Radio Mics

[Russ83]

So we've had the news from OFCOM and those who are eligible are putting in the claims, also there's the very good discussion going on about the Line 6 digital system but I'm interested in what is everyone actually doing?

 

I find myself sitting on a very high fence at the minute.

 

Do I switch to Ch38? I've bought one of the Sennheiser G3-100 sets to have a good look at and test. They appear very similar to the G2-300 series which is what I currently have but it has been hinted that there is no guarantee how long channel 38 is available for use in the long run. There are also several other manufacturers that might be worth looking at.

 

Or, do I go digital? I'm reading through the Line 6 topic and it looks very promising but it's still new technology. Digital would seem a good route to go down when you look at how crowded the spectrum is but it requires some big names in the industry to start using the technology and prove it.

 

I thought it would be interesting and useful to hear what others decided to do (or to see how crowded this fence is!) Please include where/how you use them as well (church, school, theatre, band, hire company etc).

[timtheenchanteruk]

Ive already gone to 38, more beause my old radios I had been nursing through a good 12 months until; a decision had been made, they were already requiring retirement...

[Nicktaylor]

So we've had the news from OFCOM and those who are eligible are putting in the claims, also there's the very good discussion going on about the Line 6 digital system but I'm interested in what is everyone actually doing?

 

I find myself sitting on a very high fence at the minute.

 

Do I switch to Ch38? I've bought one of the Sennheiser G3-100 sets to have a good look at and test. They appear very similar to the G2-300 series which is what I currently have but it has been hinted that there is no guarantee how long channel 38 is available for use in the long run. There are also several other manufacturers that might be worth looking at.

 

Or, do I go digital? I'm reading through the Line 6 topic and it looks very promising but it's still new technology. Digital would seem a good route to go down when you look at how crowded the spectrum is but it requires some big names in the industry to start using the technology and prove it.

 

I thought it would be interesting and useful to hear what others decided to do (or to see how crowded this fence is!) Please include where/how you use them as well (church, school, theatre, band, hire company etc).

 

 

I went to the workshop run at AC Entertainment by Sennheiser. Where exactly did you see the hint that Ch 38 would not be around? Actually what might happen is the very small Channel 70 with three frequencies there ( similar to current no regulated might be gobbled up at some point down the line)

Basically you would have to somewhat dumb to have any reliance on using your Channel 69 gear after the change as someone like O2 has declared they are interested and it will be up pretty quickly after 2012. Imagine your doing a show and mobile phone interference happens.

Anyone with a licence will have been told and has until 31st December to apply for scrappage scheme. I actually might leave a couple of channels on Ch 70 for local fete use, but anything "mission critical" like stage use, I think anyone doing that would do it once and not be used again!

[ramdram]

Channel 38 not being around...possibly a confusion in the channels numbers?

 

It might be explained in this article???

 

http://www.jfmg.co.uk/pages/equip/Radiomics/dtv.htm

 

And in particular:

 

Channels 21 - 30 and channels 39 - 60 will become 'interleaved' spectrum - assigned to Digital TV with some channels awarded in the DDR geographic interleaved awards (suitable for local TV use). PMSE use of channels where available will be protected until August 2021 or on five year's notice, whichever is later.

 

The bit the industry would be more interested in is the reference(s) to Program Making and Special Event stuff I suppose. There have been other articles where the channels' designations/long term future use have not been made quite so clear.

 

It's probably safe to say that nothing is forever..., and, being the cynic/skeptic I was trained to be (** laughs out loud **), it would not surprise me in the least that IF 2.4GHz kit started flying off the shelves then who knows what revenue making conditions might be attached by HMG?

 

HTH

[paulears]

Think what the cost is for the Government - compensation scrappage payments plus the actual cost of the scheme make it unlikley they would have moved us only to have to do it again - they're surely not that daft!

 

I'm going to turn in 90% of my kit and replace with ch 38, keeping a few items as somebody else mentioned, on 70.

 

I'm very unconvinced by the Line 6 presentation so far. I'm afraid Don started off convincing me, then the lack of proper data, confused comment and worst of all, nobody having multichannel ones to actually test in anger, convinced me that it's a good product but not a proven one. If, by the time the payments come through, I've seen something that convinces me to invest in it, maybe I will - I'm just a tad sceptical so far.

