Open Forum

Hi,

I'm a journalist, and I'm writing an article about the effect the 600 MHz auction is having on users of wireless audio equipment. As most of you likely are aware, wireless audio gear that currently operates in the 600 MHz band – which likely is all or most of your microphones, and back of house walkie talkies – will be illegal, and likely nonfunctional by 2020 (or earlier!, depending on your location). For most theater programs the cost for new gear (at $500 to $1000 per mic) that operates outside the 600 MHz band will run into the tens of thousands of dollars.

I'm interested in hearing from program or tech directors of school theaters about the particular hardship you expect to incur from the need to purchase the new equipment. E.g. will allocating money for new mics mean that other critical parts of your programs – costumes, props, etc. – may not be able to be upgraded? Will you be forced to make cutbacks on the quality of shows, using fewer mics than is necessary, if you can't afford (all) the new gear in time? Will you need to dip into a reserve fund or do a special fundraiser? Etc.  

I know many school programs operate entirely on funds from ticket sales or fundraisers, so the obligation to make such a large expenditure on new gear, I presume, could be highly problematic. Thanks very much! This is an important story, and I am eager to let the public know about it.

NOTE: I've spoken with Jim Palmerini, of the EdTA, about this issue, and he suggested I make this post.

Please contact me at dave@davidzweig.com or 917 822 2670

------------------------------
David Zweig
dave@davidzweig.com
------------------------------

Hi David,

Thank you for investigating this story. Luckily for us, our 18 broadcast channels do not fall in the 600 range. That being said, different school districts handle purchase of mics in different ways. In our district it is a capital expenditure covered by the school so we aren't liable for replacement. When this occurred several years ago (during the transition to digital TV) we were impacted but the district stepped up and covered the cost of 18 new systems.

We were, at that time, able to benefit from the rebate programs being offered by manufacturers and lowered our final cost down to about 14K from 18K. For what ever reason, this particular auction has received very little press in the educational theatre community and in many instances, has caught people completely off guard. Consequently, those schools have missed the opportunity to benefit from the rebate programs.

I believe you are correct in your assumption that this will greatly impact numerous theatre programs as money will need to be taken away from other aspects of their programs and/or will simply fail to comply with the new directive.

You may want to reach out to Jim Palmarini at EdTA. Jim has done extensive work on this issue.

Best Wishes,

Dana

------------------------------
Dana Taylor
MSD of Mt. Vernon
Evansville IN
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-21-2018 18:05
From: David Zweig
Subject: wireless mics - government requirement to leave 600 MHz band

Hi,

I'm a journalist, and I'm writing an article about the effect the 600 MHz auction is having on users of wireless audio equipment. As most of you likely are aware, wireless audio gear that currently operates in the 600 MHz band – which likely is all or most of your microphones, and back of house walkie talkies – will be illegal, and likely nonfunctional by 2020 (or earlier!, depending on your location). For most theater programs the cost for new gear (at $500 to $1000 per mic) that operates outside the 600 MHz band will run into the tens of thousands of dollars.

I'm interested in hearing from program or tech directors of school theaters about the particular hardship you expect to incur from the need to purchase the new equipment. E.g. will allocating money for new mics mean that other critical parts of your programs – costumes, props, etc. – may not be able to be upgraded? Will you be forced to make cutbacks on the quality of shows, using fewer mics than is necessary, if you can't afford (all) the new gear in time? Will you need to dip into a reserve fund or do a special fundraiser? Etc.

I know many school programs operate entirely on funds from ticket sales or fundraisers, so the obligation to make such a large expenditure on new gear, I presume, could be highly problematic. Thanks very much! This is an important story, and I am eager to let the public know about it.

NOTE: I've spoken with Jim Palmerini, of the EdTA, about this issue, and he suggested I make this post.

Please contact me at dave@davidzweig.com or 917 822 2670

------------------------------
David Zweig
dave@davidzweig.com
------------------------------

When your article is finished, please post it here or attach a link.  I have informed my administration of the change but I think reading it from an outside source may help them understand the significance and possible impact.

------------------------------
Janet Cain
Cincinnati OH
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-21-2018 18:05
From: David Zweig
Subject: wireless mics - government requirement to leave 600 MHz band

Hi,

I'm a journalist, and I'm writing an article about the effect the 600 MHz auction is having on users of wireless audio equipment. As most of you likely are aware, wireless audio gear that currently operates in the 600 MHz band – which likely is all or most of your microphones, and back of house walkie talkies – will be illegal, and likely nonfunctional by 2020 (or earlier!, depending on your location). For most theater programs the cost for new gear (at $500 to $1000 per mic) that operates outside the 600 MHz band will run into the tens of thousands of dollars.

