Wireless Microphones
A wireless microphone, is a microphone without a physical cable connecting it directly to the sound recording or amplifying equipment with which it is associated. Also known as a radio microphone (RF), it has a small, battery-powered radio transmitter in the microphone body, which transmits the audio signal from the microphone by radio waves to a nearby receiver unit, which recovers the audio. The other audio equipment is connected to the receiver unit by cable. In one type the transmitter is contained within the handheld microphone body. In another type the transmitter is contained within a separate unit called a "bodypack," usually clipped to the user's belt or concealed under their clothes. The bodypack is connected by wire to a "lavalier microphone" or "lav."
Most modern wireless microphone products operate in the UHF television band. In the United States, this band extends from 470 MHz to 614 MHz. Other countries have similar band limits; for example, Great Britain's UHF TV band currently extends from 470 MHz to 790 MHz. Typically, wireless microphones operate on unused TV channels ("white spaces"), with room for one to two microphones per megahertz of spectrum available. Here at NMR we have a wide variety of bands to choose from, some being limited to select ranges such as V50 & X52, others having wide band capabilities such as Axient G57 & D9000. At the bottom you will find a link to Shure Frequency finder to help you identify what frequency will work in your given area. See below in the UHF section for their range.
Ultra High Frequency
Ultra high frequency (UHF) is the ITU designation for radio frequencies in the range between 300 megahertz (MHz) and 3 gigahertz (GHz), also known as the decimetre band as the wavelengths range from one meter to one tenth of a meter (one decimeter). Radio waves with frequencies above the UHF band fall into the super-high frequency (SHF) or microwave frequency range. Lower frequency signals fall into the VHF (very high frequency) or lower bands. UHF radio waves propagate mainly by line of sight; they are blocked by hills and large buildings although the transmission through building walls is strong enough for indoor reception. They are used for television broadcasting, cell phones, satellite communication including GPS, personal radio services including Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, walkie-talkies, cordless phones, satellite phones, and numerous other applications.
174-216 MHz: Shure V50 band
225–420 MHz: Government use, including meteorology, military aviation, and federal two-way use
420–450 MHz: Government radiolocation, amateur radio satellite and amateur radio (70 cm band), MedRadio
450–470 MHz: UHF business band, General Mobile Radio Service, and Family Radio Service 2-way "walkie-talkies", public safety
470–534 MHz: Shure G50 band
534–598 MHz: Shure H50 band
608–614 MHz: Channel 37 used for radio astronomy and wireless medical telemetry
614–698 MHz: Mobile broadband shared with TV channels 38–51 auctioned in April 2017. TV stations were relocated by 2020.
698–806 MHz: Was auctioned in March 2008; bidders got full use after the transition to digital TV was completed on June 12, 2009
806–816 MHz: Public safety and commercial 2-way
817–824 MHz: ESMR band for wideband mobile services (mobile phone)
824–849 MHz: Cellular A & B franchises, terminal (mobile phone)
849–851 MHz: Commercial aviation air-ground systems
851–861 MHz: Public safety and commercial 2-way
862–869 MHz: ESMR band for wideband mobile services
869–894 MHz: Cellular A & B franchises, base station
894–896 MHz: Commercial aviation air-ground systems
896–901 MHz: Commercial 2-way radio
901–902 MHz: Narrowband PCS: commercial narrowband mobile services
902–928 MHz: ISM band, amateur radio, cordless phones and stereo, radio-frequency identification, Shure X52 band
928–929 MHz: SCADA, alarm monitoring, meter reading systems
929–930 MHz: Pagers
930–931 MHz: Narrowband PCS: commercial narrowband mobile services
931–932 MHz: Pagers
932–935 MHz: Fixed microwave services: distribution of video, audio and other data
935–940 MHz: Commercial 2-way radio
940–941 MHz: Narrowband PCS: commercial narrowband mobile services
941–960 MHz: Mixed studio-transmitter fixed links, SCADA, other.
960–1215 MHz: Aeronautical radionavigation
1240–1300 MHz: Amateur radio
1300–1350 MHz: Long range radar systems
1350–1390 MHz: Military air traffic control and mobile telemetry systems at test ranges