 

Paul

[boswell]

I'm also not convinced that HMG will not stop the compensation before the they start paying out in April or shortly afterwards. so I'm getting in fast.

It's money they can save without much of a political backlash.

 

I want to use interleaved white space around Ch29 as per the existing fixed site co-ordinated but have no idea as to the license costs, so can't commit to buying kit that may cost £ks to license.

Switchover happened 12 months ago in our region so I know which freqs are available (Hence Ch29) but until the selloff I don't know the costs involved.

If I go Ch 38 route, there is nothing to stop the local DJ/band turning up at the local pub and interfering with the show. Result, my name and the name of the theatre is mud and we lose customers.

Stuck between rock and a hard place until after the sell off and we know the costs. :D

[Russ83]

Where exactly did you see the hint that Ch 38 would not be around?

It was actually here on the BR a while back, probably before ch38 had been allocated so now resolved but once you have a doubt in your mind it's hard to get rid off!

 

My current thoughts are the same as Paul. Keep 4 sets of G2-300 in ch70 and switch the rest over to ch38 but I'd like to wait a year before I buy any more new to see what comes up. The only problem to that is I have the same fears as boswell about the funding falling through, I may end up putting in a claim for some units sooner than I wanted.

[Nicktaylor]

I'm also not convinced that HMG will not stop the compensation before the they start paying out in April or shortly afterwards. so I'm getting in fast.

It's money they can save without much of a political backlash.

 

I want to use interleaved white space around Ch29 as per the existing fixed site co-ordinated but have no idea as to the license costs, so can't commit to buying kit that may cost £ks to license.

Switchover happened 12 months ago in our region so I know which freqs are available (Hence Ch29) but until the selloff I don't know the costs involved.

If I go Ch 38 route, there is nothing to stop the local DJ/band turning up at the local pub and interfering with the show. Result, my name and the name of the theatre is mud and we lose customers.

Stuck between rock and a hard place until after the sell off and we know the costs. :)

 

I am not sure what difference there is to the current situation. If you have licence for UHF on channel 69, DJs etc can still illegally use frequencies. What difference are you inferring?

[Rob_Beech]

I shall be moving to Channel 38, I may keep some old G1 sets in 4's and have a couple of Channel 70 sets to send on stuff providing the hirer is aware of the potential issues. These would have to be at a reduced cost of course.

 

The rest I'm really going to have to deal with soon. I've got at least 40 channels I need to replace with Ch38, if not more so need to sort that sharpish.

 

I'm currently phoning around looking for decent deals on multiples but nobody seems to care about selling any to me.

 

So anyone who can still talk to Sennheiser direct wants to quote me on 40 channels of 100 G3 in 38, (beltpack with either lav (2 or 4) or a guitar pack), please do so.

 

Rob

[boswell]

I am not sure what difference there is to the current situation. If you have licence for UHF on channel 69, DJs etc can still illegally use frequencies. What difference are you inferring?

 

We have h69 license at the moment and will retain it until Dec 2012

 

At the moment DJs etc seem to stay in Ch70 and do not stray into CH69, if they did we could protest/report them

As CH70 becomes more congested after 2012, new performers buying their first set of kit will be swayed to Ch 38.

Assuming they would be legal, we could not protest if Freqs clashed.

 

The best action for us as a fixed site is co-ordinated freqs in white space as at the moment. (we have a fixed site internal license on an annual basis)

BUT this space will be sold off and we don't have any idea of new license fees. If I went out and bought radio mic sets in this interleaved white space and then got hit for £ks per year license fees, I would not be very popular! If the fees stay some were near to the present levels then OK, but no one can say until after the sell off.

 

There is more chance of a DJ etc turning up with CH70/38 kit than there is of them having something in the interleaved white space.

 

For hire firms, roaming acts etc, CH38 makes sense as it will give countrywide availability aka Ch69, but for a fixed site in a town centre, as in our case it is not suitable.

[Nicktaylor]

Just having a surf on good old Ebay. There are an amazing number of G3 sets for sale by reputable companies that are just on Channel 69, or can they cover 38 and 69? A lot of copy and paste data on the descriptions and theyseem to be asking top dollar so maybe the kit can be adjusted to all frequencies.