Wireless 600MHz Incentive Auction Update (USA)

Wow Mike! Great information, But what's a guy to do? I'm the Technical Director for Main Street Theatre in Tucker, GA - a suburb of Atlanta. We are new (only two years and four productions) and small, and all volunteer. We just got $3000 budget to purchase wireless mics. The budget was dearly won and I doubt we'll see this much again very soon. I just can't burn it all with rental for maybe two shows. Any advice other than "not now"? Also any advice as to how to spend that much as effectively as possible. I'd like to get six mics out of that.

Somebody in a different thread was just about to buy a whole bunch of new stuff, and found a buncha old Sennheisers and was wondering what to do with them. If they're gonna sell them to you, everyone might be happier. :)
 
Sennheiser EW100, G2 series are great systems. I still run several. As I've upgraded over the last couple of years, I've bought EW100, G3 to replace other, older brands. The major difference that I've seen with the G3 over the G2 is the scan feature. You set your frequency on the receiver, place the transmitter in front of the receiver and push the scan button. It automatically sets the transmitter's frequency to match the receiver. That's a nice little feature that I use traveling around the state, when I need to reset frequencies. If you're talking about buying house systems that won't be moving, then I think you'd get along fine with the G2 systems. You might not be able to buy them new anymore, but I see them on auction sites for not that much money all the time. Around the $2-300 range. With $3000 for a wireless mic budget, you should be able to put together a nice setup.

You probably want to stay away from the B range, which is the most likely to become illegal. A and G ranges should be safe (hopefully!) for the foreseeable future. (At least as I understand it). I have all 3 ranges and will wait to see what happens before I start unloading anything.

I'll try to post pictures of my wireless rack and explain what I've done, if anyone is interested.

Best,
Joel
 
Considering how small the transmitter/receiver sub-modules are in the Sennheisers, it still frustrates me that Sennheiser doesn't offer a service to change bands. What a waste to chuck a perfectly good handheld because that module is tuned to the wrong band. I know, business is business and they would rather sell you a new mic. Errrrrr!
 
RCDVS,

Within your budget Audio Technica's ATW 3000 wireless systems can be had in the I Band (482.000 to 507.000 MHz)

Alternatively AT's new ATW 1300 digital systems would also come in under your budget.
I'm currently debating starting to purchase wireless mics/receivers and am considering the AT3000. We already rent 12 of those units and have had decent success with them. Thinking of doing this over several years.

Would get 4 C-band receivers & transmitters, with the AEW-DA550 C distribution system. Possibly getting a set of paddles at some point, but not sure because the units we rent are D-Band and I don't know if I can hook up 4 distribution units into 1 main unit if they are all not the same. As for mics, would probably go with getting Samson SE50 or some mics from bodymics.com
 
Heads-up. This week the FCC entered Stage Four of the auction, after unsuccessfully meeting goals required for completion of the auction in the first 3 attempts. Current clearing target is down to 84 MHz of spectrum.

While this is in the neighborhood of where initial estimates put the auction at succeeding, I'm seeing some pundits astonished at how low bids have been coming in at and suggesting that bidders may be losing interest in this area of the spectrum and diverting their resources into other corporate ventures.

If the trend keeps up, this will be increasingly good news for existing wireless microphone and IEM users in the 600 MHz range.
 
Our Fearless leader just posted this to the news forum

The FCC Incentive Auction is entering Stage 4:
  • Re-purposed spectrum will be above 614 MHz (maybe higher depending on the final auction outcome). UHF systems will be able to operate as they have been, under traditional FCC regulations.
  • Looking at the bigger picture, Stage 4 will take an additional 24 MHz (four TV channels) off the auction block, a significant reduction compared to previous stages. That means all UHF wireless mic and monitor systems can continue to legally tune to those channels and operate on those deemed "white space" (not used for local over-the-air TV broadcast).
As illustrated in this graphic from the FCC, re-purposed spectrum (blue and grey blocks) will not extend below TV channel 37. Lower channels, including 14-20 that are not pictured, will remain available to mics:

View attachment 14177

Stage 4 Clearing Target Band Plan (one possible outcome of the auction, as of 12/06/2016)

This leaves the majority of the UHF TV band unchanged. This is important for wireless microphone operators because these frequencies have very favorable characteristics. They travel through walls, achieve extended range from low transmitter power, use compact antennas, etc. That is why one of our prime messages to the FCC has been that UHF must remain part of the spectrum portfolio available to wireless microphones, especially for hyper-critical applications.

