Abby Ilardi, 13, center, sings a song during dress rehearsals Wednesday of the musical “Honk.”The play is being performed as part of the Lawrence Arts Center’s Summer Youth Theatre program. Ilardi was outfitted with a new wireless microphone that the arts center purchased because of a Federal Communications Commission ban on its older equipment.

Several churches and theaters are beginning to feel the burden of a ban issued by the Federal Communications Commission.

Under the new FCC rule, anyone using a wireless microphone that operates in the 700 MHz frequency must stop using the device or buy a replacement.

The frequency is now set aside for public safety entities such as police, fire and emergency services. This leaves some churches that use wireless microphones for Sunday services and community theaters that use the mics for productions to cope with the change.

Dave Nordlund, First Baptist Church technology specialist, said the church has three wireless mics in the banned frequency. He said he has had problems finding vendors in the right price range, but even from the less expensive vendors, the new microphone systems can cost anywhere from $300 to $400. The church would like four replacements, but for now Nordlund said the church plans to continue using the banned mics while they work on purchasing replacements.

“In most cases the FCC will need a complaint that we are interfering with their service,” Nordlund said. “We haven’t had any interference problems.”

For bigger venues such as the Lied Center, the ban has not had as great of an effect, but it has still been a burden.

Doug Wendel, Lied Center associate director, said the venue has nine systems that are used for guest speakers, lectures, student productions and other events. Two of the microphones, ranging in cost from $1,200 to $1,500 each, were replaced, but Wendel said the ban could have been a lot worse.

“Luckily, the Broadway shows and other performances we get provide their own microphones, which are always up to date,” Wendel said.

In other cases, the ban has helped theaters.

“If it weren’t for the need and requirement it would have been hard to justify our purchase of new equipment,” said Danny Rogovein, technical director and production manager at the Lawrence Arts Center.

The Lawrence Arts Center recently spent several thousand dollars to replace its 8-year-old microphone system. Rogovein said the ban gave LAC leaders the push to buy better equipment that will benefit the students and members of the arts center in the long run.

“It was a sound investment,” Rogovein said.

TV transition

The ban went into effect June 12, a year after the transition to digital television. Old wireless microphones were designed to operate between the frequencies that televisions stations used to broadcast, but with the completion of the digital transition, the stations no longer operate on the 700 MHz band. The band is now reserved for public safety entities and commercial providers of wireless services.

The FCC created the ban to prevent interference to public safety agencies. Interference from wireless microphones can affect the ability of public safety groups to receive information over the air and respond to emergencies. However, no public safety departments in Douglas County are using the 700 MHz frequency.

Jim Denney, radio operations manager for Douglas County Emergency Communications, said law enforcement and the Fire Medical departments operate under a different frequency and do not have plans to switch to the 700 frequency for at least another four or five years. He did say, however, that Johnson County is transitioning to the 700 frequency and some of its towers may hit the Lawrence area.

“The ban may not directly affect Lawrence in the near future, but keeping emergency frequencies clear is important,” Denney said.

Severe consequences

Consequences for continued operation of the microphones could be serious. According to FCC regulations, operation of wireless microphones in violation of the ban may subject the user to substantial monetary forfeitures, arrest, criminal sanctions and imprisonment.

The ban also applies to devices similar to wireless microphones, which include wireless intercoms, wireless in-ear monitors, wireless audio instrument links and wireless cueing equipment.

Information about which wireless microphones currently operate in the 700 MHz band and how to contact manufacturers is provided on the FCC website at www.fcc.gov/cgb/wirelessmicrophones/.