Wireless Mic Makers Seek Changes to FCC Rules
If the FCC doesn't change out-of-band emissions limits in wireless mic rules approved in August (see 1508060050), the agency could stifle an entire industry, said Shure in a petition. Shure said it's seeking changes on only a “handful of discrete…
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and noncontroversial issues,” and warned that out-of-band emission (OOBE) limits should instead be those specified by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute. “If this requirement is not amended to reflect the entire ETSI OOBE limit as stated in the standard, it will not be feasible for industry to manufacture wireless microphones in the future,” Shure said in an underlined and bolded sentence. The FCC also should allow full use of the 1435-1525 MHz band “where coordination with incumbent spectrum users permits,” not at most 30 MHz, the company said. “The Commission did not seek comment on a 30 megahertz limitation for wireless microphone use of the band, comment was not provided on such a limitation, and no technical or policy justification otherwise exists for such a limitation,” Shure said. Shure also said that for wireless mics operating in the VHF TV band, transmitter power output should be measurable on either a conducted or radiated basis. “This flexibility is needed to allow manufacturers to develop products that will satisfy user expectations and requirements for operation in this band,” Shure said. Sennheiser also sought reconsideration of the mic rules, opposing the 30 MHz limitation and other provisions. The FCC never indicated “access to the 1.4 GHz band would be limited to a set amount of spectrum, let alone that it would be limited to a mere one-third of that band,” the company said. “Because the Commission failed to provide any notice, much less adequate notice, of the possibility that a 30 MHz cap on wireless microphone access to the 1.4 GHz band might be considered, that aspect of the rules must be reconsidered and deleted from the rules.” Sennheiser said the FCC should have adopted the ETSI limits. “It is the industry standard and is sensible from a design perspective, as it allows for maximum use of channels,” Sennheiser said. Comments were in docket 14-166.