Frequencies used by passive services in Europe

Frequencies used by passive services in Europe

The European Science Foundation is an association of its 67 member research councils and academies in 23 countries. The ESF brings European scientists together to work on topics of common concern, to co-ordinate the use of expensive facilities, and to discover and define new endeavors that will benefit from a co-operative approach
The scientific work sponsored by ESF includes basic research in the natural sciences, the medical and biosciences, the humanities and the social sciences.
The ESF links scholarship and research supported by its members and adds value by cooperation across national frontiers. Through its function as coordinator, and also by holding workshops and conferences and by enabling researchers to visit and study in laboratories throughout Europe, the ESF works for the advancement of European science.

On behalf of European radio astronomers, the ESF Committee on Radio Astronomy Frequencies, CRAF, coordinates activities to keep the frequency bands used by radio astronomers free from interference.

This page gives a summary of the frequencies used by the passive services in Europe. Further details on the frequencies use by European radio astronomy stations can be found under local frequency usage per country.

Contents:

Frequency bands allocated to radio astronomy and compatibility problems

Frequency bandITU-R Radio Regulations - Region 1CountryLocal problemsRegional problemsGlobal problems
allocation status
13.36 - 13.41 MHzprimaryF1, NL25, UKRUKR
25.55 - 25.67 MHzprimary: passive exclusiveF1, NL25, UKRF, UKR
37.5 - 38.25 MHzsecondaryF1, GB2, NL25, RUS
73.0 - 74.6 MHznotification of useCH4, F1, NL25, RUS
79.25 - 80.25 MHz-CH4,F3, GB, NL25
109 - 113 MHz-CH4, NL25, RUS
150.05 - 153 MHzprimaryCH4, F3, GB, NL25, P, PL, RUSGB
222 - 226 MHz-CH4, EISCAT5, F3, NL25, P23
242 - 246 MHz-CH4, F3, GB6, NL25, P23
322.0 -328.6 MHzprimaryCH4, F3, GB, I, LT, NL, P, PL, RUSI, RUSI, NL, PL, RUSaeronautical, space systems
406.1 - 410.0 MHzprimaryB, D, F3, GB, I, NL, P, PL7, RUSI, GBB, D, GB
485 - 515 MHz-CH4, EISCAT5, P23, PL7
608.0 - 614.0 MHzsecondaryB, CH4, D, F, GB, I, NL, P23, PL7, RUSF, GB, I, PL, RUSB, D, NL, broadcasting
926 - 934 MHz-CH4, CZ22, F9, GB10, PL7
927 - 935 MHz-CH4, CZ22, EISCAT5, F9, PL7
962 - 970 MHz-CH4, CZ22, F9, GB10, PL7
1330.0 - 1400.0 MHznotification of useCH4, CZ22, D, F, GB, I, NL, P, RUS, S, TR24D, GB, I, NL, S, TRD, F, GB, I, NL, P, RUS, S, TR: space systems: radionavigationspace systems: radionavigation
1400.0 - 1427.0 MHzprimary: passive exclusiveCH4, CZ22, D, F, GB, I, NL, PL, RUS, S, TR24D, F, I, RUSGBspace systems
1400.0 - 1800.0 MHzvariousCH4, CZ22, RUS, TR24
1610.6 - 1613.8 MHzprimaryCH4, CZ22, D, F, GB, I, NL, PL, RUS, S, SP, TR24D, FD, F, GB, NL, S, TRaeronautical, space systems
