Info on the Digital TV Switch over and how this will affect Radio Microphones
Page With Your Community & Friends!Ofcom, Digital TV switchover and Wireless microphones
February 2010
You may be aware of the ongoing changes to the frequency spectrum with regards to PMSE (radio microphone) users within the UK, if you are not then here is some information which will hopefully put you in the picture and is important when considering the purchase and use of any radio microphone system.
Channels 67/68 (840 to 854MHz)
Users of wireless microphone systems will no longer be able to use the licensed frequencies from 840 to 854MHz ** due to the reallocation of the band for Digital TV use. The digital switch over involving these frequencies has now been rolled out across the country.
If you are currently using these frequencies you may experience a large reduction in effective transmission range, and you should make sure that your system is retuned to unaffected channels (If you are using three or less microphones this should be to within the 863 to 865MHz band)
Channel 69 (854 to 862MHz)
The next stage in the sell off of the radio microphone band will happen by 2012 and this will affect channel 69, which covers frequencies 854 to 862 MHz. This band is being cleared for various wi-fi and wireless internet applications. The revenues raised by this sell off are vast compared with the current revenues received from the licensing of radio microphones; unfortunately the airwaves have been sold to the highest bidder!
At the moment you will be able to operate four radio microphones within the 863 to 865MHz license free band and at this time there has been no indication of the removal of these frequencies for radio microphone use.