I'm interested in hearing from program or tech directors of school theaters about the particular hardship you expect to incur from the need to purchase the new equipment. E.g. will allocating money for new mics mean that other critical parts of your programs – costumes, props, etc. – may not be able to be upgraded? Will you be forced to make cutbacks on the quality of shows, using fewer mics than is necessary, if you can't afford (all) the new gear in time? Will you need to dip into a reserve fund or do a special fundraiser? Etc.

I know many school programs operate entirely on funds from ticket sales or fundraisers, so the obligation to make such a large expenditure on new gear, I presume, could be highly problematic. Thanks very much! This is an important story, and I am eager to let the public know about it.

NOTE: I've spoken with Jim Palmerini, of the EdTA, about this issue, and he suggested I make this post.

Please contact me at dave@davidzweig.com or 917 822 2670

------------------------------
David Zweig
dave@davidzweig.com
------------------------------

Hi thank you for your work on the article! I would love to see the finished product when it is complete. 

When I found out about this issue, I immediately began searching for ways to raise money to replace our 4 wireless mics that operate on the 600 MHz frequency. We were extremely lucky in that only 4 of our 12 mics operated on that bandwidth. We did a series of fundraisers to raise money to cover the costs. Unfortunately, we only raised enough money to cover the cost of replacing two of them. At the end of the year however, a donor came forward and donated the rest of the funds to cover replacing the other two mics. 

Another thing that helps out a little is that you can register for a rebate with the maker of your mic set. Ours were Audio-Technica, so we bought new Audio-Technica mics, followed the steps sent to me by a costumer service rep, sent in the old mics, and we should be getting a check for $300 back soon ($75 per mic). I am sure every brand has their own way of doing it, but for those of you using Audio-Tecnica, I will save you the trouble and post the link here. I hope this helps!

Audio-Technica.RebateAccess.com

Thank you for your investigation and writing this article. Honestly, if we didn't have the donor come through for us, we would be short. I can't imagine what other schools might be going through who have to replace all or most of their mics. Good luck to all of you in this process!

Sincerely,

------------------------------
Joey Plaia
Drama Director
John Carroll Catholic High School
Birmingham AL
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-21-2018 18:05
From: David Zweig
Subject: wireless mics - government requirement to leave 600 MHz band

Hi,

I'm a journalist, and I'm writing an article about the effect the 600 MHz auction is having on users of wireless audio equipment. As most of you likely are aware, wireless audio gear that currently operates in the 600 MHz band – which likely is all or most of your microphones, and back of house walkie talkies – will be illegal, and likely nonfunctional by 2020 (or earlier!, depending on your location). For most theater programs the cost for new gear (at $500 to $1000 per mic) that operates outside the 600 MHz band will run into the tens of thousands of dollars.

I'm interested in hearing from program or tech directors of school theaters about the particular hardship you expect to incur from the need to purchase the new equipment. E.g. will allocating money for new mics mean that other critical parts of your programs – costumes, props, etc. – may not be able to be upgraded? Will you be forced to make cutbacks on the quality of shows, using fewer mics than is necessary, if you can't afford (all) the new gear in time? Will you need to dip into a reserve fund or do a special fundraiser? Etc.

I know many school programs operate entirely on funds from ticket sales or fundraisers, so the obligation to make such a large expenditure on new gear, I presume, could be highly problematic. Thanks very much! This is an important story, and I am eager to let the public know about it.

NOTE: I've spoken with Jim Palmerini, of the EdTA, about this issue, and he suggested I make this post.

Please contact me at dave@davidzweig.com or 917 822 2670

------------------------------
David Zweig
dave@davidzweig.com
------------------------------

Unfortunately I think there are many theatre teachers and school programs out there that have no idea how to even check their mics, let alone try to understand what needs to be done, or the gravity of the expense they may incur trying to replace things. This impacts not only microphones within theatre programs, but across the school where these mics or certain radios may be in use. I've been trying to explain to my administration that everything needs to be checked, but I think that our district technology department won't actually address it until the very last moment. That's how things are often handled unfortunately, they are ignored until they have to be addressed. It will mean that if we want to handle it now, we will have to raise the money ourselves (yes taking away from funds for other areas like props, sets, costumes,... that we need), and if we wait, they will likely take away our mics but not replace them for a long while, if at all, because the funds won't be there.

