News

This year’s general meeting will be held virtually on Thursday, 28 September 2023, 1:30 – 3:30 pm (CET / Berlin time).

Beforehand, the new Executive Board for the period from 2023 to 2026 will be elected in an online procedure.

Anyone nominated by a member of the APWPT e.V. may stand for election.

The candidacy has to be declared on a pre-prepared sheet and sent to the election committee by 20 July 2023:

Wahlvorstand@APWPT.org

The prefabricated sheet is also available there. It has also been sent to all members.

The APWPT Board welcomes any candidature!

APWPT Statement on the World Radiocommunication Conference 2023  

APWPT, Association of Professional Wireless Production Technologies, is looking forward to the World Radiocommunication Conference 2023 (WRC-23) with great concern. At the next World Radiocommunication Conference in autumn 2023, there is another threat of a decision to further reduce the radio frequencies that are absolutely necessary for education, art, culture and event production.   

Due to the decisions of previous World Radiocommunication Conferences, we have already lost the 700 MHz and 800 MHz frequency ranges. To compensate, art, culture and the creative industries had to make considerable investments. This was a task that was hardly feasible, especially for small organizations.  

Now we are facing a new, almost unsolvable problem – the further loss of further radio spectrum would, especially in conurbations, jeopardize future daytime productions and, in addition, the implementation of major events that are very much desired by politicians. This is a business or organizational problem that probably can’t be solved by investment.  

Any change to the existing regulations currently under discussion would have extremely negative consequences. Note: the loss of 600 MHz should not be “trivialized”.  

Our position:  

It must be ensured that broadcasting, education, art, media, film, culture and event production can use sufficiently interference-free frequencies between 470 and 694 MHz on a permanent basis.   

We therefore strongly advocate the retention of the existing and proven system and advocate a no-change for the use of 470 – 694 MHz at WRC23. 

If you are looking to contact the APWPT’s WRC team, you can reach us at: wrc(at)apwpt.org.

APWPT has signed the “Call to Europe 2023”, together with about 100 associations and organizations from media and culture in Europe.

The statement calls for a “no change” vote on agenda item 1.5 at the 2023 World Radiocommunication Conference. The frequency band between 470 and 694 MHZ must continue to be available without restriction for wireless technology (PMSE)!

The wording of the “Call to Europe 2023” can be found here:

https://sos-save-our-spectrum.org/call-to-europe-2023-vote-to-protect-culture-and-media/?lang=en

This year’s General Meeting will be held virtually on Thursday, September 28, 2023, 13:30 – 15:30 (Berlin time).

Contents: Accountability report of the board, discharge of the board, new election of the board (will be done online in advance of the meeting), World Radiocommunication Conference 2023, among others, discussion.

Preliminary information on the presentation on 10.11.2022, starting at 10:00 CET

Presentation: Coordination and monitoring of radio frequencies

APWPT, together with many organisations, has over many years participated in event productions and observed spectrum use, including by wireless microphones, their return paths and team communications. This work has been considered in (inter)national working groups and studies.

On 10 November 2022, we will provide updated information, focusing on the UHF TV frequency range. We look forward to your participation, your questions and advice – thank you in advance!

Information & Link: matthias.fehr@apwpt.org

This year’s general meeting will be held virtually on Thursday, November 3, 2022, 1.30 – 3.30 pm (CET / Luxembourg time). Invitation, agenda and access link can be found in the members area at Teams or on request at the board.

APWPT Chairperson Wolfgang Bilz writes an article in EBU tech-i-magazine, in it:

“In 2008, users and manufacturers of wireless production tools founded APWPT as an international stakeholder group that could speak with one voice. […] Agenda item 1.5 at the next World Radiocommunication Conference, WRC-23, is discussing potential regulatory changes for the 470–694 MHz band. […] APWPT supports the continuation of the successful symbiosis of broadcast and PMSE with no change to the existing rules.”

https://www.umfrageonline.com/s/a06757d

September 13, 2021: Our survey is now closed, the results will be published soon. Thank you for your active participation!

For our Australian and NZ members, we offer a second informal APWPT – member’s meeting! Registration is not required.

Monday 21st June, 8 am CET (morning in Berlin) = Monday 21st June, 6 pm (evening in Auckland) = Monday, 21st June, 4 pm (afternoon in Melbourne).

The web meeting will be with Zoom. The link has been emailed to members and can be obtained by contacting office@apwpt.org.

The Executive Committee (the Board) invites you to an informal membership meeting. This will be held on Thursday, June 17, 2 – 4 pm, in English.

The web meeting will be with Zoom. The link has been emailed to members and can be obtained by contacting office@apwpt.org.

Registration is not required.

Agenda: Welcome, Brief summary of our activities (Technical Regulation activities, Policy activities), MSTeams for interactive collaboration, Open discussion, Summary (tasks, goals, next steps, ideas…).

The new statutes and rules of procedure are published here.

The agenda for the General Assembly on 25 March 2021 has been published. The meeting will be held in English.

APWPT General meeting,
March 25, 2021, 4 pm CET, Duration: approx. 60 minutes, via Zoom

Agenda:

1. What happened since our assembly october 2020?
Responsible: Matthias Fehr

2. Strategy 2021 and beyondResponsible: Wolfgang Bilz

3. Financial Report
Responsible: Frank Ernst

4. Changes in the articles and statutes
Resonsible: Jochen Zenthöfer

5. Miscellaneous
Assembly management: Dr. María Dolores Pérez Guirao

Technical management: Stefan Gehrke, buero fuer neues denken GmbH, Berlin
Voting tool by Vopin.io UG, Berlin, www.vopin.io

Minutes: Dr. Jochen Zenthöfer

The UHF frequencies (470 – 694 MHz) are vital for the cultural industry! Statement by the German politicians Gustav Herzog, MdB (SPD), Margit Stumpp, MdB (Greens), Anke Domscheit-Berg, MdB (Left), Doris Achelwilm, MdB (Left), Thomas Hacker, MdB (Liberal) and Dr. Christian Jung, MdB (Liberal). Title: UHF band – The future of broadcasting and cultural frequencies must be negotiated in parliament.

https://margit-stumpp.de/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/The-future-of-broadcasting-and-cultural-frequencies-must-be-negotiated-in-parliament.pdf

The next general meeting will take place on March 25, 2021 – 4 pm CET. The APWPT General Assembly will take place over the Internet. The agenda will be announced at a later date.

Artists who stand up for our cause: https://sos-save-our-spectrum.org/artists-for-sos/?lang=en

The new board started its work after the general meeting on October 28th. Chairpersons are: Wolfgang Bilz, Dr. Jochen Zenthöfer. Deputy chairpersons are: Dr. María Dolores Pérez Guirao, Frank Ernst, Matthias Fehr. The cashier is: Frank Ernst.