amdram.co.uk

It’s been a rather unsettled period of time over the past year for those of us who provide equipment to theatre users (recession aside) and we have received a lot of enquiries regarding what is happening with the frequency sell off and what happens to the equipment we all use and rely on so much that will no longer be usable in stages commencing 1^st July 2012 onwards. It’s not all bad news though!

First of all, if you own radio/wireless microphone systems, then usually on the back of the receiver or transmitter pack there should be the frequency range the system tunes across. The frequencies, which will remain in use after 2012, are in the VHF band 173.800 – 175.000mhz and in the UHF band: 863.000 – 865.000mhz (channel 70) along with the 2.4ghz band. All the above frequencies can be used without restriction and without any license fee payable in the UK now and beyond 2012. This is based on information available as of April 2010.

You can use up to four license free systems together in both the VHF and UHF bands or combine the two for a maximum of eight or possibly (with some of the latest systems) up to ten working together which should be interference free with the better quality systems. Please note that some of the budget systems are only designed for a maximum of two working together, so it is worth checking the make/model to confirm this. In the 2.4ghz band there is a company who manufacturers systems offering seventy spot frequencies all of which can be used together completely license free.

The new UK allocated frequencies in the UHF band (available to use right away) are 606.000 – 614.000mhz (channel 38) and these replace 854.000 – 862mhz (channel 69). These channels require an annual license and will allow you to use up to twelve channels together in each band. It is important to note that other frequency bands may require a short term license and you would need to state the dates, venues and frequencies you would be using.

The majority of UHF systems in use today from most of the better known manufacturers usually tune across 830.000 – 865.000mhz (channels 67 – 70) though not all as other frequencies can be used on a temporary basis with the appropriate license obtainable for the time being from www.jfmg.co.uk for UK use.

Each ‘channel’, as we call it, covers a ‘television channel’ which is 8mhz wide and the radio/wireless systems we all use are shared with the television frequencies here in the UK and as this goes digital, we who use radio/wireless microphone systems are being evicted, if you like, to make way for new technologies which are likely to be used on mobile phones beyond 2012.

If you would like more information regarding this subject or even a valuation to part exchange equipment you may own then please get in touch. Contact information is shown on our website http://www.soundhire.co.uk