US IEM's will they work OK here?

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dealmakerdealmaker Frets: 18
So - I have been offered a nice deal on some US Shure PSM200's - BUT they are on the US H2 band (518-554 MHz) obviously.

We already have some "UK band" PSM200's - in the rig.

What are the issues with using the US ones?? They are used - but are literally a third of the price of UK sourced ones. I know they will work OK - but just wondered if they will cause issues with anything else - or whether we will start to hear the local Taxi firms radios in our ears or something! 
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Comments

  • SporkySporky Frets: 27590
    That's in licensed bands. Having seen an Ofcom swoop I wouldn't risk it without a license.
    "[Sporky] brings a certain vibe and dignity to the forum."
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  • wayneiriewayneirie Frets: 419
    You need a licence. Large festivals you are very likely to see the nice people from ofcom they will fine you hard. They usually have someone on site checking you have a licence. no licence= a large fine
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  • bob21bob21 Frets: 170
    Short version - don't do it. The reason they are so cheap is they are essentially unusable in the UK!

    Long version:

     PMSE equipment (radio mics, IEMs etc) broadly comes in two frequency ranges in the UK - Channel 70, and Channel 38. The reason they come in these ranges are that these are the easily available frequency spaces.

    Channel 70 (actually, part of Ch70, restricted to 863-865mhz) is 'License Free' - to operate systems in this band, you won't require any kind of license. The vast majority of second hand, older, and cheaper kit is in this range. You're looking at about 4 mics/iems in this band - though with some better kit you can push to 6.

    Channel 38 (606-614mhz) is part of the 'Shared Use' spectrum - it is available for usage, but subject to the operator holding a 'Shared Use' license. These licenses are a yearly cost, but allow you to use as many Ch38 devices as you can fit in the band (usually 12, in some cases up to 40) pretty much anywhere in the UK - though obviously you're 'sharing' so there's no guarantee other people won't be using same.
    (There's a small portion of Channel 65 that falls under the same license now, that some of the better Channel 70 kit can tune down to, which can get some 'extra' frequencies for the shared license).

    Anything outside of these frequencies falls into dodgy territory.. 
    A huge chunk of UHF spectrum is used for actual television and other broadcast services - so no PMSE will ever be allowed to operate here.
    A small amount (Channel 39 and 40) is provisionally reserved for PMSE usage, but subject to event or site licensing - this is for larger theatres, festivals, broadcasts etc. These licenses are not particularly cheap either!

    Many other bits are considered 'licensable' - and the frequency range you've specified (roughly Channel 27) falls into this. However - this is not a shared use license, these are one-time, location specific, frequency specific, subject to individual consideration licenses (and relatively expensive). Pretty much, unless you're a large broadcaster who absolutely require frequency isolation, or something huge coming in from America that simply can't use british kit for whatever reason - it ain't going to happen.

    Now, you could find that there's nothing else locally in your area in Ch27 and you 'get away with it' for a while.. But remember - using unlicensed wireless equipment is a criminal offence, and Ofcom are not shy about handing out punishment!


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