No garage-jamming Hill signals

HILL AIR FORCE BASE — Automatic garage doors may be affected by radios on military bases around the country next year. But neighbors near Hill Air Force Base need not worry about getting their doors open, base officials say.

The Pentagon is spending nearly $1 billion to buy new radios that operate on 390 MHz, the same frequency most garage door openers use. Preliminary tests near two bases show the military radios lock out the homeowners' signals, making them unable to open their doors.

Between now and 2008, the military is supplying new radios to 125 bases across the country — but apparently Hill will not be one of them, although base officials don't know why.

"Hill is not included, so it won't be an issue here," Master Sgt. Elton Price said. "Sometimes command and control aircraft come into Hill, and they could affect garage door openers, but it's rare when they come in and rare when they affect openers."

The Air Force already has made a commitment and investment in radios using other frequencies, Price said.

The garage door frequency at issue, 390 MHz, has belonged to the military since 1950. Openers have legally operated at that same frequency since at least the early 1980s, said Marty Karasek, technical director of an industry group formed in response to the military's announcement.

The military believes its radios will affect garage door openers only within a 10-mile range. The industry group, however, believes the range could be up to 50 miles.

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