NSCA Requests More White Spaces Tests
NSCA Executive Director Chuck Wilson expressed his concerns regarding white space proceedings and new television bandwidth devices in a recent letter to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin.
NSCA Executive Director Chuck Wilson expressed his concerns regarding white space proceedings and new television bandwidth devices in a recent letter to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin.
?Our members are alarmed by preliminary public reports about the FCC’s inconsistent sensing results,? Wilson wrote. ?These inconsistent field tests present a very serious reliability issue that will impact our members and their ability to do business.?
According to NSCA, early reports of the field tests indicated mixed results. Some suggested that low-power wireless devices might interfere with the DTV spectrum. Supporters of these prototype white-space devices, which include laptops and smart radios, are vying to share the unused or “white space” portion of the television spectrum. The FCC is in the process of conducting tests to ensure these devices won’t interfere with digital reception.
On August 9th, the FCC conducted a test of white space devices before and during a Buffalo Bill versus Washington Redskins pre-season NFL football game in Washington, D.C. The results showed that the prototypes did not accurately sense wireless microphone signals, a function that would be required to prevent interference, says NSCA.
NSCA adds that because its members design, install, and maintain sophisticated integrated AV, security, and communication systems for a wide variety of venues, wireless components play a critical role in system design and functionality.
Wilson urged the FCC to conduct further field testing to ensure consistent and reliable results, using a diverse array of usage environments.
