Trantec Wireless Systems Frequency Reprogramming

If you use, hire or manufacture wireless microphones, in-ear monitors, talkback or programme link equipment in the television band 790 – 862 MHz then your business is likely to be affected by Government’s plans for digital television.

The Government has already started its plan to switch off analogue terrestrial television broadcasts and replace them with digital transmissions. This began in the Border region in 2008 and will be completed by 2012. Since a large number of digital television services can be accommodated in a smaller amount of spectrum than is needed for current analogue broadcasts, there is an opportunity for the Government to release spectrum for other purposes.

It is unclear whether wireless microphones or other equipment could share with new services in the released spectrum and so users of such equipment will need to vacate this spectrum during 2012. Consequently, UHF Radio Microphone and In Ear Monitoring systems currently using frequencies below 862MHz will have to stop transmitting when this changeover happens.

The existing licence free range of frequencies 862 - 879 MHz, known as Channel 70, is unaffected and systems using frequencies within this range will be able to continue to operate licence free.

Several of the legacy UHF Trantec Radio Microphone and In Ear Monitor systems can have their operating frequencies reprogrammed. So any such system currently operating below the 862MHz threshold could be reprogrammed to operate in the Channel 70 range allowing it to be used beyond the switchover deadline. the alternative would be to scrap these systems and purchase new systems which operate in the new operating frequency range of 606 - 614 MHz, known as Channel 38.

We are able to offer a reprogramming service for any of these Trantec systems at a cost of £10 per system (one receiver and one transmitter) plus return carriage. Please email us for more details if you use any of these systems and are thinking of taking advantage of their frequency reprogramming facility.

The Trantec UHF systems included in this service are:

S4000, S4.5 and S4.1 radio microphones, plus the S4000 In Ear Monitor

For more information and to keep up to date with the latest situation, please check out the JFMG web site http://www.jfmg.co.uk by clicking here.

The VHF spectrum is not affected by this changeover and the current licence free frequency range of 173.7 to 175.1 MHz will continue to be available. Our reprogramming service includes several legacy Trantec VHF based systems so any such system currently operating on a licenced VHF frequency can be reprogrammed to operate on one of the licence free frequencies.

The Trantec VHF radio microphone systems included in this service are:

S3.2, S3.5 and S3500