Is it just me or is the current obsession with wirelessly enabling everything that isn’t screwed down causing a problem when you try to get all these devices to work at the same time?

In our house we have the following wireless products:

• 802.11g Wi-Fi (2.412GHz to 2.472GHz)
• DigiSender AV (choice of 2.414GHz/2.432GHz/2.450GHz/2.468GHz)
• Bluetooth mobile handsets (2.402GHz to 2.480GHz)
• Home monitoring: 868.95MHz
• Sky Gnome audio: (choice of 863.4MHz/863.8MHz/864.2MHz/864.6MHz)
• Sky Gnome control channel: 433.92MHz
• DigiSender IR relay: 433.92MHz
• Drayton Digistat: 433.92MHz
• OneForAll remote control extender: 418MHz

As you can see, there is a lot of radio frequency conflict in the 433MHz band (designated for Industrial, Scientific and Medical applications) and my list is far from exhaustive, not including interference from neighbouring equipment such as garage door openers, CCTV and home security.

I only succeeded in making a remote control extender work after I found an ancient OneForAll device that uses 418MHz (instead of the already cluttered 433MHz) and my video sender fails every time I use the microwave! There is now a desperate need for additional unlicensed spectrum for low-power wireless home automation devices, to provide customers with an opportunity to manage their local equipment with minimal conflicts.

It is a common debate, but what are the health risks of all this localised radio energy, not to mention the combined effect of GSM and UMTS? How long before radio based denial-of-service attacks become more prevalent? Perhaps remotely tampering with your gadgets will replace knock down ginger as the preferred domestic disturbance method for today’s disaffected youth?

Like it says in the subject, give me the safety and security of wires any day!