Welcome to SpectrumWiki

SpectrumWiki.com is an aggregate of information about the radio spectrum and its many uses. On a band-by-band basis, SpectrumWiki.com contains:

Allocations
Pertinent regulatory footnotes
FCC rule parts
U.S. spectrum auction revenue
Engineering data

Additional information about the radio spectrum is contributed on a crowd-sourced basis through a wiki environment, including:

Spectrum usage (systems and applications)
Regulatory and legislative actions
Band plans
Spectrum measurements
Historical data

and more. Please see below for more information about contributing to SpectrumWiki.

Latest Wiki Entries

Here are a few of the latest new and modified entries in SpectrumWiki:

Wind Profiler Radars

Wind profiler radars are radars that point straight up, and through measurements of the radio energy scattered back to the radar, can determine the profile of winds through the atmosphere above the radar site. In the U.S., a few dozen wind profiler radars operate at the 449 MHz frequency, while more than a hundred operate at the 915 MHz frequency. More radars operate internationally.

One type of 915 MHz radar also incorporates an acoustic component, which allows the determination of temperature profiles in addition to wind. According to the "Radar Wind Profiler and RASS Handbook,":

"The 915 MHz radar wind profiler/radio acoustic sounding system (RWP/RASS) measures wind profiles and backscattered signal strength between (nominally) 0.1 km and 5 km and virtual temperature profiles between 0.1 km and 2.5 km. It operates by transmitting electromagnetic energy into the atmosphere and measuring the strength and frequency of backscattered energy. Virtual temperatures are recovered by transmitting an acoustic signal vertically and measuring the electromagnetic energy scattered from the acoustic wavefront. Because the propagation speed of the acoustic wave is proportional to the square root of the virtual temperature of the air, the virtual temperature can be recovered by measuring the Doppler shift of the scattered electromagnetic wave. "

Frequencies
Frequency	Bandwidth	Use	Service	Table
449.9 MHz	2.5 MHz	449 MHz Wind Profiler Radar	Radiolocation	-
915 MHz	7.5 MHz	915 MHz Wind Profiler Radar	Radiolocation	-

External Links:

Radar Wind Profiler and RASS Handbook

Report ITU-R M.2013: Wind Profiler Radars

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Television Broadcast

Over-the-air television broadcasting in the United States uses the following spectrum. Each TV channel is 6 MHz wide. Digital broadcasting is by the ATSC standard. Some Low Power Television (LPTV), TV translators, and Class A television stations continue to broadcast in analog mode using the NTSC standard, but are mandated to transition to digital by September 1, 2015; however, the FCC has proposed extending this deadline in document FCC 14-151 (available under the related documents section).

VHF TV
54-72 MHz:	Channels 2-4
76-88 MHz:	Channels 5-6
174-216 MHz:	Channels 7-13

UHF TV
470-512 MHz:	Channels 14-20 (may be used for land mobile in major cities; see below)
512-608 MHz:	Channels 21-36
608-614 MHz:	Channel 37 (not used for TV broadcasting)
614-698 MHz:	Channels 38-51

Portions of channels 14-20 (470-512 MHz) are used by the Private Land Mobile Radio Service (PLMRS) in the following metropolitan areas:

Boston MA	channels 14 & 16
Chicago IL	channels 14 & 15
Dallas/Ft. Worth TX	channel 16
Houston TX	channel 17
Los Angeles CA	channels 14, 16 & 20
Miami FL	channel 14
New York NY/NE New Jersey	channels 14-16
Philadelphia PA	channels 19 & 20
Pittsburgh PA	channels 14 & 18
San Francisco-Oakland CA	channels 16 & 17
Washington DC	channels 17 & 18

PLMRS service is allowed by the FCC's rules in Cleveland OH (14 & 15) and Detroit MI (15 & 16), but interference issues with Canada prevent PLMRS from being deployed there.

A useful characteristic of digital (ATSC) signals is the addition of a narrowband pilot tone on the RF carrier. The pilot tone is at a nominal frequency of 309.440559441 kHz above the bottom edge of the channel, although the FCC may require small frequency offsets on a station-by-station basis to avoid interference between pilot tones of co-channel TV stations. Ancillary uses of the pilot tones include, for example, monitoring for sudden enhanced propagation events, such as meteor burst or sporadic E.

