Spectrum Use Summary (225 - 960 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.
- 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.
-
- 328.6-335.4 MHz
- Non-Government Allocation and Use
- AERONAUTICAL RADIONAVIGATION
- Commercial aircraft use the Instrument Landing Systems (ILS)
glideslope for approach and landing.
- Government Allocation
and Use
- AERONAUTICAL RADIONAVIGATION
- This band is set aside on a worldwide basis for operation of
aircraft ILS glideslope signal and serves as a critical part of the
National Airspace System. ILS service to international carriers is
required under agreements with the International Civil Aviation
Organization (ICAO).
-
- 399.9-400.05 MHz
- Non-Government Allocation and Use
- RADIONAVIGATION SATELLITE
- Commercial shipping makes extensive use of TRANSIT-SAT signals for radionavigation.
- Government Allocation and Use
- RADIONAVIGATION SATELLITE
- 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.
-
- 400.05-400.15 MHz
- Non-Government Allocation and Use
- STD FREQ & TIME
- Government Allocation and Use
- STD FREQ & TIME
- This band is set aside on a worldwide basis for distribution, via
satellite, of standard time and frequency signals used for purposes such
as industrial and scientific research. There is presently no use within
the U.S.
-
- 400.15-406 MHz
- Non-Government Allocation and Use
- METEOROLOGICAL AIDS (Radiosonde)
-
- SPACE RESEARCH (400.15-401)
-
- SPACE OPERATION (primary 401-402, secondary 400.15-401)
-
- MOBILE-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth) (400.15-401)
-
- Meteorological satellite (401-403)
-
- Earth Exploration Satellite (401-403)
- Meteorological radiosondes and satellites
-
- The FCC has recently allocated this band for operations using
nongeostationary nonvoice mobile satellite systems (Little LEOS).
- Government Allocation and Use
- METEOROLOGICAL AIDS (Radiosonde)
-
- SPACE RESEARCH (400.15-401)
-
- METEOROLOGICAL- SATELLITE (space-to-Earth 400.15-401)
-
- Meteorological-satellite (Earth-to-space 401-403)
-
- SPACE OPERATION (primary 401-402, secondary 400.15-401)
-
- MOBILE-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth) (400.15-401)
-
- Earth Exploration Satellite (401-403)
-
- Fixed (FN G6 military 403-406)
-
- Mobile (FN G6 military 403-406)
- This band is extensively used worldwide for gathering meteorological
data for weather prediction, severe storm warning, public safety and
research. The data is gathered by three technologies: satellite
imagery, radiosondes, and wind profiler radars.
-
- The Department of Commerce operates the GOES and TIROS-N satellites
used for weather tracking and prediction. This information is essential
for severe storm notification and public safety, and is used daily in TV
and radio broadcast weather reporting to the public.
-
- The Department of Defense plans to implement Defense Meteorological
Satellite Program (DMSP) downlinks to furnish weather data to
light-weight, highly transportable DOD terminals intended for a variety
of tactical missions.
-
- Radiosondes are operated nationwide by numerous Federal agencies to
gather local weather data. These small, inexpensive transmitters are
attached to balloons and provide wind velocity, temperature, atmospheric
pressure and humidity at various altitudes. Their availability is
essential to aviation activities, as well as space launches. The data
gathered by radiosondes are exchanged internationally for worldwide
weather prediction and research.
-
- Government use of the mobile-satellite service is limited by US319
to earth stations operating with nongovernment satellites.
-
- 406-406.1 MHz
- Non-Government Allocation and Use
- MOBILE SATELLITE
- Emergency position beacons
- Government Allocation and Use
- MOBILE SATELLITE
- Emergency position beacons are operated in this band on a worldwide
basis, supported by the joint U.S. SARSAT/Soviet COSPAS satellite
network for worldwide air, sea, and land rescue.
-
- 406.1-420 MHz
- Non-Government Allocation and Use
- RADIO ASTRONOMY (406.1-410)
-
- Fixed (FN US13 hydrological and meteorological data - designated frequencies)
- Government Allocation and Use
- FIXED
-
- MOBILE
-
- RADIO ASTRONOMY (406.1-410)
- This band is one of the principal bands supporting Federal land
mobile communications. Important functions include law enforcement,
protection of the President and other dignitaries, resource management,
disaster and emergency response, and support for public health and power
generation activities. This band will accommodate future growth from
the very congested 162-174 MHz band. Communications using trunking
techniques are being implemented by many agencies to ensure efficient
spectrum use.
-
- Fixed links are used in this band for transmission of airport
windshear data, flood warning and other environmental data, for law
enforcement, for public dissemination of weather warning and disaster
information, and for other critical activities.
-
- There are also radio astronomy observations at several sites across the U.S.
-
- 420-450 MHz
- Non-Government Allocation and Use
- Amateur
-
- Amateur satellite (FN664 435-438)
- Amateur weak signal modes (432-433), television (420-432, 438-444),
repeaters (442-450), auxiliary links (433-435). There is also some use
of spread spectrum and other modes. Amateur satellite activities are
conducted (435-438) under RR 664.
-
- Land mobile systems are operated along the Canadian border in accordance with US 230.
- Government Allocation and Use
- RADIOLOCATION
- This band is used for long-range surveillance on land based, ship,
and airborne platforms. These uses are essential to the nation's early
warning capability, law enforcement, and tracking objects in space.
These systems operate with very high power and wide bandwidths.
-
- This band is becoming increasingly important for detection of low
observable targets. This band is the only military radiolocation band
currently available for this frequency sensitive function.
-
- The frequency 449 MHz has recently been authorized for nonmilitary
use of wind profilers. Rapid implementation of this use is expected.
-
- NASA and military use of telemetry and telecommand is also extensive.
