mcubed4130
New Member
When you use Shure's Frequency Finder, the "Max" number refers to how many channels are of wireless you can squeeze into that band in the open RF spectrum in your area. That means all of your local DTV broadcasts are already accounted for. So the band that has the most flexibility for you is G50, because under ideal conditions, there are 36 slots available you can tune to. Even if you don't need that many, you have some room to spare if other users next door to you show up in that band as well.
Reserved channels, a couple in at least each metropolitan market 6-8MHz-wide, are exclusively set aside for wireless microphone/IEM users. What does that mean to you? It means you won't be competing with TV broadcasters or white space devices, but you'll still have to duke it out with neighboring wireless mic/IEM users in your immediate vicinity.
As 600 MHz gets redistributed, it's just as likely everyone else in your area will go after the G50 band as well though, so remember what you consider prime real estate, they will too. The DTV assignments are also all getting repackaged soon. So today if G50 looks wide open, in a couple years it may have 6 more DTV broadcasters move into that band that you have to stay away from. Likewise, all of the reserved channels are getting moved around and some may go away over the next 2-3 years.
There's also an argument to be made for diversifying your wireless bands by putting half in one band and half in another. That way if another user shows up in your neighborhood, they won't hamstring your 14-channel system down to an 8-channel system in a Mexican standoff until one of you replaces your wireless systems.
Seems like I should buy you a drink (virtually of course) - thank you for all the help!
So... let me see if I have the nail in the coffin on this topic. So in the area I'm going to be in, for June... I have these options:
Band: H50 (Mics: 14 Reserved | 14 Max) - 530—602 MHz, TV Channels 24-35. Local TV stations are currently using 25,27-34. So I really only would have the equiv of channel 24 or channel 26. (24; 530.0–536.0 MHz) (26; 542.0–548.0 MHz) And looking at the "14 reserved frequencies they are between 543.270 up to 547.870 - so they are within the channel 26 range. So effectively anyone using this range, will be fighting for 1 of 2 possible 6Mhz blocks? if I'm doing this correctly... then obviously I DONT want H50! haha...
Band: G50 (Mics: 6 Reserved | 36 Max) - 470—536 MHz, TV Channels 14-24. Local TV stations are currently using 16-21. So in this option I have equiv of channel 14, 15, 22-24. Seems like I have 5 blocks of 6Mhz here, with channel 24 showing as reserved.
Band: V50 (Mics: 14 Max) - 174—216 MHz, TV Channels 7-13. Local TV stations are currently using 7-10,12-13. So I'd have 1 option - channel 11. (198.0–204.0 MHz)
Band: X52 (Mics: 12 Max) - 902.45 - 927.55 Mhz - uhhh isn't this the CB band? although I suppose most people don't use CB anymore.
Anyway - I'm I doing this analysis correctly? If yes... I think I'm either going to be doing G50 or trying X52.