Swordie Bloggie

Last year, my office was looking for a few wireless microphones. I thought it was an easy task. What so difficult surveying for wireless microphone… five microphones and a receiver… and I’m sure it won’t be that expensive.

Oh boy… I was so wrong… I did not know that good wireless microphone… one wireless microphone and one receiver… will cost so much. A good wireless microphone is a set which will not get interference or interfere with other devices.

Now I realize that wireless microphone is not a simple device… it’s a critical piece of equipment especially when used in important event like concert. You can use a cheap microphone for karaoke but definitely not for concert… you gonna need high quality microphone like royer microphones Musicians friend… well, this is not wireless microphone but this mostly used inside studio for recording. It can cost up to 5 grand… yea, that’s expensive… but you won’t feel the price when you compare the quality you get… 😛

The Federal Communications Commission or FCC is banning wireless microphone for public safety!!! wow… is there a danger in using wireless microphone?… previously NO… but now YES…

The banned wireless microphones are those using the 700 MHz band… and the ban is effective from 12 June 2010… That’s less than 6 months from now… 😛

We have so many kind of wireless thingy today… wireless security systems for home, wireless security cameras, etc., etc., etc… are they getting banned soon too?… Just hope they don’t…

Well, the reason the wireless microphone banned is because it is causing interference to band used for public safety.

When these microphones were first designed, it was not interfering with other devices because it is operating within the public television broadcast frequencies which are between the 698 MHz to 806 MHz… or better known as the 700 MHz Band.

But with the completion of the digital television (DTV) transition on 12 June 2009, television stations are no longer using the band.

Now, these frequencies are being used by public safety entities (such as police, fire and emergency services) and by commercial providers of wireless services (such as wireless broadband services).

So, under a new FCC rule, anyone who uses a wireless microphone that operates in the 700 MHz Band will have to stop operating their wireless microphone by 12 June 2010.