Australia Wireless Mic & IEM Frequency Changes

M

Michael Evans

Freshman
Dec 26, 2012
38
0
0
Melbourne, Australia
Just been reading up on the latest "up yours" from the Australian Communicaions & Media Auhority about losing access to all frequencies from 694 to 820 mhz

As someone who has spent many many many thousand on wireless mics (24 channels at once) and IEM's (10 channels at once) i am more than a little p'd off that i have paper weights in 18 months time.

The upgrade path for the same capacity is horrendous in price and out of my league currently.

Apparently 520 - 694 mhz is possible, so the question to fellow soundforums jv users is what is good in this band that i can start to purchase now but not have to mortgage my house ?

Tia
Michael
 
Re: Australia Wireless Mic & IEM Frequency Changes

Same thing happed in Britain, used to be that wireless mic users had a small portion of channel 69 (usually around 4 mics) and you could get a shared use licence for channel 70. OFCOM (Our communications regulator) then realised that with digital switchover they could sell (make a quick buck at the expense of wireless mic users) Channel 70 (and now from what I believe most of the 60's as well) for use for 4g mobile services this meant that anyone who wanted a shared licence had to move to channel 38 (previously reserved for non broadcast use such as rf modulators in video achines and later on channel 5 in some areas). I do believe, however, that they did compensate users (probably by not that much) to help towards new channel 38 equipment of modifications to existing equipment. So maybe you may be able to get some compensation from the Australian regulator.
 
Re: Australia Wireless Mic & IEM Frequency Changes

Michael Evans said:
From what i was just reading this is either happened already or will also happen in the USA so any thoughts from how they are handling this same problem ?
Click to expand...

Yes, we lost the 698-802 range a few years ago. There was much gnashing of teeth and complaining but in the end it happened. The manufacturers offered rebates for years on retuning the higher priced units and discounts on exchanges for the lower priced units. You happen across someone who hasn't migrated yet, but they are few and far between at this point. The loss of 100MHz hasn't ruined the industry but it made everyone really start looking at the spectrum situation. It it looking like we may lose another 100MHz in the next decade. This is will really begin to put a strain on the largest productions and will get the general wireless mic consumer angry because they didn't get any ROI from the last time frequency sale.
 
Re: Australia Wireless Mic & IEM Frequency Changes

Michael Evans said:
From what i was just reading this is either happened already or will also happen in the USA so any thoughts from how they are handling this same problem ?
Click to expand...

yup, already happened here in the US.

Basically, it sucked. no other word for it. My advice is to try to go digital if possible, since you'll be able to get more into less RF space. The Shure ULX-D is excellent. There are other options as well of course.

At the church i'm working at currently, i outfitted our Kid's Theater with 8 channels of the Line6 digital stuff. it operates in the 2.4 Ghz space where WiFi lives. it's worked pretty well and has been very cost effective.

All that being said, there are really no guaranteed options. No matter what you buy, it's possible that future RF space selloff may turn your purchase into fancy paperweights. Welcome to the New Millennium.
 
Re: Australia Wireless Mic & IEM Frequency Changes

Michael Evans said:
Just been reading up on the latest "up yours" from the Australian Communicaions & Media Auhority about losing access to all frequencies from 694 to 820 mhz

As someone who has spent many many many thousand on wireless mics (24 channels at once) and IEM's (10 channels at once) i am more than a little p'd off that i have paper weights in 18 months time.

The upgrade path for the same capacity is horrendous in price and out of my league currently.

Apparently 520 - 694 mhz is possible, so the question to fellow soundforums jv users is what is good in this band that i can start to purchase now but not have to mortgage my house ?

Tia
Michael
Click to expand...

For decent wireless, you're looking at ~$1,000 to ~$2,000 USD per channel. Lectrosonics put together a comparison chart of various manufacturers' offerings here.

Here is a post I made on a Budget Wireless thread a while ago.
 
Re: Australia Wireless Mic & IEM Frequency Changes

Michael Evans said:
Just been reading up on the latest "up yours" from the Australian Communicaions & Media Auhority about losing access to all frequencies from 694 to 820 mhz

As someone who has spent many many many thousand on wireless mics (24 channels at once) and IEM's (10 channels at once) i am more than a little p'd off that i have paper weights in 18 months time.

The upgrade path for the same capacity is horrendous in price and out of my league currently.

Apparently 520 - 694 mhz is possible, so the question to fellow soundforums jv users is what is good in this band that i can start to purchase now but not have to mortgage my house ?

Tia
Michael
Click to expand...

