AUGUSTA, Ga., June 11 (UPI) -- A radio system upgrade at Fort Gordon, Ga., is interfering with the frequency of automatic garage door remotes, frustrating some 500 residents in the area.
Workers at Overhead Door Co., of Augusta, Ga., said nearly 500 residents have called to complain about their remote garage door openers not working since last week.
"It's about to kill us," said Billy Sheppard, the service manager at the company.
He said most of the complaints are coming from residents along Gordon Highway, but some people have reported trouble as far away as 15 miles from the fort.
The trouble started last week when military officials installed a new radio system to enhance emergency communications across the area, The Augusta (Ga.) Chronicle reported Monday.
Until Monday, residents didn't know what was causing the mechanical failures, the newspaper said.
"On Sunday, I came home, sat in front of the garage in my car and pressed the remote seven or eight times before the door finally opened," said Evans, Ga., resident Jason Milford. "I was not even 10 feet away."
The Federal Communications Commission says consumer gadgetry must yield to military operations and technology, the newspaper reported.
Sheppard said he told customers they can wait to see if Fort Gordon fixes the glitch, pay $150 to $170 to upgrade to a 315-megahertz receiver or buy a new dual-frequency garage door system for $500. He said all his customers are taking the wait-and-see approach for now.
