Batboard

I'm considering adding a 2-way radio interface to the Clear-com intercom system at our theatre, and I'd like to find out more about licensing. Tried the obvious FCC site, but it's not real obvious.

I'm open to either VHF or UHF. Where can I find info about getting a commercial site license for 2 or 3 radios, 1 frequency?

We're a non-profit corporation, if that makes a difference.

Thanks.

Paul Braun
Chicago Street Theatre

This is a complicated subject, which I will probably not summarize adequately, but here goes:

For a commercial Part 90 license:

Pick a valid frequency. Do some work to avoid one in use in your area.

Fill out FCC 601.

Send the 601 to an approved Part 90 IB coordinator, with the fee for coordination and the fee for the license.

If the coordinator approves your frequency selection and technical data (mainly power), he will sign the application and forward it to the FCC for processing.

One of the things that you have to certify on your application is that you meet the Part 90 "eligibility" requirements for the service for which you are applying. The one in question is that the radios will be used for the "business" of the applicant. A lot of 501(c)(3)s are leery of signing such an application, because in theory they are not in "business." In this context, "business" means the corporate purposes for which a charitiable (or non-profit) has been organized, so it is OK so to certify.

For what you are thinking about, you should consider using one of the "itinerant" frequencies on VHF, which do not require coordination and do not enjoy any protection from co-channel interference. However, I'm not sure it is legal to interconnect a wireline controller (which is what your intercom system would amount to) to an intinerant channel.

Paul:

Before you do anything, you might want to telephone the Licensing Assistance Office in Gettysburg PA at 1270 Fairfield Road, which is the same address as the FCC. They will be glad to advise you and take your money. They are very good at what they do and I learned years ago to seek them out and use their services because of all the time it saved me.

For an intinerant license coordination is not required. If you try to get an "exclusive" simplex channel you may have a problem, as such setups are virtually non-existent for new licensees. You may have to share a channel with someone in an adjacent town. However, by using DPL or TPL you can probably use one of the itinerant channels. Don't pick one of the new MURS channels, one of which is 154.600. But 151.625 still requires a license, so it's something of a crap shoot.

I once served as Treasurer and later President of a fairly large 501(c)(3) organization in NYC. The misunderstandings about our status were rampant, with one person who even told me that we could not have any money left over at the end of the year.(!) Other than crazy stuff like that it was fairly straightforward. You file your 990 with the IRS and give them lots of supporting data and there's usually no problem unless the group is obviously trying to circumvent the tax laws for some crazy reason.

Thanks. I think a call to the FCC, then, is in order.

I'm looking at probably three radios -- one as the base and two for the stagehands, and since they won't be more than 30' from the base, I can keep 'em on low power. I just hope we can find an unused freq in our neighborhood.

And we are a 501(c)3, so hopefully that will help.

Again, thanks.

Actually, there are some benefits to being a non-profit organization. If you meet the requirements on the license application, at least part of your fees are reduced by 50%.

And...I disagree with the suggestion of using itinerant frequencies. In my area (Dallas) we find that our itinerant channels are occupied locally by trunking control channels. The old "color dot" channels are a different story. They are usable, but can be very crowded, depending on your location.

If you can find a reputable local radio dealer with a licensing expert on staff, they may be able to really help the process go smoothly for you. In many cases, they know how to "grease the skids" with the frequency coordinator, which can literally cut your licensing time in half. Also...someone who prepares applications frequently can avoid the common errors, which further reduces the licensing time, because applications with mistakes get shunted to the side for resolution of problems, which can seem to take forever.

If you use an agent to help you, make sure they clearly understand what you want to do. Applications that are amended also get shunted to the side for extra review, stretching the process.

In short, while exclusive channels are pretty much gone, it is not difficult to apply for and be granted a license for radio operation if you have a valid business purpose. And non-profit operations are generally considered valid business purposes. Just make sure your application is prepared correctly.

Regards,

Go To

http://www.ita-relay.com/membership/fccresearch.htm

There you can get the real skinny on what you need. They are pretty decenct coordinators and will answer e-mail questions. Hope the link helps.

If your looking at only 3-4 radios about 30' apart, how about FRS radios? or even GMRS. just a thought

GMRS is a personal use licensed service. It is not available for business use. MURS would be the way to go license free.

Hello.

There are several dozen freq's available in the 169-171MHz range for just what you want.
Telex makes this 2 box wireless microphone setup that works great, earpice so nobody but the persons with the radios hear the radios.
The audio quality is 100% pro sound, made for live mic' applications.
Tho only problem, the things cost $400 to $1000, depending on what you get.
If you watch some of the country singers and television priests, you will see the 2 box on the back of the belt affair.
The other option that works, the headsets for fast-food restaurants.
The last remodel of my local McDonalds ended up replacing the intercom.
This is now at a local mosque, used in stage drama.

No experienced sound systems sales person sells VHF wireless any longer. Most of the stuff has no supra-audio tone coding (same as what we know as PL but up at about 32 kHz) and there is just too much intermod and other crap to put up with to make it worthwhile. The HT interfaces made by ClearCom and others are probably the most efficient way to go, IF you have a decent frequency to use, but again, the "standard" unlicensed wireless microphone channels on VHF, at least in my part of the country, have all been replaced with UHF 500 to 700 mHz radios which are instantly settable for, usually, 200 channels. Now, before anyone jumps on my case about "legality" of these channels please be advised that they're all on unused UHF TV allocations and the maximum ERP is 50 mW, but more often 10 to 30 mW. The mfrs. names are Shure, Telex, Sennheiser, SONY, Audio-Technica, and Vega (which is now part of ClearCom), and lots of others.

http://www.mrfac.com/

Personally, for 2 or 3 radios short range, I would go with Murs. You don't need to licenense.
151.820, 151.880, 151.940, 154.570, 154.600
These frequencies are typically not used by anything other than businesses. If you are looking for quieter, try the ones that start with 151.

GMRS, is for personal, and you might have interference on FRS.
Depending on what radios you get or where, you might find all the necessary paperwork in the box. I know this was the case when I bought some a long time ago on 154.600. Many of the ones you find from industrial supply companies have multiple channels on common frequencies such as 469.850, 469.900 etc. I have also seen intercom and paging systems on those very same frequencies.

You would still need to license an itinerant frequency, you have a choice of 4 which are 151.625, 151.955, 464.500, 464.500. Then you pay the License fee only, you don't need coordination, however it isn't legal to use those frequencies at the same location permanently, they are for use a distant locations such as construction sites, special events, you get the picture.

The site above tells you what the fees are.

Paul:

How are you planning to do the actual interfacing? Are you using the TW-40 (or similar), or are you home brewing something?