Spectrum Use Summary (137 - 328.6 MHz)

Compiled as of August 11, 1994

This document represents an overview of Federal and nonfederal spectrum use. In order to serve its purpose as a quick reference, its length has been limited. Therefore, it is not all inclusive in its portrayal of U.S. spectrum requirements or its representation of the allocation table.

Uses are stated in terms of general functions and actual equipment names are not specified. Federal systems and missions which would have necessitated classification of the summary have been omitted, though they represent significant Federal requirements. Also, Federal agencies lease many services from private sector providers. As written, this summary indicates these uses only as nongovernment use of the frequency spectrum. Furthermore, no attempt has been made to evaluate the level of investment of funds in the uses that are discussed.

Allocations, by footnote, to very limited locations have generally been omitted. The summaries of Federal uses have been written to emphasize, to the greatest extent possible, the missions performed, as opposed to the agencies that perform them.

137-138 MHz

Non-Government Allocation and Use

METEOROLOGICAL- SATELLITE (Space-to-Earth)
SPACE OPERATION (Space-to-Earth)
SPACE RESEARCH (Space-to-Earth)
MOBILE-SATELLITE (Space-to-Earth) 137-137.025 and 137.175-137.825
Mobile Satellite (Space-to-Earth) 137.025-137.175 and 137.825-138
The FCC has recently allocated this band for operations using nongeostationary nonvoice mobile satellite systems (Little LEOS).

Government Allocation and Use

METEOROLOGICAL- SATELLITE (Space-to-Earth)
SPACE OPERATION (Space-to-Earth)
SPACE RESEARCH (Space-to-Earth)
MOBILE-SATELLITE (Space-to-Earth) 137-137.025 and 137.175-137.825
Mobile Satellite (Space-to-Earth) 137.025-137.175 and 137.825-138
Worldwide use of polar orbiting satellites for transmission of weather pictures occurs in this band via the TIROS system. The satellite also transmits tracking and telemetry information.
NASA conducts satellite operations for the Advanced Technology Satellite (ATS) and High Energy Transient Experiment (HETE).
Government use of the mobile-satellite service is limited by US319 to earth stations operating with nongovernment satellites.
138-144 MHz

Non-Government Allocation and Use


Government Allocation and Use

FIXED
MOBILE
This band is primarily used for non-tactical military land mobile communications. However, tactical air-ground communications have been growing rapidly. Also, this band is essential to the activities of the Air Force Auxiliary (Civil Air Patrol) and Coast Guard Auxiliary for support of search and rescue operations.
144-148 MHz

Non-Government Allocation and Use

AMATEUR
AMATEUR-SATELLITE (144-146)
Weak signal modes (144-144.3), Repeaters and other modes (144.3-147.99)
Active use by amateur satellites worldwide (145.8-146)

Government Allocation and Use

148-149.9 MHz

Non-Government Allocation and Use

MOBILE-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space)
The FCC has recently allocated this band for operations using nongeostationary nonvoice mobile satellite systems (Little LEOS).

Government Allocation and Use

FIXED
MOBILE
MOBILE-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space)
This band is primarily used for non-tactical military land mobile communications. However, tactical air-ground communications use has been growing rapidly.
A TIROS command link also operates in the band in accordance with Footnote 608. NASA conducts satellite operations for the Advanced Technology Satellite (ATS).
Also, this band is essential to the activities of the Air Force Auxiliary (Civil Air Patrol) and Coast Guard Auxiliary for support of search and rescue operations.
Government use of the mobile-satellite service is limited by US319 to earth stations operating with nongovernment satellites.
149.9-150.05 MHz

Non-Government Allocation and Use

RADIONAVIGATION SATELLITE
MOBILE-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space)
The FCC has recently allocated this band for operations using nongeostationary nonvoice mobile satellite systems (Little LEOS). Commercial shipping makes extensive use of TRANSIT-SAT signals for radionavigation.

Government Allocation and Use

RADIONAVIGATION SATELLITE
MOBILE-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space)
TRANSIT-SAT (polar orbiting satellite) downlink transmissions in this band support worldwide navigation.
Government use of the mobile-satellite service is limited by US319 to earth stations operating with nongovernment satellites.
150.05-150.8 MHz

Non-Government Allocation and Use


Government Allocation and Use

FIXED
MOBILE
This band is used for military non-tactical land mobile and fixed communications. However, tactical air-ground communications have been growing rapidly.
150.8-156.2475 MHz

Non-Government Allocation and Use

LAND MOBILE
Land transportation (150.8-150.98, 152.255-152.465), Public safety (150.98-151.4825, 154.6375-156.2475), Industrial (151.4825-151.4975, 152.465-152.495, 152.855-153.7325, 154.4825-154.6375), Industrial and Public safety (151.4975-152, 153.7325-154.4825), Domestic public (152-152.255, 152.495-152.855), Earth telecommand (154.2)

Government Allocation and Use

156.2475-157.0375 MHz

Non-Government Allocation and Use

MARITIME MOBILE
In accordance with international agreements, this band is used worldwide for maritime communications.

