensed wireless WSDs has asked the FCC to reconsider its proposal to prevent the relocation of TV stations to areas of the broadcast spectrum used by such unlicensed devices and wireless microphones. The National Association of Broadcasters is among that group, and has also filed its own comments to the NPRM.

“We’re not against the concept of white spaces,” said Dennis Wharton, executive vice president for communications for NAB. But he pointed to flaws in the WSD database that render it ineffective.

There are fewer than a thousand WSDs that have been sold and are in use at this point. Purchasers of WSDs are not required to obtain licenses to operate them, but must register them with information such as name and address, email address and device location information.

Any review of these submissions quickly turns up intentionally errant submissions. One registrant gave the latitude and longitude a WSD of a spot in the Atlantic Ocean, about 500 miles off the shore of Cameroon. Because there are no TV band licensed broadcasters at that location, the WSD would determine it could operate on any channel, likely causing interference with licensed users. Bogus WSD user information such as John Q. Public, a frequently used 123 Jump Street address and phony email addresses would hinder the ability to contact the owner of an interfering WSD.

“Having geo-location attached to those devices seems to make sense to us,” said Wharton, who also suggested using some system of query and response via email during the WSD registration process.

MULTIPLE DATABASES
Fig. 1: Example of KAET studios wireless microphone protection filing as translated to a point-radius (circle) pattern. On the right is a much smaller resultant protected area. (Demonstration)
The WSD database is actually a group of databases, supplied by multiple vendors, which are required to be synced every 24 hours, at a minimum. Referring to this multiple databased system, Karl Voss, chief engineer at Phoenix public station KAET-TV, said “the biggest thing is they never decided to have one vendor do the database.”

He detailed differences in the way the databases are put together, noting an example that one vendor does not allow describing a licensed user’s WSB protection area as a polygon, even though the FCC’s rules require that polygons be allowed (Figs. 1 and 2). When he entered the information as a polygon, after syncing, “in one database it showed up as a circle.” The circle description would have afforded much less actual protected area when seen by a WSD.

Voss, who is also a frequency coordinator for the National Football League, described another problem with the multiple databases and their need to sync every 24 hours. In the worst case, information entered into database A could take 24 hours to reach database B, and since WSDs are only required to query a database every 24 hours, the combination of the two delays could mean a database entry could take 48 hours to reach a particular WSD.

Fig. 2: Example of KAET studios wireless mic protection filing submitted as a polygon. On the right is the resultant protected area. (Demonstration)
He said in practical terms, in the week before an NFL game “I have been blocking out every frequency known to man at any event that I’m doing, just so the white-space devices are absolutely shut down.”

Such a broad brush approach is necessitated by the last-minute nature of frequency coordination at such events.

“I don’t have any idea until the last moment what wireless microphone or IFB frequency is going to be used by the host broadcaster,” he said. “We may coordinate things a week in advance and then I find out that the vendor shipped different equipment, and then we have to throw away our coordination plan and start all over again with different frequency blocks.”

With all this doom and gloom, it should be noted that white space technology offers “if you can’t beat them, join them” opportunities. “We have been looking at providing WSD equipment that will work in those channels,” said John Payne, chief technology officer at microwave equipment manufacturer IMT. “From the ENG vendor side, for applications like wireless cameras, it gives us opportunities to provide solutions to broadcasters.”