-
- 450-470 MHz
- Non-Government Allocation and Use
- LAND MOBILE
-
- Space Research and Space Operations (FN664 450 MHz)
-
- Earth Exploration-Satellite (FN US201 460-470)
- Remote pickup broadcast (450-451, 455-456)
- Public safety, industrial, land transportation (451-454, 456-459,
460-462.5375, 462.7375-467.5375, 467.7375-470)
- Domestic public (454-455, 459-460)
- Personal (462.5375-462.7375, 467.5375-467.7375)
- Government Allocation and Use
- Meteorological Satellite (460-470)
-
- Space Research and Space Operations (FN664 450 MHz)
-
- Earth Exploration-Satellite (FN US 201 460-470)
- GOES and TIROS satellite downlinks for integration of data
collection platforms operate in this band.
-
- Veteran's medical programs depend upon the use of biomedical
telemetry and telecommunications in conjunction with nongovernment
medical activities.
-
- 470-512 MHz
- Non-Government Allocation and Use
- BROADCASTING
-
- LAND MOBILE
- TV channels 14-20, Public safety, Industrial, Land transportation, Domestic public
- Government Allocation and Use
-
-
- 512-608 MHz
- Non-Government Allocation and Use
- and
- 614-806
- BROADCASTING
- TV channels 21-36, and 38-69, Auxiliary broadcasting
- Government Allocation and Use
-
-
- 608-614 MHz
- Non-Government Allocation and Use
- RADIO ASTRONOMY
- Government Allocation and Use
- RADIO ASTRONOMY
- There are few Federal assignments in this band for other than
experimental use. However, radio astronomy usually involves passive
operations that do not require an assignment. This band is used for
international collaborations in Very Long Baseline Interferometry and
will continue to be used for this purpose as the VLBA antennas come on
line. The band is also used for observations by the Air Force Radio
Solar Telescope Network.
-
- 806-902 MHz
- Non-Government Allocation and Use
- LAND MOBILE
- Private land mobile (806-824, 851-869, 896-901)
- Domestic public land mobile (824-849, 869-894)
- Aeronautical public correspondence-airphone (849-851, 894-896)
- General purpose mobile (901-902)
- Government Allocation and Use
- This band is used for high-power U.S. Navy shipborne long-range
search radars under footnotes US268 and G2. These radars serve a
critical role in defense of the fleet.
-
- 902-928 MHz
- Non-Government Allocation and Use
- Amateur
- Amateur weak signal modes (902-904), digital communications,
repeaters, spread spectrum and other modes (904-928).
-
- Automatic vehicle monitoring (902-912 and 918-928 as authorized by
FN US218), ISM, and Part 15 spread spectrum devices.
- Government Allocation and Use
- RADIOLOCATION
-
- Fixed (FN G11)
-
- Mobile (FN G11)
- This band is used predominantly for military radiolocation systems.
These include low-power devices, such as those for tactical and
nontactical intrusion detection at military facilities, and high-power
radars used for long-range search, many of which are employed on U.S.
Navy ships and aircraft or at shore stations. These radars serve a
critical role in defense of the fleet.
-
- Federal mobile communications applications include video
surveillance for law enforcement missions, transmission of infrared
scanner imagery during overflights of disaster areas, and use of high
power packet radio systems.
-
- Fixed use includes point-to-point TV links for monitoring unmanned
ports of entry along borders. Though most low capacity links will be
moving to the 932-935 MHz and 941-944 MHz bands, this band will continue
to be used for a variety of resource management, power administration
and law enforcement purposes, as necessary.
-
- 928-929 MHz
- Non-Government Allocation and Use
- FIXED
- Private fixed microwave, Domestic public land mobile, Private land
mobile. Systems in this band provide one way and two way
interrogate/response data transmission services such as: remote control
of electric power networks, burglar and fire alarm monitoring, and other
telemetry applications. For two way systems, the band is paired with
952-953 MHz band.
- Government Allocation and Use
-
-
- 929-932 MHz
- Non-Government Allocation and Use
- LAND MOBILE
- Domestic public land mobile, Private land mobile
- Government Allocation and Use
-
-
- 932-935 MHz
- Non-Government Allocation and Use
- and 941-944
- FIXED
- This band is paired with the 941-944 MHz band and channelized for
point-to-point voice and data services. The 932-932.5 MHz end of the
band is used for the single channel response from a remote location for
point to multipoint multiple address services.
- Government Allocation and Use
- FIXED
- The 932-935 MHz and 941-944 MHz bands are shared by government and
nongovernment fixed service users. It has recently been allocated for
Federal use. Use for low-capacity fixed systems is anticipated.
-
- Many Federal agencies expect heavy government and nongovernment use
for point-to-point and point-to-multipoint communications. Functions
include support for aviation activities, remote meter reading for
electric power marketing, and light route
-
- 935-941 MHz
- Non-Government Allocation and Use
- LAND MOBILE
- Private land mobile trunked and conventional systems in 12.5 kHz
channels paired with 896-901 MHz.
- Government Allocation and Use
-
-
- 944-960 MHz
- Non-Government Allocation and Use
- FIXED
- Auxiliary broadcasting, Domestic public fixed, International fixed
public, Private fixed microwave. The 944-952 MHz is portion is used
primarily for radio broadcast stations studio-to-transmitter links
(STLs) and intercity relays. These carry frequency modulated
stereophonic audio program material, plus ancillary carriers for remote
control of transmitters and Subsidiary Com- munications Authorization
(SCA) channels. The 952-953 MHz portion is used in combination with
928-929 MHz. The 953-960 MHz portion is primarily used for fixed
point-to-point communications. The band is segmented as 953.00-956.15
MHz for go and 956.55-959.75 MHz for return operation.
- Government Allocation and Use
-