Of course, our industry would prefer that the entire 600 MHz band remain available to mics. However, the continued availability of lower UHF, together with the access we recently gained in several alternate frequency ranges, ensures that the future includes plenty of wireless microphone systems.
 
So. This seems to still indicate that the Sennheiser B band (626-668) are still frequencies to avoid for new installs and purchases. But if we already have them we might luck out and have them both continue to operate legally and operate well. @dvsDave and @MNicolai The Gurus of RF, is that your take on it? What is the time frame for then next bit of knowledge/Stage advancement, from the FCC.
 
I'm no Guru, but I have smart people who I talk to. Oh @mbenonis we need you!
 
So. This seems to still indicate that the Sennheiser B band (626-668) are still frequencies to avoid for new installs and purchases. But if we already have them we might luck out and have them both continue to operate legally and operate well. @dvsDave and @MNicolai The Gurus of RF, is that your take on it? What is the time frame for then next bit of knowledge/Stage advancement, from the FCC.

Yes, I would stay away from that range of spectrum for new purchases of anything you intend to keep for a good long while. If you're investing in frequency-agile, high-density wireless and paying thousands of dollars a unit, stay out of the reallocated spectrum. If you're paying a few hundred bucks per unit with the full intention of replacing those units in a few years with whatever new wireless systems are on the market, it likely will not affect you much if you purchase wireless systems now in the affected spectrum range. Just now that those budget systems should be considered sacrificial and that budgeting should begin for their eventual replacement.

The auction still has to go through a couple different filing periods a 39-month transition period begins. Near the end of this period, broadcasters will begin moving into the reallocated spectrum and upon completion of the 39 months, unlicensed wireless users must cease operating in the reallocated spectrum. It's hard to gauge the magnitude right now of how wireless mic/IEM users will be affected near the tail end of this transition while unlicensed users are still allowed to use this spectrum while licensed broadcasters will begin their operations in the reallocated spectrum. My understanding is that these hand-offs between existing broadcasters and new ones will be scheduled on some form of city-by-city basis leading up to the final deadline.

As with the analog sunset and the 700MHz process, the transition deadline will likely change. There is an embittered dialogue between broadcasters and the FCC, some arguing 39 months isn't enough time for all broadcasters to make their transition because of the high demand that will be placed on installing new RF towers, taking existing towers off-line, and having enough RF engineers in the industry to do this for all affected broadcasters simultaneously. Meanwhile, other parties have been lobbying that the 39-month period is too long because the reallocated spectrum is less valuable if it cannot begin being used by purchasers in a timely fashion. Now that the auction is nearly complete, hopefully this will settle down. I would be quite surprised to see the 39-month timeline move up because of the pressure that puts on everyone, but I would not at all be surprised to see it extended if it begins to appear the deadline cannot reasonably be met.
 
As with the analog sunset and the 700MHz process, the transition deadline will likely change. There is an embittered dialogue between broadcasters and the FCC, some arguing 39 months isn't enough time for all broadcasters to make their transition because of the high demand that will be placed on installing new RF towers, taking existing towers off-line, and having enough RF engineers in the industry to do this for all affected broadcasters simultaneously. Meanwhile, other parties have been lobbying that the 39-month period is too long because the reallocated spectrum is less valuable if it cannot begin being used by purchasers in a timely fashion. Now that the auction is nearly complete, hopefully this will settle down. I would be quite surprised to see the 39-month timeline move up because of the pressure that puts on everyone, but I would not at all be surprised to see it extended if it begins to appear the deadline cannot reasonably be met.