Government Allocation and Use

157.0375-157.1875 MHz

Non-Government Allocation and Use


Government Allocation and Use

MARITIME MOBILE
This band is critical to national VHF distress system communications associated with response to distress signals.
157.1875-157.45 MHz

Non-Government Allocation and Use

MARITIME MOBILE
In accordance with international agreements, this band is used worldwide for maritime communications.

Government Allocation and Use

157.45-161.575 MHz

Non-Government Allocation and Use

LAND MOBILE
Land transportation (157.45-157.725, 159.48-161.575), Public safety (158.715-159.48), Industrial (157.725-157.755, 158.115-158.475), Domestic public (157.755-158.115)

Government Allocation and Use

161.575-161.625 MHz

Non-Government Allocation and Use

MARITIME MOBILE
In accordance with international agreements, this band is used worldwide for maritime communications.

Government Allocation and Use

161.625-161.775 MHz

Non-Government Allocation and Use

LAND MOBILE
Remote pickup broadcast

Government Allocation and Use

161.775-162.0125 MHz

Non-Government Allocation and Use

MARITIME MOBILE
In accordance with international agreements, this band is used worldwide for maritime communications.

Government Allocation and Use

162.0125-174 MHz

Non-Government Allocation and Use

FIXED (173.2-173.4)
Land Mobile (173.2-173.4)
Fixed (FN US13 hydrological and meteorological data - designated frequencies)
Industrial, Public safety, Police radio for stolen vehicle recovery systems (173.075).

Government Allocation and Use

FIXED (162.0125-173.2 and 173.4-174)
MOBILE (162.0125-173.2 and 173.4-174)
This band supports many Federal non-tactical fixed and land mobile uses. These uses are critical to Departments of Agriculture and Interior fire fighting, FAA windshear reporting, NOAA weather radio, Department of Interior land and resource management, including flash flood warning, and law enforcement activities throughout the Federal Government. Law enforcement applications include land-based and maritime operations. Use of this band will be shifted to narrowband technologies in 1995.
174-216 MHz

Non-Government Allocation and Use

BROADCASTING
This band is used for VHF TV channels 7-13. Also, wireless microphones and auxiliary broadcasting systems operate on a secondary basis.

Government Allocation and Use

216-220 MHz

Non-Government Allocation and Use

MARITIME MOBILE
Fixed
Land Mobile
Aeronautical Mobile
This band is used on inland waterways by Automated Maritime Telecommunications Systems. The FCC has recently set aside the 218-219 portion of this band for the interactive video data service (IVDS).

Government Allocation and Use

MARITIME MOBILE
Radiolocation
Fixed
Aeronautical Mobile
Though allocated secondary, there continue to be critical Federal radiolocation requirements in this band. The U.S. Navy operates the SPASUR system in the band 216.88-217.08 MHz at several locations in the southern U.S. for the purpose of detecting Earth orbiting satellites. Assignments to the fixed and mobile service may be made on condition of no harmful interference to the SPASUR system (US229).
220-222 MHz

Non-Government Allocation and Use

LAND MOBILE
Various trunked and conventional data users operate mobile systems. The band is broken into 200 5 kHz channel pairs.

Government Allocation and Use

LAND MOBILE
Radiolocation
This band has recently been allocated to land mobile. It will be shared by the Federal Government and private sector for narrowband technologies. Though allocated secondary, there continue to be critical Federal radiolocation requirements in this band.
222-225 MHz

Non-Government Allocation and Use

AMATEUR
Weak signal modes (222-222.15), repeaters, packet radio and other modes (222.15-225)

Government Allocation and Use

Radiolocation
Though allocated secondary, there continue to be critical Federal radiolocation requirements in this band.
225-328.6 and 335.4-399.9 MHz

Non-Government Allocation and Use


Government Allocation and Use

FIXED (FN G27 military only)
MOBILE (FN G27 military only)
MOBILE-SATELLITE (FN G100 235-322 and 335-399.9, military only)
These bands are heavily used throughout the U.S. for critical military air traffic control and tactical training communications. Specific functions of tactical training include air-ground-air communications for combat weapons training carried out at and in the vicinity of all major air bases and military training areas in the U.S.
Tactical and strategic military satellite communications, essential to linking the activities of ground, air, surface, and subsurface mobile platforms, are conducted in this band under G100.
Also, rocket test and test data telemetry operations are performed in this band.


Advanced TSCM Signals Detection and Analysis
TSCM - Sweeping the Spectrum for Eavesdropping Devices



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