Michael, I might have som encouraging news for you, hear me out: This seems to be repeating itself all over the Western world. Same in Norway, although we were given a lot more notice than 18 months (if you paid attention, which it seems most users haven't). Here, however, we never had as much bandwith to begin with as you apparantly have been enjoying Down Under. Anyway, we lost the biggest of three of "our own" bandwiths (800mHz-820mHz), but we got to keep two small sections (823mHz-832mHz and 861mHz-863mHz) as well as being given access to "spaces inbetween other users" in a whopping large range from 510mHz to 790mHz. How much and what part depends on where in Norway one lives and works. The authorities have provided a very nice web-page with charts that actually work!! My point, anyway: Perhaps you could advertize some of your gear here? Depending on what range out of 694mHz-820mHz your exsiting gear operates in, it could very well be sold here!
 
Re: Australia Wireless Mic & IEM Frequency Changes

kristianjohnsen said:
Michael, I might have som encouraging news for you, hear me out: This seems to be repeating itself all over the Western world. Same in Norway, although we were given a lot more notice than 18 months (if you paid attention, which it seems most users haven't). Here, however, we never had as much bandwith to begin with as you apparantly have been enjoying Down Under. Anyway, we lost the biggest of three of "our own" bandwiths (800mHz-820mHz), but we got to keep two small sections (823mHz-832mHz and 861mHz-863mHz) as well as being given access to "spaces inbetween other users" in a whopping large range from 510mHz to 790mHz. How much and what part depends on where in Norway one lives and works. The authorities have provided a very nice web-page with charts that actually work!! My point, anyway: Perhaps you could advertize some of your gear here? Depending on what range out of 694mHz-820mHz your exsiting gear operates in, it could very well be sold here!
Click to expand...

Good Morning from cold Melbourne, Australia

Thanks for that Kristian that news is encouraging.

I will put together some info on what I have and what I need to move on and let people know here.

Be in touch
Michael
 
Re: Australia Wireless Mic & IEM Frequency Changes

Cameron Stuckey said:
Yes, we lost the 698-802 range a few years ago. There was much gnashing of teeth and complaining but in the end it happened. The manufacturers offered rebates for years on retuning the higher priced units and discounts on exchanges for the lower priced units. You happen across someone who hasn't migrated yet, but they are few and far between at this point. The loss of 100MHz hasn't ruined the industry but it made everyone really start looking at the spectrum situation. It it looking like we may lose another 100MHz in the next decade. This is will really begin to put a strain on the largest productions and will get the general wireless mic consumer angry because they didn't get any ROI from the last time frequency sale.
Click to expand...

No rebates no exchange nothing here
 
Re: Australia Wireless Mic & IEM Frequency Changes

Helge Dr. Bentsen said:
The wireless enviroment is quite ok now. I'm doing 56 channels of wireless and four stereo IEMs this week, no issues so far. Fingers crossed.
Click to expand...

But then of course Norway is in the not so unique position of having a bureaucracy that at the moment is debating how to decide who to consult about building an organisation to plan the pre-project of building a set of guidelines for the process of actioning off the frequencies. The cellular network providers are of course very frustrated, but in the meantime we have got very uncongested airways with miles upon miles of white space everywhere. It will probably change by 2024 or thereabouts when they finally manage to auction it off. :D~:-D~:grin:
 
Re: Australia Wireless Mic & IEM Frequency Changes

Michael Evans said:
You are not wrong that's over $60k worth of mics alone without any antenna distros

Holly crap !
Click to expand...

Not just a little over either, these sets cost about €3500 pro channel if you include quality headsets, so 56 times that is getting close to €200K.
 
Re: Australia Wireless Mic & IEM Frequency Changes

It's an outdoor opera performance in Halden, we are in final rehersal now.

56 channels of ur4d/+ with 24 akg ck77, rest is Dpa 4061. We are considering replacing ten channels with Akg dsr700, we have some dropout issues on the main performers, and the Akg was used two years ago with none of those issues.
Stage is in five levels from the base of and old fortress wall and allt the way to toe top of the wall, 40m with stairs, had to carry a Jbl vp box up there today, not something I wish to do again.

Speaking of speakers. 41 box monitor system, Turbosound Milan M10/15, Jbl Vp/Prx and 4886 on 24 mixes.
Sourround and frontfills are 16 4886' main system is 16 vtx s25. 77 boxes in total.
48 inputs from the orchestra as well, two Soundcraft stageboxes, Vi6 on monitors, Vi1 and Studer D1 on front.
All of this outside on an open stage.

I'm system tech on wireless and speakers and the only one from the rental company here. There's one guy on mons, another on foh and one guy on mic duty that the opera provided. Makes for a busy day....

8 main performers, a choir of 80 something, dancers and whatnot on stage, all in all in excess of 170 people on stage.
 
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