------------------------------
Kathleen McNulty Mann
mcnulkl@bay.k12.fl.us

Program Director
Arnold High School Theatre
Thespian Troupe 6371
Panama City Beach, FL

District 10 Chair & State Logistics
Florida State Junior Thespians

Board Member
Membership Committee Chair
Florida Association for Theatre Education
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-21-2018 18:05
From: David Zweig
Subject: wireless mics - government requirement to leave 600 MHz band

Hi,

I'm a journalist, and I'm writing an article about the effect the 600 MHz auction is having on users of wireless audio equipment. As most of you likely are aware, wireless audio gear that currently operates in the 600 MHz band – which likely is all or most of your microphones, and back of house walkie talkies – will be illegal, and likely nonfunctional by 2020 (or earlier!, depending on your location). For most theater programs the cost for new gear (at $500 to $1000 per mic) that operates outside the 600 MHz band will run into the tens of thousands of dollars.

I'm interested in hearing from program or tech directors of school theaters about the particular hardship you expect to incur from the need to purchase the new equipment. E.g. will allocating money for new mics mean that other critical parts of your programs – costumes, props, etc. – may not be able to be upgraded? Will you be forced to make cutbacks on the quality of shows, using fewer mics than is necessary, if you can't afford (all) the new gear in time? Will you need to dip into a reserve fund or do a special fundraiser? Etc.

I know many school programs operate entirely on funds from ticket sales or fundraisers, so the obligation to make such a large expenditure on new gear, I presume, could be highly problematic. Thanks very much! This is an important story, and I am eager to let the public know about it.

NOTE: I've spoken with Jim Palmerini, of the EdTA, about this issue, and he suggested I make this post.

Please contact me at dave@davidzweig.com or 917 822 2670

------------------------------
David Zweig
dave@davidzweig.com
------------------------------

Thanks to everyone who has emailed me directly, and to those who posted here!

I'll keep you all apprised, either on this message board and/or through Jim, once the article is published.

Best, and thanks again,
Dave

------------------------------
David Zweig
dave@davidzweig.com
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-23-2018 08:42
From: Kathleen McNulty Mann
Subject: wireless mics - government requirement to leave 600 MHz band

Unfortunately I think there are many theatre teachers and school programs out there that have no idea how to even check their mics, let alone try to understand what needs to be done, or the gravity of the expense they may incur trying to replace things. This impacts not only microphones within theatre programs, but across the school where these mics or certain radios may be in use. I've been trying to explain to my administration that everything needs to be checked, but I think that our district technology department won't actually address it until the very last moment. That's how things are often handled unfortunately, they are ignored until they have to be addressed. It will mean that if we want to handle it now, we will have to raise the money ourselves (yes taking away from funds for other areas like props, sets, costumes,... that we need), and if we wait, they will likely take away our mics but not replace them for a long while, if at all, because the funds won't be there.

------------------------------
Kathleen McNulty Mann
mcnulkl@bay.k12.fl.us

Program Director
Arnold High School Theatre
Thespian Troupe 6371
Panama City Beach, FL

District 10 Chair & State Logistics
Florida State Junior Thespians

Board Member
Membership Committee Chair
Florida Association for Theatre Education

Original Message:
Sent: 07-21-2018 18:05
From: David Zweig
Subject: wireless mics - government requirement to leave 600 MHz band

Hi,

I'm a journalist, and I'm writing an article about the effect the 600 MHz auction is having on users of wireless audio equipment. As most of you likely are aware, wireless audio gear that currently operates in the 600 MHz band – which likely is all or most of your microphones, and back of house walkie talkies – will be illegal, and likely nonfunctional by 2020 (or earlier!, depending on your location). For most theater programs the cost for new gear (at $500 to $1000 per mic) that operates outside the 600 MHz band will run into the tens of thousands of dollars.

I'm interested in hearing from program or tech directors of school theaters about the particular hardship you expect to incur from the need to purchase the new equipment. E.g. will allocating money for new mics mean that other critical parts of your programs – costumes, props, etc. – may not be able to be upgraded? Will you be forced to make cutbacks on the quality of shows, using fewer mics than is necessary, if you can't afford (all) the new gear in time? Will you need to dip into a reserve fund or do a special fundraiser? Etc.

I know many school programs operate entirely on funds from ticket sales or fundraisers, so the obligation to make such a large expenditure on new gear, I presume, could be highly problematic. Thanks very much! This is an important story, and I am eager to let the public know about it.

NOTE: I've spoken with Jim Palmerini, of the EdTA, about this issue, and he suggested I make this post.

