Church Wireless Mics in South Africa: Legal Frequencies, Band Codes and Which Mic to Buy

The short answer: buy a wireless system in a band that sits inside South Africa's licence-exempt range and below 694 MHz, make sure the supplier can confirm it's ICASA type-approved, then choose the mic type by the person: a headset for a preacher who moves, handhelds for singers. Most churches that tell us their "cordless mics keep crackling" don't have a bad mic. They have an old mic on a frequency that mobile networks now use. This guide explains the law in plain English, how to read the band code on the box, which mic suits whom, and how many you actually need.

In this guide

• What the law says, in plain English
• Why your old mics drop out now
• How to read the band code on the box (G65, H8E, K3E, M17)
• Headset, handheld or lapel?
• How many channels does a small church need?
• Quick fixes for dropouts
• Common mistakes we see
• Prices in rand
• FAQ

We sell and install everything mentioned here. Where another brand would suit you better, we'll tell you.

Start with the law, not the mic

The licence-exempt band for wireless mics

In South Africa you don't need your own spectrum licence to run wireless microphones, as long as you stay inside the rules in Annexure B of ICASA's Radio Frequency Spectrum Regulations (Annexure B; ICASA amendment, 2015). In short:

• Band: wireless microphones are licence-exempt in 470–786 MHz.
• Power: up to 50 mW e.r.p. (effective radiated power, roughly how strongly the transmitter radiates).
• Type approval: the exemption only applies to equipment that is ICASA type-approved (condition (a) of Annexure B).
• No protection: you run on a non-interference basis. If something else is on your frequency, the law won't clear it for you, and you mustn't interfere with licensed users either.

So "is my mic legal?" is really three questions: is the band right, is the power within the limit, and is the unit type-approved?

What changed after digital migration

When broadcasting moved to digital, spectrum above 694 MHz was handed to mobile broadband (IMT, the international term for mobile networks). Annexure B still lists 470–786 MHz for mics, so there's no conflict on paper. In practice, a mic sitting above 694 MHz is now sharing air with cellphone towers, and that's where dropouts and hiss come from.

Our rule of thumb: the practical, reliable range for a new system is 470–694 MHz. Buy below 694 MHz.

Read the band code on the box before anything else

Every Shure system carries a band code after the model name. That code tells you the frequency range. Here are the four you'll see on our shelves, checked against Shure's own documentation on 4 Nov 2026:

| Band code | Used on | Range | Inside 470–786? | Below 694? | |---|---|---|---|---| | G65 | SLX-D+ (digital) | 470–606 MHz | Yes | Yes | | H8E | BLX | 518–542 MHz | Yes | Yes | | K3E | BLX | 606–630 MHz | Yes | Yes | | M17 | BLX | 662–686 MHz | Yes | Yes |

Sources: Shure SLX-D+ guide; Shure wireless spectrum.

So what? All four are frequency-OK under Annexure B and sit in the practical window. A wider band like G65 gives the receiver more room to find a clean channel when you run several systems.

Two honest caveats:

• Power. Shure rates SLX-D+ transmitters at a maximum of 10 mW (30 mW on the SLXD3+ only), inside the 50 mW limit. We haven't verified BLX output power against the limit, so we won't claim it here.
• Type approval is per unit. A good band doesn't prove a model is type-approved. Ask your supplier (us included) for the certificate before you buy. Don't assume.

Watch out for band codes from other regions. A US band printed on a cheap import may not apply here at all.

Headset, handheld or lapel?

Choose by what the person does on a Sunday, not by what looks neat in the catalogue.

The pastor: usually a headset

A pastor who walks the platform or talks with their hands is best on a headset. The mic stays the same distance from the mouth, so the level stays even when they turn their head, and you get more volume before feedback. A lapel (lavalier) mic looks less obvious, which matters for weddings and video. The trade-off is less gain before feedback, so in a lively room the lapel often can't get as loud.

Not for you if: your preacher stays at a lectern. A wired gooseneck or a handheld on a stand may do the job for far less.

Worship leaders and singers: handheld

Singers control a handheld naturally, moving it closer for soft lines and away for loud ones. A cheap headset on a singing worship leader is one of the most common complaints we hear.

Panels, announcements and testimonies: handheld or gooseneck

Anything where the mic gets passed around wants a handheld. For a fixed lectern or table, a gooseneck is simpler and needs no batteries.

How many channels does a small church need?

Count the people who talk or sing at the same time, then add one spare. Not the total number of people who'll ever touch a mic.