Whatever the final deadline becomes I seriously doubt that there will be significant changes to the stair-step way the RF changes are implemented as they depend on both geography and RF field strength. Either Henry Cohen, Ike Zimble or Pete Erskin commented on this in another forum (or maybe the Broadway Sound G-group), but the gist of it is that the geographic areas and the RF field strength overlap in ways that require coordination of the changes to prevent interference with other close-ish broadcast facilities and potentially the new licensees of the spectrum. It's a carefully choreographed ballet of construction, testing permits and then the actual change over.

I'm still in the "hold off buying" camp for time being and it's frustrating as we're overdue for wireless mic upgrades.

Ya know, other than wireless stuff, it's a great time to be in audio :)
 
I'm from the UK and looking at buying a set of 12 mics that can be used both here and in the US. The band we have available to use here is 606-613MHz. Is this usable at all in the States? Looking at buying a Trantec 5.3 which is tuneable from 606-622 MHz. Would this give us enough bandwidth to fit 12mics in and will it remain that way once these auctions have finished?
Our only other option would be to spend a bit more on EW100 which can tune between 606-648 MHz, but then if the FCC sell off those higher frequencies, that doesn't really help.

I'm getting very confused with channel numbers because I believe what we call Ch38, you call Ch37!

Any help and advice would be great :)
 
I'm from the UK and looking at buying a set of 12 mics that can be used both here and in the US. The band we have available to use here is 606-613MHz. Is this usable at all in the States? Looking at buying a Trantec 5.3 which is tuneable from 606-622 MHz. Would this give us enough bandwidth to fit 12mics in and will it remain that way once these auctions have finished?
Our only other option would be to spend a bit more on EW100 which can tune between 606-648 MHz, but then if the FCC sell off those higher frequencies, that doesn't really help.

I'm getting very confused with channel numbers because I believe what we call Ch38, you call Ch37!

Any help and advice would be great :)

In the USA we used to have Ch. 1, but it was decommissioned when the carrier frequency was found to cause interference with aviation communications or navigation (don't recall which), so perhaps that explains the offset in numbering. If anyone knows for sure please post and complete this bit of trivia. ;)

USA laws & regulations prohibit the sale or use of transmitters that can be tuned outside of permitted bands. We won't know for sure exactly what will be available until the FCC determines how the television station re-pack will be done, and that is waiting on the forward auction to be completed this spring. The re-pack determination will require public comment before the FCC issues it's final Report & Order. Also it's important to remember that in larger markets - top 10 to top 20, probably - there will be much tighter TV channel packing, forcing some wireless mics down into the VHF portion of the TV spectrum.

I think if your group is doing limited touring of the USA and the itinerary includes major TV markets, hiring RF locally might be most prudent, especially until this is all sorted out.
 
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UPDATE- The FCC has released public notices. A big Thank YOU to my friend Henry Cohen of Radio Active Designs for the links.

https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-17-314A2.pdf
https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-17-314A1.pdf
http://data.fcc.gov/download/incentive-auctions/Transition_Files/
http://data.fcc.gov/download/incentive-auctions/Transition_Files/
For a fairly pessimistic look at potential re-pack scenarios go here: https://www.rabbitears.info/repackchannels.php
https://www.rabbitears.info/repackchannels.php
The fun starts in 2018. It's past time to get your budgets together for replacement equipment.
 

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Judging by this map, it looks like 600mhz is done. T-mobile grabbed it all.
http://maps.spectrumgateway.com/t-mobile-600-mhz.html

They didn't grab it all, but they were a major bidder in many markets. You'll need to look at each bidder's "wins" and see how many blocks they acquired in each market. While the map shows T-Mobile buying in almost all markets, in some cases they only got 2 frequency blocks while in others they got 5, 10, or more.

What was surprising to me is how little ATT got. I guess they're sitting on a lot of network capacity from the 700mHz build out a couple years ago...
 

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