Wireless church mics caution

[Dennis M. Scott]

I am so tech illiterate I don't even know what this means, but my techy brother in law sent it to me.

The FCC has reallocated and auctioned off the 698 MHZ to 806 MHZ spectrum, generally referred to as the 700 MHZ frequency band. The space will now be home to public safety and commercial users--which means wireless microphone users like churches that are operating in that spectrum have to vacate the premises by February 17, 2009. The Digital Television deadline move to June DOES NOT CHANGE the 700 MHZ frequency deadline.

If a church gets sited by the FCC for operating the illegal units the fines can be quite high on a per unit used basis. As Metro Area Wireless Internet (WiMax) and Public Safety users start moving onto the 700MHz space there will be FCC monitors out and about. I do not believe that it is as bleak as I sound here but it is better to error on the safe side seeing who we represent.

See these sites for more info:

http://www.churchmedia.net/
http://www.sweetwater.com/feature/wireless/

Blessing,
SWNJr

Stephen W. Nease, Jr., Media Director
Leesburg Church of the Nazarene

Chief Technology Officer
The Library of Congress
Motion Picture, Broadcasting & Recorded Sound Division
National Audio-Visual Conservation Center
Packard Campus
19053 Mount Pony Road
Culpeper, VA 22701-7551

[Dave McClung]

I was asked to post this email. I assume that "sited" means "cited."


The FCC has reallocated and auctioned off the 698 MHZ to 806 MHZ spectrum, generally referred to as the 700 MHZ frequency band. The space will now be home to public safety and commercial users--which means wireless microphone users like churches that are operating in that spectrum have to vacate the premises by February 17, 2009. The Digital Television deadline move to June DOES NOT CHANGE the 700 MHZ frequency deadline.

If a church gets sited by the FCC for operating the illegal units the fines can be quite high on a per unit used basis. As Metro Area Wireless Internet (WiMax) and Public Safety users start moving onto the 700MHz space there will be FCC monitors out and about. I do not believe that it is as bleak as I sound here but it is better to error on the safe side seeing who we represent.

See these sites for more info:

http://www.churchmedia.net/
http://www.sweetwater.com/feature/wireless/

Blessing,
SWNJr

Stephen W. Nease, Jr., Media Director
Leesburg Church of the Nazarene

[Mike Wooldridge]

I would think a church would be warned before being fined. Also, the public safety and other new users on the band probably have more powerful transmitters than wireless mics so facilities using mics in this band are more likely to have interference than to cause it. Sounds like someone may be trying to sell churches and others using "scare" tactics.
Edited To Add: I didn't mean Stephen Nease, Jr. but maybe some of the companies advising him.

[Stephen Nease]

Mike,

In February 2006, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 216-214 and approved a budget package that would require analog television broadcasters and other users to clear the 700 MHz airwaves on Feb. 17, 2009. President George W. Bush signed the transition package into law and approved $1.2 billion in funding for public safety communications.

The FCC has described the 700 MHz area as “beachfront property” and this former UHF (TV) spectrum has been reclaimed by the U.S. government. It is reallocated for public safety and commercial broadband networks. Anyone using this spectrum for any other purpose is to go “dark” (stop transmitting) on Feb. 17, 2009.

As to “scare” tactics; the person (not companies) that is advising me is the Frequency Coordinator for the Capitol Area for the Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE). He has worked with several of the larger churches in the DC area (McClain Bible Church for one) on moving the transmit frequencies or the removing of hundreds of wireless microphone transmitters from the 700MHz spectrum. There is no one here trying to “sell” anything but information to help churches large and small be aware of this issue.

“I would think a church would be warned before being fined.”

The law is now in effect, the FCC is the enforcing agency and I believe as Jesus said to them in Matthew: "Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and to God the things that are God's." Under man’s law ignorance of the law is not an excuse; tell me why do we as Christians want to be “warned” about breaking the law? The resulting fines are ranged from $5,000 – $10,000 per infraction. All I am trying to do here as a servant of the Lord is to spread the word.

Blessings,
SWNJr

[Gary Creely]

It will be interesting to see if the enforcement happens at all. Their are a lot of wireless out there using the 700MHz, in fact I think mine is among them (seven units).

Most churches can't afford to run out and replace their wireless. If they try to crack down even by June I think there will be outrage. Remember they did not settle the question of these rf spaces until relatively recently. They only stopped manufacturing 700MHz about a year ago or so.

I will be watching with great interest how this turns out.

[Jon Bemis]

The law is now in effect, the FCC is the enforcing agency and I believe as Jesus said to them in Matthew: "Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and to God the things that are God's." Under man’s law ignorance of the law is not an excuse; tell me why do we as Christians want to be “warned” about breaking the law?

I'm all for obeying the law, but it does seem that churches should have been given some more info regarding this before now.