Picture a 150-seat church (a hypothetical, not a client) with a pastor, a worship leader and two backing vocalists. Nobody preaches while the band sings, but the worship leader may pray while the backing singers hold their mics. That's:

• 1 headset for the pastor
• 3 handhelds for the vocals
• 1 spare handheld for announcements, a guest or a flat battery

Four channels covers a typical service; five gives you breathing room. Every extra channel needs its own clean frequency, which is another reason to buy in a band with space below 694 MHz.

Why mics drop out, and what to try first

Before you buy anything, rule out the cheap fixes:

1. Batteries. Fit fresh or fully charged batteries before every service, not when the indicator turns red.
2. Line of sight. Receiver antennas need to "see" the stage. A receiver locked in a cupboard or behind the desk loses signal.
3. Receiver placement. Get the receiver out of a rack full of other electronics, and keep its antennas clear of metal.
4. Crowded frequencies. Run the receiver's frequency scan with everything else in the building switched on, then sync the transmitter.
5. The band itself. If your system lives above 694 MHz, no amount of scanning fixes it. That's when to plan a replacement.

Don't buy yet if you haven't tried steps 1 to 4. A "faulty" mic often just needs its receiver moved into view of the stage.

Common mistakes we see

1. Grey imports on the wrong band. Cheap units built for another country's bands, with no local type approval.
2. A headset on a singer. Fine for speech, frustrating for a worship leader.
3. Receivers locked away. Out of sight of the stage means out of signal.
4. Buying "four cordless mics" without counting. Four handhelds won't help a pastor who needs his hands free.
5. Keeping an old system above 694 MHz and blaming the operator for the dropouts.

What does a church wireless system cost?

Prices as listed at time of writing (November 2026). Check lead time with us, as most items are available to order rather than on the shelf.

| System | Band | Best for | Price | |---|---|---|---| | Shure BLX24E/PG58 | H8E | One singer or speaker, tight budget | R7,999 | | Shure SLXD14+E bodypack system | G65 | Pastor (bodypack for a headset or lapel; confirm with us which mic is in the box) | R18,709 | | Shure BLX188E/SM35 dual headset | H8E | Two hands-free speakers | R19,399 | | Shure SLXD24D+E/SM58 dual handheld | G65 | Two singers, digital | R36,999 |

How to think about the money:

• BLX or SLX-D+? The BLX handheld is roughly a fifth of the price of a dual SLX-D+ handheld kit. BLX suits a small room with one or two systems. SLX-D+ is the step up for churches running several systems side by side in the wider G65 band.
• The limitation: BLX is the budget line, and we haven't verified its power rating against the 50 mW limit. SLX-D+ costs more up front.

We also stock BLX systems in K3E and M17 if your area's G65 or H8E range is busy. Ask us which suits your building.

Delivery is free in South Africa on orders over R2,500 (a flat R115 below that; see shipping). Returns are accepted within 7 days, with the customer paying return shipping.

Next steps

Before you contact anyone, write down who speaks or sings in a normal service, who's on at the same time, and whether your preacher moves around. Check the band code on any mics you already own. Then request a quote with that list, and we'll suggest a system and confirm type approval with the supplier before you pay.

FAQ

Which wireless mic frequencies are legal in South Africa?

Wireless microphones don't need a spectrum licence in South Africa if they're ICASA type-approved and stay within Annexure B: 470–786 MHz at up to 50 mW e.r.p. Since mobile broadband took spectrum above 694 MHz, the practical reliable range is below 694 MHz. Shure G65 (470–606), H8E (518–542), K3E (606–630) and M17 (662–686) all sit inside that window. Type approval is checked per unit with the supplier.

Why do our wireless mics keep dropping out?

Usually flat batteries, receiver antennas out of sight of the stage, or an older mic on frequencies mobile networks now use. Move the receiver into view, scan for a clean frequency, and if the band is now crowded, plan to replace it.

Should our pastor use a headset or a handheld?

A headset, if the pastor moves around or uses their hands. It keeps the mic the same distance from the mouth, so the level stays even and you get more volume before feedback. Handhelds suit singers and guests who pass the mic around.

How many wireless mics does a small church need?

Count everyone who speaks or sings at the same time, then add one spare. A typical small church is well served by one headset and three handhelds.

What do G65, H8E, K3E and M17 mean?

They're Shure band codes that tell you the frequency range. G65 is 470–606 MHz, H8E is 518–542, K3E is 606–630 and M17 is 662–686. All four are inside South Africa's licence-exempt range and below 694 MHz.

Should we replace our mics or fix the setup first?

Fix the setup first. Fresh batteries, a receiver in view of the stage and a frequency scan solve many dropouts. Replace the system if it runs above 694 MHz or still drops out after those fixes.