Last February, the FCC established a new “Wireless Multi-Channel Audio System.” This new service is a licensed service that operates on TV frequencies currently used for wireless microphones. When creating the new service, the FCC found:
“In this Report and Order, we revise the technical rules for Part 74 low-power auxiliary station (LPAS) devices to permit a recently developed type of wireless microphone system termed herein as a Wireless Multichannel Audio System (WMAS), to operate in the broadcast television (TV) bands and other Part 74 LPAS frequency bands on a licensed basis. Wireless microphones play a vital role in the entertainment and news industries as well as at educational institutions, houses of worship, conventions and anywhere large numbers of people gather. This emerging technology will enable more wireless microphones to operate in the spectrum available for wireless microphone operations, and thus advance an important Commission goal to promote efficient spectrum use. and availability—vis-à-vis all the various authorized users, whether broadcast licensees, white space device users, the wireless microphone users themselves, or others, that share frequency bands with wireless microphones.”
Broadcasters have traditionally used these bands on a licensed basis. In recent years, there have been a number of unlicensed entities using these frequencies, causing interference to our wireless microphones. While the decision may increase the number of entities using wireless microphones on these frequencies, the fact that they will be licensed is important. Hopefully, it will help track down any interfering microphones.
You can see the FCC’s decision here.
The Public Notice announcing service authorization on November 18 can be found here.