Channelized Bands
Band	Channel	Use	Service	Table
54 - 60 MHz	2	Broadcast Television (VHF)	Broadcasting	N
60 - 66 MHz	3	Broadcast Television (VHF)	Broadcasting	N
66 - 72 MHz	4	Broadcast Television (VHF)	Broadcasting	N
76 - 82 MHz	5	Broadcast Television (VHF)	Broadcasting	N
82 - 88 MHz	6	Broadcast Television (VHF)	Broadcasting	N
174 - 180 MHz	7	Broadcast Television (VHF)	Broadcasting	N
180 - 186 MHz	8	Broadcast Television (VHF)	Broadcasting	N
186 - 192 MHz	9	Broadcast Television (VHF)	Broadcasting	N
192 - 198 MHz	10	Broadcast Television (VHF)	Broadcasting	N
198 - 204 MHz	11	Broadcast Television (VHF)	Broadcasting	N
204 - 210 MHz	12	Broadcast Television (VHF)	Broadcasting	N
210 - 216 MHz	13	Broadcast Television (VHF)	Broadcasting	N
470 - 476 MHz	14	Broadcast Television (UHF) (may be used for land mobile in major metro areas)	Broadcasting	N
476 - 482 MHz	15	Broadcast Television (UHF) (may be used for land mobile in major metro areas)	Broadcasting	N
482 - 488 MHz	16	Broadcast Television (UHF) (may be used for land mobile in major metro areas)	Broadcasting	N
488 - 494 MHz	17	Broadcast Television (UHF) (may be used for land mobile in major metro areas)	Broadcasting	N
494 - 500 MHz	18	Broadcast Television (UHF) (may be used for land mobile in major metro areas)	Broadcasting	N
500 - 506 MHz	19	Broadcast Television (UHF) (may be used for land mobile in major metro areas)	Broadcasting	N
506 - 512 MHz	20	Broadcast Television (UHF) (may be used for land mobile in major metro areas)	Broadcasting	N
512 - 518 MHz	21	Broadcast Television (UHF)	Broadcasting	N
518 - 524 MHz	22	Broadcast Television (UHF)	Broadcasting	N
524 - 530 MHz	23	Broadcast Television (UHF)	Broadcasting	N
530 - 536 MHz	24	Broadcast Television (UHF)	Broadcasting	N
536 - 542 MHz	25	Broadcast Television (UHF)	Broadcasting	N
542 - 548 MHz	26	Broadcast Television (UHF)	Broadcasting	N
548 - 554 MHz	27	Broadcast Television (UHF)	Broadcasting	N
554 - 560 MHz	28	Broadcast Television (UHF)	Broadcasting	N
560 - 566 MHz	29	Broadcast Television (UHF)	Broadcasting	N
566 - 572 MHz	30	Broadcast Television (UHF)	Broadcasting	N
572 - 578 MHz	31	Broadcast Television (UHF)	Broadcasting	N
578 - 584 MHz	32	Broadcast Television (UHF)	Broadcasting	N
584 - 590 MHz	33	Broadcast Television (UHF)	Broadcasting	N
590 - 596 MHz	34	Broadcast Television (UHF)	Broadcasting	N
596 - 602 MHz	35	Broadcast Television (UHF)	Broadcasting	N
602 - 608 MHz	36	Broadcast Television (UHF)	Broadcasting	N
614 - 620 MHz	38	Broadcast Television (UHF)	Broadcasting	N
620 - 626 MHz	39	Broadcast Television (UHF)	Broadcasting	N
626 - 632 MHz	40	Broadcast Television (UHF)	Broadcasting	N
632 - 638 MHz	41	Broadcast Television (UHF)	Broadcasting	N
638 - 644 MHz	42	Broadcast Television (UHF)	Broadcasting	N
644 - 650 MHz	43	Broadcast Television (UHF)	Broadcasting	N
650 - 656 MHz	44	Broadcast Television (UHF)	Broadcasting	N
656 - 662 MHz	45	Broadcast Television (UHF)	Broadcasting	N
662 - 668 MHz	46	Broadcast Television (UHF)	Broadcasting	N
668 - 674 MHz	47	Broadcast Television (UHF)	Broadcasting	N
674 - 680 MHz	48	Broadcast Television (UHF)	Broadcasting	N
680 - 686 MHz	49	Broadcast Television (UHF)	Broadcasting	N
686 - 692 MHz	50	Broadcast Television (UHF)	Broadcasting	N
692 - 698 MHz	51	Broadcast Television (UHF)	Broadcasting	N

External Links:

FCC TV station query

ATSC Digital TV Standard

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Sprint nationwide CDMA and LTE deployment

After re-banding the 800 MHz band, Sprint is deploying a paired 1.25 MHz CDMA channel, nationwide, in the 817-819/862-864 MHz band, and a paired 5 MHz LTE channel in the 819-824/864-869 MHz band.

