Category Archives: NEWS

Protect your wireless mics from TV White Space device interference

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The TV Band White Space Device initiative continues to move forward in light of the FCC’s Broadband plan and the TV Incentive Auction rulemaking. This is an update of some of the recent notices released by the FCC over the last several months and how they affect wireless microphone operation.

September 19, 2012 – The FCC Opens Wireless Microphone Registration of major event/production venues in the East Coast region: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Washington, DC, Virginia and North Carolina. The Public Notice released on this date outlines the procedures a venue (e.g. sporting event, large theatrical production, etc.) must follow to apply for registration for unlicensed microphone operation at the venue location. Initial application is with the FCC. If the request meets the criteria it is placed on public notice for 30 days for comment. If there are no objections the venue can then register their event through one of the approved White Space Database administrators. 

December 6, 2012 – The FCC issued a Public Notice authorizing approved TV White Space Database systems to provide service to unlicensed radio devices (aka TV Band White Space Devices). The FCC feels this is appropriate since there has been ample time since the September notice to register an unlicensed microphone venue. Concurrent with this notice the FCC opened up, across the nation, the registration for major event/production venues similar to what they did on September 19. These venues, requesting protection for unlicensed wireless microphones, can begin filing their applications for registration with the FCC. The FCC also anticipates expanding from regional to nationwide operations of TV White Space Database systems (i.e. service to TV Band White Space Devices) by mid-January 2013.

Conclusion – The takeaway for broadcasters holding a BAS authorization for operation of wireless microphones in the TV bands is this: They should ensure their studios and other locations of frequent and known wireless microphone use are registered with an approved TV White Space Database system of their choosing. There is no cost to register a location for a licensed user. Understand that the states mentioned in the September notice are “HOT and On-Line” now. Failure to register your location may result in interference from a TV White Space device. With unlicensed wireless microphone registration now open nationwide, expect the FCC to soon also authorize TV White Space Device operation nationwide. For our members who work for companies that produce large events that use unlicensed microphones, consider registering those venues for protection. Do remember, however, you need to apply at least 30 days prior to the event and must meet FCC eligibility criteria.

There are currently two approved TV White Space Database systems: Spectrum Bridge and Telcordia. I would expect the FCC to be approving others before long. At this time there are few TV Band White Space Devices in operation. Expect that number to grow in the near future. Be ready.

This information was provided by Joe Snelson, CPBE, 8-VSB, SBE Vice President and Chairman of the SBE Frequency Coordination Committee. Snelson is vice president of engineering, local media group at Meredith Corporation.

SBE members serve Republican National Convention

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Paul and Blake Republican National Convention

Paul Kempter, CPBE and Blake Hawkins, CPBE of SBE Chapter 39 volunteer during the Republican National Convention. The 2012 convention was held August 27-30 in Tampa, Fla.

By: John Collinson, CPBE, CBNT, 8-VSB, AMD and Paul Kempter, CPBE

Tampa Bay Chapter 39 served an important function as the City of Tampa hosted the Republican National Convention August 27-30 at the Tampa Bay Times Forum.

Under the leadership of nationally known engineers Louis Libin, (member of Chapter 15) and Howard Fine (member of  Chapter 47), eight Tampa area broadcast engineers teamed up to register and tag hundreds of wireless devices coming into the Tampa Bay Times Forum where the convention was held.  Paul Kempter of Chapter 39 chaired the Enforcement Committee, which included handling logistics for all the other local coordinators before and throughout the entire convention.  FCC personnel from Washington, Michigan and the local Tampa office were also involved.  This venue had four major entrances that had to be covered simultaneously, and eight floors to search for non-coordinated equipment.

The major networks also sent RF personnel to oversee their own operations, including Ray Benedict, CPBE a member of SBE Chapter 37.

Approximately 2000 requests were received for 140 available wireless mike frequencies; 1400 requests were granted thanks to a 23 page Special Temporary Authority granted by the FCC.  Those with coordinated frequencies were cleared to use them and tagged appropriately.  The vast majority (over 800) who did not have allocations were tagged for identification and carefully instructed not to use their equipment.  NBC gave the team dozens of mic cables to loan to those not prepared to turn off wireless.  Some crews arrived with equipment on frequencies in the U.S. cellular bands and one tried to use a local sheriff’s office two-way frequency; not a wise idea!

As a result of these efforts only one incident of any consequence occurred and only on one night.  On the intense closing night there were no major issues at all.  Without all the preparatory efforts there is no doubt chaos would have ensued with hundreds of wireless transmitters inside one hall.

SBE Chapter 39 participating members included: Paul Kempter, CPBE, enforcement chair; Ed Allen, CBT; George Becht; John Collinson, CPBE, CBNT, 8-VSB, AMD; Michael Galik, CBTE, CBT, CBNT; Steve Hess, CPBE, CBNT; Blake Hawkins, CPBE; Bob Shotwell, CPBE (Chapter 14 member).

Another SBE Chapter 39 member Mark Schaefer, CBTE, arranged parking space for the volunteers in his company’s parking garage near the venue, a huge help in a crowded downtown area.

Other volunteers who assisted the coordination effort included: Alice Becht, Andrew Becht, Jim Cannon, Mildred Hawkins and Gary Reinhardt.

Miss the SBE Membership Meeting? Watch a recording now!

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You’re in luck if you missed the fall membership meeting of the SBE in Denver. You can watch it online, now! Thanks to, Advanced Broadcast Solutions, Comrex, DVEO and Orban for sponsoring the meeting. They made it possibly to view, for those of you who were unable to be in Denver. A big thanks to SBE Immediate Past President Vinny Lopez, CEV, CBNT and SBE Chapter 48 Chairman Tony Roccanova, along with their team, for their great work on the live stream and recording.

Sage Alerting System Releases IPAWS Support Filmware

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Sage Alerting Systems has posted a message on their site saying:

We plan to release the IPAWS support firmware before 1:00pm EDT today. This is, as always, subject to a little drift.
• This web site is a finite resource. If everyone tries to download at 1:00pm, it won’t be pretty.
• Our support lines are a finite resource as well. If you need to call us, and you get voice mail, leave a message. Don’t try to call back later, assuming we’ll answer the phone then. Leave a message, and we’ll return your call in the order we received it. Don’t try the sales or business office extensions, they can’t call support either if the lines are busy.
• Please read and follow the steps in the release notes carefully. If you haven’t tried to add an IPAWS server by hand, and if your ENDEC is able to sync up to a network time source, the install will go very well. If you have tried to get the ENDEC to poll IPAWS by using instructions from a source other than Sage, you will have problems. Those CAP server entries, with things like “ipaws”, or “http” or “https” followed by anything, won’t work, and will result in a “CAP offline” message. If you can access your ENDEC, you might want to do a little prep work, remove those servers, and upload the settings before you upload the firmware. This is especially true if you used the ENDECSetd included in release 74-2, and built a CAP server with a type of “IPAWS OPEN” and an incorrect URL. Keep any server that is currently working for you, this includes any MyState server or GSS satellite server.

The other EAS encoder manufactures also have information available.

Visit the Emergency Alert System Issues page on the SBE website for more information.

Scott Mason, CPBE, CBNT, SBE EAS Education Committee Chairman