Time to Freq Out?

The digital switchover is here! You would’ve seen the ads on TV – the ones with the robot dog and kid telling you not to worry. Sound recordist Nick Treacy tells us that issues around the analogue to digital TV transmission switchover go beyond just buying a new TV.

If you are one of the 100,000+ users of Ultra High Frequency (UHF) wireless technology in New Zealand then perhaps there is something to worry about.

You may not realise but the use of wireless microphones and transmitters is far and wide, from major sport events to schools halls to guided walking tours.

Wireless microphones and transmitters come in all shapes and sizes from lapel mics for talent and interview subjects to directors coms for monitoring sound during a take or playback. They also get used in concerts for vocals mics, in ear monitors, in wireless feeds from instruments, by match officials in sport, in public address systems at schools and churches. The list goes on and on.

The equipment may look and work differently but the one thing it all has in common is using UHF frequencies to transmit the signal on.

The reality is that many of these wireless units being used everyday nationwide will not work in the near future. To get them to work will require a large investment in new equipment at best. At worst there may be a shortage of clear signal space that threatens the reliable use of the equipment.

The switchover to digital transmission has begun, and will continue over the next year.

The frequencies we rely on currently to transmit our signals in film and TV production will be taken by the broadcasters of digital TV and the telecommunications industry. We will essentially be… cut off.

Our country as a reliable destination for foreign film and TV production may be at threat as overseas UHF radio technology may not work here.

Other international visitors like big concerts or stage productions will face similar issues.

Major events like premieres of Peter Jackson films, America’s Cup or the Rugby World Cup wouldn’t be immune either.

What are these frequencies and how do we use them?

The frequencies here are in the UHF range, the most desirable for a clear strong signal that can be transmitted and received efficiently. Some of the spectrum is licensed exclusively, like TV and telecommunication, while some isn’t licensed to any particular individual or organization. Rather it is allocated for all to use under a General User License (GUL).

The GUL part of the spectrum is where the wireless microphone user, such as your sound recordist or concert audio operator has traditionally used their radios.

The plan is to tidy up this area where it is currently wide spread and ‘move’ the big players like broadcasters and telcos to their own exclusive part of the spectrum, making it more efficient. From a Government perspective, it is a more profitable model.

Tell me more about this spectrum thingy?

The radio spectrum talked about here is in a frequency band from 518mhz to 806mhz. The current use of this spectrum has a lot of transmissions spread from one end to the other with little gaps here and there, where wireless transmitters squeeze themselves in between the bigger signals.

Some of these gaps are legitimate GUL areas (518-582mhz, 614-686mhz) and other gaps just seem to work … Meaning the wireless microphone users just go for it and ‘wing it’. This is also part of the problem, but perhaps easier to put this to one side for now.

The switchover proposal is that broadcasters TV signals will be moved down the bottom end from 526 to 606 and the telcos will transmit from 702 to 806 and perhaps beyond.

What’s the problem?

So where is the problem? Haven’t we got a nice big gap between 606 and 702? Can’t we just transmit in there? Well, this ‘gap’ is now referred to as ‘The Digital Dividend’ and it is worth a lot of money to the Government who can sell it to people like the broadcasters and the telcos if they want more space. We are talking millions of dollars. Some of these areas have already been reserved under existing license arrangements and others are new options and a deposit has been paid to hold this space.

There are also obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi to reserve spectrum and the Government needs to retain some spectrum for themselves ‘just in case’.

So this big open space is now not so big and open.

Unfortunately, we can’t just squeeze into little gaps like we used to because the digital signal is transmitted differently to the old analogue signal so we would get interference making our radios useless.

It’s quite a problem. The radio that worked yesterday is now getting ‘blown away’ by the nice big new digital TV signal or cell phone data transmission signal. And you can’t go in the gap that is owned by someone else because even if it is clear today they might switch it on tomorrow and you’re blown away again.

Why should we care?

Now this is only looking at the signals that are being used in licensed areas paid or unpaid, we have not even considered the signals that are ‘unlicensed’ so to speak. By this I mean people using radios that are not legitimately meant to be transmitting here.

For many years people have been importing devices and selling them or using them with no idea that there was a right and wrong area to be in. This in turn will cause a huge problem when they go to use this device and it either does not work or starts to interfere with a licensed user.

Jobs potentially are at stake, the New Zealand screen production industry is estimated to be worth $2.8 billion dollars each year. Restricted ability in the sound department would severely impact on this figure.

The country also stands to lose additional revenue through reductions in tourism, foreign screen productions and touring concerts. Also are the social and economic losses associated with community events, amateur theatre, schools, churches and trade shows. Convention centre and hospitality events could suffer similar losses.

Making background noise

Back in 2008, Radio Spectrum Management (RSM), a department of the Ministry of Economic Development (MED), issued a release saying it was managing the digital switchover and seeking feedback from interested parties.

Up to that point it would appear that its dealings had been primarily with the larger players in the sector – the broadcasters and the telcos.

At the time, a few wireless microphone users in the film and TV industry realised the digital switchover could potentially affect them and contacted the RSM.

RSM was aware there were users within the area of the GUL but didn’t really have a handle on who they were or how many and the big social and economic contribution these users made to New Zealand.

But RSM had already started their plan to reallocate radio frequency spectrum with the main focus on the broadcasters and telcos. The pie was being cut up and there was not really a decent slice for the GUL users.

In May of 2008 a group called Wireless Users New Zealand (WUNZ) formed.

WUNZ is a voluntary organization that aims to raise awareness of the threat posed to the use of radio microphones in New Zealand. It aims to lobby Government representatives to consider the cultural and economic implications of this threat.

WUNZ is made up of people from film and TV along with equipment suppliers, retailers and outside broadcasting, live and theatre audio operators. A steering committee has been formed. WUNZ has had positive engagement with RSM and have raised the problems of the GUL users. It by no means secures any rights to spectrum, but it does at least put the issues in the spotlight.

Where to from here?

Making the Government aware that benefits brought about by thousands of small wireless users outweigh selling spectrum off is not an easy one.

It’s important to note, this is not just a problem for people who work in sound with UHF radios but also for our entire industry and the wider community.

The objective is to secure enough bandwidth to allow all the GUL activities to continue and also allow for expansion of these activities so they can continue to benefit the country socially and economically.

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Change is upon us and it could impact us all, whether we know it or not. We all have a vested interest in seeing the GUL part of the spectrum remaining viable.

WUNZ will continue to consult with the RSM team to try and secure a dedicated wireless radio environment for the GUL user.

With the continued support of the TV and film industry and by spreading the word to the wider community, hopefully the future really will be trouble free and crystal clear (as the kid and his robot dog keep assuring us). But for now, stay tuned in!