[Mike Wooldridge]

There are literally thousands of these wireless mics in use. They are unlicensed as are other devices like garage door openes. As I said before the new band users have transmitters that are far more powerful than the wireless mics, so present users are more likely to receive rather than cause interference. FCC enforcement is generally on a complaint basis. Normally the FCC will notify someone they are causing interference and give them a chance to rectify the situation before further action is taken. I don't see the FCC driving in front of churches to catch those bad ol' wireless mics.
Edited To Add: Here's a link to the FCC rules for the lower 700MHz spectrum.

[Stephen Nease]

Mike,

Killing the messenger is not what is needed and I thank you for the link to the FCC; the page you cited is an older one, noted by the fact it still contains the 2006 analog shutoff deadline. That was changed quite awhile ago and as I stated earlier, I do not believe it is as bleak as it sounds here, but to be clear…

1. ONLY LICENSED BROADCASTERS OR LTTS LICENSEES are permitted to use the 700 MHz band for microphones or other wireless audio devices. Unlicensed operation IS NOT PERMITTED. Garage door openers don't operate on broadcast frequencies, so your comparison is irrelevant.

2. NO OPERATOR is permitted to use microphones in the broadcast band without a license. Regardless of whether they are in 700 MHz or elsewhere, if they are operating unlicensed they are breaking the law and are subject to fines and asset seizures (IE the offending equipment) on a PER OFFENSE basis. The maximum fine is $10,000 per infraction. Each

3. If a church is operating an unlicensed microphone, both the church and the vendor who sold them the microphone can be charged. Unlicensed operation in the broadcast bands IS ILLEGAL under ALL CIRCUMSTANCES.

4. As you have mentioned here; usually the FCC will contact an offender and ask them to rectify the situation. In the case of wireless microphones, the rectification would be either getting a license or discontinuing the offending operation PERMANENTLY. Either way, they lose the use of their 'unlicensed' microphone since they either have to get a license or stop using it entirely. If they continue to use the wireless system in the broadcast bands AFTER they've been warned, the FCC will not be so kind or patient and will fine the next infraction, regardless of whether it is a church or not. You only get one warning.

This is not about any one person that we are talking about here; it is an institution, a law abiding one, it is the Church of the Nazarene and we are the stewards of that church. For you and I to advocate anything but not breaking the law, no matter how small or what our particular personal feelings are about the law: is just plain wrong.

I would hope and pray that any GS, DS, College President (past or present), Senior Pastor, Youth Pastor or church board member reading this would take it to heart that this is a matter that needs to be acted upon and decisions made to remedy. Go ahead and file with the FCC website for operation of these wireless systems and if you want, file a protest with the FCC on the financial impact to your particular church. Get it on the record that your church or affiliated institution is actively trying to obey the law. The “FCC driving in front of churches to catch those bad ol' wireless mics” as you say, should never be a possibility or consideration by any church or Pastor.

Blessings,
SWNJr

[Gary Creely]

I think the FCC is out of line, and when churches get their act together and realize what the ramifications of these new laws are there will be a bit of an uprising. As a unified group I think churches 1. are the most prolific users of wireless mics and 2. are most likely to start putting pressure on legislators as a unified front.

The results of this are uncertain, but if and when the FCC starts cracking down they risk waking a sleeping giant politically speaking.

From my travels I would estimate that about 85% of all churches use some form of wireless system. I would say these days most of them are UHF systems. Of those I would guess about half are in the 700MHz range. That is a whole lot of systems, I can't imagine the FCC has anything near the staff necessary to enforce this space.

The good news is manufacturers have stopped selling these systems in the US, and wireless need to be replace relatively regularly. In the end the problem will work its self out via attrition.

The down side here is the space that is remaining is crowded, no big deal for the small church with one or two units, but when you getting to churches with multiple systems, conferences, or any time you start get above even 6 systems careful planning needs to be taken. Call a contractor or consultant- Too many times a pastor (or layperson) picks up a magazine and orders me 8 of this or that wireless. And then calls a company like mine to have me "fix them", because they don't work. They are never too pleased when I inform them that that particular system they purchased is only made to use 3 systems at a time (even though it is 12 channels). Don't be that church, I do not present this as a hypothetical circumstance, but one I have dealt with more than once.

[Kevin Walters]

Just to add my 2 cents. I generally agree with Gary's assessment. I also work closely with churches on sound system issues.

For clarification, the actual effective date of the law is bumped back to June coinciding with the change in digital tv broadcasting. That's what my most recent information has indicated. A lot of lobbying has already taken place on this issue and it doesn't appear that much hope exists to reverse this decision.

As others have said, there is a good possibility you might get away with continuing to use these units. They might work fine, you might not get caught. The bigger problem is that of churches feeling they are above the law based on excuses like "I can't afford to comply" etc. If you get caught, they may smack your fingers or fine you. That's up to the FCC to decide. Prosecuting churches is certainly not going to be politically correct but who knows?

I'm as against this law as anyone and have expressed that repeatedly but I still think we need to set a standard by complying with the laws that are passed. If our churches aren't going to take the high ground, who will?

Our church has 3 units that will need to be replaced. New ones will be in place soon. I thank our pastor for being supportive in complying with the law.

Kevin Walters
Bethany Church of the Nazarene
www.cagnolimusic.com