Welcome to Tech Talk. Radio Active Designs is committed to providing timely information about the 600MHz spectrum re-allocation in order to minimize negative impact to wireless microphone and intercom operators across the United States.
Tech Talk will provide you with the information you need to weather the RF storm headed our way.
9/12/18
Dear Friends & Colleagues:
As promised, the FCC Auction TV repack has begun.
We received a phone call from the Hale Theater in Salt Lake City yesterday. All of the TV stations in SLC have changed. If you are not, you should be prepared to deal with the ramifications of the FCC TV Repack in the cities you work in during the next two years.
In order to help, Radio Active Designs has an FCC TV Repack Schedule on our website. It provides detailed information on more than 50 cities in the United States.
Check out the repack information sample below for Salt Lake City…
Feel free to contact me about the benefits of utilizing our UV-1G wireless intercom system, which operates primarily in the VHF band. It is an excellent start to conserving your available UHF bandwidth for use with wireless products that must operate there.
Thank you,
James Stoffo
CTO, Radio Active Designs
jsrfguy@aol.com
4/04/18
Industry Colleagues:
We recently received an updated notification of T-Mobile deployments in the 600MHz band showing the addition of most major markets commencing service this year, including Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, New York, Phoenix, and most of California and Florida, to name just a few.
Stay informed with a full list of markets, listed by county, both already offering service as well as those due to commence service this year. You can also sign up for email notifications from T-Mobile.
Everyone who operates wireless microphones, intercom, in ear monitors and IFB’s in the 600MHz band should check if they are affected by T-Mobile’s deployments and vacate those bands so as not to suffer (or cause) interference.
The following chart illustrates how the new wireless Band 71 overlays on the existing UHF channels 38-51. Their hope is to minimize interference with wireless systems operating in the new band — but everyone should be very aware this is happening and realize that hope and reality may not be the same thing.
Sincerely,
James Stoffo
Radio Active Design CTO, Principle
8/24/18
Industry Colleagues:
Following a presentation I made at a recent broadcast conference in Texas, two people from T-Mobile introduced themselves. They told me that they were investigating the level of activity currently in the 600 MHz band in order to gauge specific challenges as they roll out their new generation of mobile phone technology before the upcoming holiday season.
That’s right — the upcoming holiday season.
T-Mobile will be energizing various counties throughout the continental US (all of the areas in the last T-Mobile email) before the end of this year. Once they begin testing, wireless operators must cease operation of any device in the affected spectrum. Radio Active Designs is in communications with T-Mobile Spectrum engineers and will be posting test sites on our web site along with the specific counties throughout the US.
Following is a map that our friends at Professional Wireless Systems have put together that provides details on the counties across the United States that T-Mobile plans on lighting up November 1.
For detailed city-by-city information about the FCC Auction TV Repack, check out our website.
Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available….
James Stoffo
Radio Active Design CTO, Principle
6/22/17
Industry Colleagues:
As you are aware, there is a 39-month transition period allowed for the 600MHz re-allocation, which began in April. However, wireless microphone and intercom operators should be aware that T-Mobile is pursuing an aggressive rollout plan across the country, with the goal of having several markets offering service before the end of the year.
Just as importantly, T-Mobile is already demonstrating their 600MHz services on a small-scale basis (micro-cells) at press events and trade shows. Recently, at one such recent event, they deployed a low power micro-cell for demonstration (without prior notice) and caused significant interference to wireless microphones and related equipment.
Please look at a recent article that was written by Phil Kurt and appeared in TVNewsTech. In the article he interviews Karl Voss, Chief Frequency Coordinator for every Super Bowl since 1996. The article is enlightening.
Karl has been a long-time advocate of proper frequency coordination. During the interview he notes that even television broadcasters are ill prepared. Needless to say, those of us in the professional audio community have good reason to be concerned about our lack of readiness as well.
Wireless operators should be prepared to vacate the 600 MHz band with the exception of the Duplex Gap and Guard bands immediately. Radio Active Designs is making every effort to obtain T-Mobile roll out information for each region of the country so that wireless operators may prepare. You can find this information on our website, and it is being updated regularly.
Phil Kurt’s full article with Karl Voss is available here.
Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available….
James Stoffo
Radio Active Design CTO, Principle