Please contact me at dave@davidzweig.com or 917 822 2670

------------------------------
David Zweig
dave@davidzweig.com
------------------------------

Every year I spend about $4k on renting wireless body mics. I have toyed with the idea of raising the money to buy our own - but in the end, I have avoided doing it because they keep selling off bits - I cannot imagine the time it would take my kids and I to raise the kind of money we'd need for a good system, and then find out a year or two later that we would have to raise it all over again to replace it. It irks me to basically throw money out the door every year, but doing so means that it is someone else's problem to keep replacing hardware. 
I'd hope that the government would maybe permanently set aside some wavelengths for us all and give some stability, but I guess hoping for stability in the day and age is farting in the wind. It's too bad because  if I had a gaurantee, I would do what I had to to raise the $$ and stop renting.


------------------------------
Jeffrey Davis
Plainsboro NJ
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-23-2018 08:42
From: Kathleen McNulty Mann
Subject: wireless mics - government requirement to leave 600 MHz band

Unfortunately I think there are many theatre teachers and school programs out there that have no idea how to even check their mics, let alone try to understand what needs to be done, or the gravity of the expense they may incur trying to replace things. This impacts not only microphones within theatre programs, but across the school where these mics or certain radios may be in use. I've been trying to explain to my administration that everything needs to be checked, but I think that our district technology department won't actually address it until the very last moment. That's how things are often handled unfortunately, they are ignored until they have to be addressed. It will mean that if we want to handle it now, we will have to raise the money ourselves (yes taking away from funds for other areas like props, sets, costumes,... that we need), and if we wait, they will likely take away our mics but not replace them for a long while, if at all, because the funds won't be there.

------------------------------
Kathleen McNulty Mann
mcnulkl@bay.k12.fl.us

Program Director
Arnold High School Theatre
Thespian Troupe 6371
Panama City Beach, FL

District 10 Chair & State Logistics
Florida State Junior Thespians

Board Member
Membership Committee Chair
Florida Association for Theatre Education

Original Message:
Sent: 07-21-2018 18:05
From: David Zweig
Subject: wireless mics - government requirement to leave 600 MHz band

Hi,

I'm a journalist, and I'm writing an article about the effect the 600 MHz auction is having on users of wireless audio equipment. As most of you likely are aware, wireless audio gear that currently operates in the 600 MHz band – which likely is all or most of your microphones, and back of house walkie talkies – will be illegal, and likely nonfunctional by 2020 (or earlier!, depending on your location). For most theater programs the cost for new gear (at $500 to $1000 per mic) that operates outside the 600 MHz band will run into the tens of thousands of dollars.

I'm interested in hearing from program or tech directors of school theaters about the particular hardship you expect to incur from the need to purchase the new equipment. E.g. will allocating money for new mics mean that other critical parts of your programs – costumes, props, etc. – may not be able to be upgraded? Will you be forced to make cutbacks on the quality of shows, using fewer mics than is necessary, if you can't afford (all) the new gear in time? Will you need to dip into a reserve fund or do a special fundraiser? Etc.

I know many school programs operate entirely on funds from ticket sales or fundraisers, so the obligation to make such a large expenditure on new gear, I presume, could be highly problematic. Thanks very much! This is an important story, and I am eager to let the public know about it.

NOTE: I've spoken with Jim Palmerini, of the EdTA, about this issue, and he suggested I make this post.

Please contact me at dave@davidzweig.com or 917 822 2670

------------------------------
David Zweig
dave@davidzweig.com
------------------------------

Original Message------

Unfortunately I think there are many theatre teachers and school programs out there that have no idea how to even check their mics, let alone try to understand what needs to be done, or the gravity of the expense they may incur trying to replace things. This impacts not only microphones within theatre programs, but across the school where these mics or certain radios may be in use. I've been trying to explain to my administration that everything needs to be checked, but I think that our district technology department won't actually address it until the very last moment. That's how things are often handled unfortunately, they are ignored until they have to be addressed. It will mean that if we want to handle it now, we will have to raise the money ourselves (yes taking away from funds for other areas like props, sets, costumes,... that we need), and if we wait, they will likely take away our mics but not replace them for a long while, if at all, because the funds won't be there.

------------------------------
Kathleen McNulty Mann
mcnulkl@bay.k12.fl.us

Program Director
Arnold High School Theatre
Thespian Troupe 6371
Panama City Beach, FL

District 10 Chair & State Logistics
Florida State Junior Thespians

Board Member
Membership Committee Chair
Florida Association for Theatre Education
------------------------------

Hi,

I believe your headsets will be okay. The recent auction involved frequencies between 614-698 MHz.

