Radio mic frequencies ..... again

[JohnG]

OFCOM have released a statement outlining their intentions for PMSE
radio frequencies, and it seems encouraging! The document is at

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/ddr/statement/

and a document from JFMG is at

http://www.jfmg.co.uk/jfmgecom/jfmg_conten...ew/whatsnew.htm

To summarise briefly, it seems Channel 69 is to remain and there will
still be licences for these frequencies. Whether the whole of that
spectrum will be licenced or only in part is not made clear. A
selection of digital interleaved frequencies are to be reserved for
PMSE use and will be managed by a frequency management company similar
to JFMG itself. This is to be decided by a "beauty contest". The
proposed frequencies will NOT be part of the auction process as such,
but will be sold at a price (Administered Incentive Pricing) to allow
the management company to sell licenses for PSME users at a sensible
cost. The management company would also be subject to regulations to
meet reasonable demand from PMSE users on fair, reasonable and non-
discriminatory terms. What this means in practice we shall see!

This seems to be fairly sensible on first reading, everybody with
channel 69 radio microphones will still be able to use them after
2012, with high level users taking up the interleaved spectrum. Hire
companies will still be able to hire out channel 69 systems, so they
won't be obselete overnight. They can also run down their stocks of
other UHF frequencies in preparation for the change to digital
systems.

Fingers crossed we may have a workable system when the time comes!

John....

[JohnG]

Sorry, the second link didn't copy properly, and I can't work out how
to edit my post!!

Here's the proper link:

http://www.jfmg.co.uk/jfmgecom/jfmg_content/pages/latest/whats_new/whatsnew.htm

[JohnG]

Here's another link, this time to a useful "Easy Guide" from the JFMG
website. This is a handy document that is well worth reading!

http://www.jfmg.co.uk/jfmgecom/Docs/EasyGuidetoDDRstatement07.pdf

John