Story Highlights
• Problem arose after base tested frequency used for terror
alerts
• Hobbiests up in Arms
• Same situation happened at in the State of Maryland, USA
Great Britain (AP) --
For decades, the military
has held a portion of the radio spectrum, in the 2.4ghz spectrum,
in
reserve. That part was borrowed by remote-control manufacturers, with
the understanding that the signal be weak enough to be overridden by
the military.
The reserve frequencies became active after the
September 11, 2001, attacks, when officials discovered that first
responders could not communicate with one another because they were
operating radios on different frequencies.
The Defense
Department is using the mothballed frequencies in a system that
eventually will link military and civilian emergency responders.
"Consumer
wireless devices, such as model aviation radio equipment, operate on an
unreserved basis, meaning they are required to accept any interference
from
licensed spectrum users, including the Department of Defense," said Lt.
Brian P. Donnelly, a spokesman for the base.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press.
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