I would ask the audio company to verify the current transmission frequencies, or you can if you have access to either the transmitters or receivers.

Thanks,

Dana

------------------------------
Dana Taylor
MSD of Mt. Vernon
Evansville IN
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-24-2018 14:35
From: Maria Stadtmueller
Subject: wireless mics - government requirement to leave 600 MHz band

My understanding is that our headsets are 2.4 GHz devices - the same frequency band as Wi-Fi - so they should be okay.  The wireless mic and audio transmitter cube are in the 600 MHz band so they might be affected.  Our admin. said that they are sure that the company that manages our audio system (the ones that won't trust us with a key to our own amplifier cabinet)  will let us know if we are going to run into a problem.  Thoughts?

 

Maria Stadtmueller

NJ

____________________________________________________________
America's #1 Brain Supplement "Better Than Adderrall"
The Brain Insider
http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3142/5b5771c5c00a371c570efst04vuc

Original Message------

Unfortunately I think there are many theatre teachers and school programs out there that have no idea how to even check their mics, let alone try to understand what needs to be done, or the gravity of the expense they may incur trying to replace things. This impacts not only microphones within theatre programs, but across the school where these mics or certain radios may be in use. I've been trying to explain to my administration that everything needs to be checked, but I think that our district technology department won't actually address it until the very last moment. That's how things are often handled unfortunately, they are ignored until they have to be addressed. It will mean that if we want to handle it now, we will have to raise the money ourselves (yes taking away from funds for other areas like props, sets, costumes,... that we need), and if we wait, they will likely take away our mics but not replace them for a long while, if at all, because the funds won't be there.

------------------------------
Kathleen McNulty Mann
mcnulkl@bay.k12.fl.us

Program Director
Arnold High School Theatre
Thespian Troupe 6371
Panama City Beach, FL

District 10 Chair & State Logistics
Florida State Junior Thespians

Board Member
Membership Committee Chair
Florida Association for Theatre Education
------------------------------

Big thanks to everyone who reached out to me directly, and on this forum.

I wanted to let you all know the article about this issue is now live on WIRED.com:
https://t.co/sfVt4VED33

Additionally, I'll be on public radio's "Marketplace" next week talking about the article and the issue. I'm so glad to bring attention to this topic.

Dave

------------------------------
David Zweig
dave@davidzweig.com
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-25-2018 08:29
From: Dana Taylor
Subject: wireless mics - government requirement to leave 600 MHz band

Hi,

I believe your headsets will be okay. The recent auction involved frequencies between 614-698 MHz.

I would ask the audio company to verify the current transmission frequencies, or you can if you have access to either the transmitters or receivers.

Thanks,

Dana

------------------------------
Dana Taylor
MSD of Mt. Vernon
Evansville IN

Original Message:
Sent: 07-24-2018 14:35
From: Maria Stadtmueller
Subject: wireless mics - government requirement to leave 600 MHz band

My understanding is that our headsets are 2.4 GHz devices - the same frequency band as Wi-Fi - so they should be okay.  The wireless mic and audio transmitter cube are in the 600 MHz band so they might be affected.  Our admin. said that they are sure that the company that manages our audio system (the ones that won't trust us with a key to our own amplifier cabinet)  will let us know if we are going to run into a problem.  Thoughts?

 

Maria Stadtmueller

NJ

____________________________________________________________
America's #1 Brain Supplement "Better Than Adderrall"
The Brain Insider
http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3142/5b5771c5c00a371c570efst04vuc

Original Message------

Unfortunately I think there are many theatre teachers and school programs out there that have no idea how to even check their mics, let alone try to understand what needs to be done, or the gravity of the expense they may incur trying to replace things. This impacts not only microphones within theatre programs, but across the school where these mics or certain radios may be in use. I've been trying to explain to my administration that everything needs to be checked, but I think that our district technology department won't actually address it until the very last moment. That's how things are often handled unfortunately, they are ignored until they have to be addressed. It will mean that if we want to handle it now, we will have to raise the money ourselves (yes taking away from funds for other areas like props, sets, costumes,... that we need), and if we wait, they will likely take away our mics but not replace them for a long while, if at all, because the funds won't be there.

------------------------------
Kathleen McNulty Mann
mcnulkl@bay.k12.fl.us

Program Director
Arnold High School Theatre
Thespian Troupe 6371
Panama City Beach, FL

District 10 Chair & State Logistics
Florida State Junior Thespians

Board Member
Membership Committee Chair
Florida Association for Theatre Education
------------------------------