Reference FCC document DA 14-1663, dated 11/18/2014.

Paired Frequency Bands
Paired Bands	Use	Service	Table
817 - 819 MHz	Sprint 1.25 MHz CDMA uplink	Mobile	N
862 - 864 MHz	Sprint 1.25 MHz CDMA downlink	Mobile	N
819 - 824 MHz	Sprint 5 MHz LTE uplink	Mobile	N
864 - 869 MHz	Sprint 5 MHz LTE downlink	Mobile	N

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Automatic Identification System (AIS)

AIS is an automated system installed on maritime vessels for reporting ship information, such as location, heading, and speed. AIS signals are received by land-based systems, ocean-based data buoys, and space satellites, and then integrated into a centralized dynamic database. AIS is used worldwide, although regional differences in frequency are permitted.

According to the U.S. Coast Guard, AIS "transmissions use 9.6 kb GMSK FM modulation over 25 or 12.5 kHz channels using HDLC packet protocols...The system is backwards compatible with digital selective calling systems, allowing shore-based GMDSS systems to inexpensively establish AIS operating channels and identify and track AIS-equipped vessels, and is intended to fully replace existing DSC-based transponder systems."

Some AIS transmissions in oceanic regions, far removed from terrestrial base stations, are received by satellites. Providers or potential providers of AIS information via satellite include Orbcomm, which will include AIS receivers on its 18 second-generation satellites, expected to be in orbit by 2014. Until that time, Orbcomm opeates two microsatellites (one in equatorial orbit and one in polar orbit) to provide AIS coverage. The microsatellites were launched in October 2011 and January 2012.

Other companies planning to offer satellite-based AIS coverage include SpaceQuest LTD, and exactEarth of Canada.

Frequencies
Frequency	Bandwidth	Use	Service	Table
161.975 MHz	25 kHz	AIS 1	Maritime Mobile (AIS)	-
162.025 MHz	25 kHz	AIS 2	Maritime Mobile (AIS)	-

External Links:

exactEarth (Canadian AIS satellite system)

International VHF marine radio channels and frequencies (U.S. Coast Guard)

Live ship map based on AIS data

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SPN-43 Shipborne Radar

The AN/SPN-43C is a U.S. Navy air traffic control (ATC) radar for large-deck amphibious ships that are capable of supporting flight operations. These vessels include aircraft carriers (CVN) and amphibious assault ships (LHA and LHD) that predominantly carry helicopters.

U.S. homeports for ships that carry the SPN-43 are Norfolk VA, San Diego CA, Bremerton WA, and Newport News VA. The SPN-43 is currently installed on 21 commissioned ships in the U.S. Navy. It may also be installed on some non-U.S. military ships.

Land-based testing and training sites for the SPN-43 are at St. Inigoes (Pax River) MD, Pascagoula MS, and Pensacola FL, per footnote US348.

The SPN-43 possesses the following technical characteristics:

-Modulation P0N (unmodulated pulses, no information transmitted)

-Tuning range 3500-3700 MHz

-Peak tx power into antenna: 1 MW (60 dBW)

-Antenna gain: 32 dBi

-Peak EIRP: 1.6 GW (92 dBW)

-Pulse width: 0.95 microseconds

-Pulse repetition rate: 1 kHz

-Duty cycle: 0.1%

-Transmit bandwidth: 1.6 MHz

-Antenna type: Rotating parabolic

-Beamwidth: 1.75 deg horizontal, 4.4 deg vertical (vertical fan beam, csc2 to 30 deg elevation)

-Polarization: Horizontal

-Antenna rotation rate: One revolution per 4 seconds

In the range 3650-3700 MHz, operation of the radar is only allowed more than 50 miles off shore.

Frequency Bands
Band	Use	Service	Table
3500 - 3700 MHz	SPN-43 shipborne air traffic control radar	Radiolocation	F

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SpectrumWiki data come from users like you, who contribute new information and expand or refine existing information. A small amount of data contributed by each of many users helps build a comprehensive knowledgebase of radio spectrum use.

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SpectrumWiki does not contain specific license data. Such information is already available through a variety of sources, including

nor does it provide extensive information about the systems that occupy the radio spectrum if such information is available elsewhere. What it does do is organize specific frequency-related information, and makes it easy, through a simple query, to figure out what each radio spectrum band is used for.

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