Where Wireless Mics Go Next

TVTechnology.com reports that 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.

Read more at http://www.tvtechnology.com/news/0002/where-wireless-mics-go-next/276770