1640 - 1693 MHz-CH4, CZ22, D, F, GB, NL, S, TR24D
1660.0 - 1670.0 MHzprimaryCH4, CZ22, D, F, GB, I, NL, PL, RUS, S, SP, TR24D, GB, I, RUSaeronautical, space systems
1718.8 - 1722.2 MHznotification of useCH4, CZ22, D, F, GB, I, NL, PL, RUS, S, SP, TR24GB
2120 - 2620 MHz-CH4, CZ22, RUS, TR24
2215 - 2240 MHz-CH4, CZ22, NL, SP, TR24
2290 - 2300 MHz-CH4, CZ22, F, GB3, I, NL, RUS, S11, SP, TR24
2655.0 - 2690.0 MHzsecondaryCH4, CZ22, D, F, GB, I, RUS, TR24Dbroadcasting
2690.0 - 2700.0 MHzprimary: passive exclusiveCH4, D, F, GB, I, RUS, TR24
3260.0 - 3267.0 MHznotification of useCH4, CZ22, D, F12, I12, RUS, S, TR24
3332.0 - 3339.0 MHznotification of useCH4, CZ22, D, F12, I12, RUS, S, TR24
3345.8 - 3352.5 MHznotification of useCH4, CZ22, D, F12, I12, RUS, S, TR24
4300 - 4900 MHz-CZ22, D13, I14, TR24
4800.0 - 4990.0 MHzsecondaryD, GB15, I, NL, RUS16, S, TR24Daeronautical
4990.0 - 5000.0 MHzprimaryD, GB15, I, NL, RUS, S, TR24Ispace systems
5670 - 5790 MHz-GB15, RUS, TR24
6000 - 6100 MHz-GB15, SP, TR24
6650.0 - 6675.2 MHznotification of useD, GB15, S11, SP, TR24D, S
8180 - 8580 MHz-SP, TR24
8200 - 8700 MHz-RUS, TR24
8208 - 8313 MHz-F, RUS, TR24
8387 - 8443 MHz-D, GB, I, TR24
8498 - 8573 MHz-D, GB, I, S, TR24
9.7 - 10.7 GHz-GB17, TR24
10.6 - 10.7 GHzprimary: partly passive exclusiveD, GB, I, LT, RUS, S, TR24ID, LT, TRbroadcasting, space systems
11.7 - 12.25 GHz-D13, GB, I, TR24
12.25 - 14.25 GHz-D13, TR24
14.5 - 15.5 GHz-D18, GB19, I, TR24
14.47 - 14.50 GHzsecondaryD, GB, RUS
15.35 - 15.40 GHzprimary: passive exclusiveD, GB, I, RUS, Saeronautical
22.01 - 22.21 GHznotification of useD, F, FIN, GB, S, SPD, vehicular SRRspace systems
22.085 - 22.385 GHz-RUS, S
22.21 - 22.50 GHzprimaryD, F, FIN, GB, I, RUS, S, SPvehicular SRRDbroadcasting
22.81 - 22.86 GHznotification of useD, F, GB, I, S, SPD, SP, vehicular SRRspace systems
23.07 - 23.12 GHznotification of useD, F, GB, I, S, SPD, SP, vehicular SRRspace systems
23.60 - 24.00 GHzprimary: passive exclusiveD, F, GB, I, RUS, S, SPvehicular SRRspace systems
29.0 - 37.0 GHz-S, SP
31.2 - 31.8 GHzprimary: partly passive exclusiveD, GB, I, RUS, S20space systems
35 - 37 GHz-RUS, S
36.43 - 36.5 GHznotification of useFIN, I, RUS, S
36.7 - 37.3 GHz-RUS, S
42.5 - 43.5 GHzprimaryD, F, FIN, I, RUS, S, SP
43.5 - 47.0 GHz-S, SP
47.2 - 50.2 GHzprimary for 48.94-49.04 GHzD, I, S, SP
48.94 - 49.04 GHzprimaryD, I, SP
51.4 - 54.25 GHznotification of use
58.2 - 59.0 GHznotification of use
76 - 77.5 GHzprimaryD, F, I, S, SP
77.5 - 78 GHzsecondaryD, F, I, S, SP
78 - 79 GHzsecondaryF, FIN, I, S, SP
79 - 81 GHzprimaryFIN, I, S, SP
81 - 84 GHzprimaryFIN, I, S, SP
84 - 86 GHzprimaryFIN, I, S, SP
86 - 92 GHzprimary: passive exclusiveF, FIN, I, RUS, S, SP
92 - 94 GHzprimaryF, FIN, I, S, SP
94 - 94.1 GHzsecondaryF, FIN, I, S, SP
94.1 - 95 GHzprimaryF, FIN, I, S, SP
95 - 100 GHzprimaryF, FIN, I, S, SP
100 - 102 GHzprimaryF, FIN, I, S, SP
102 - 105 GHzprimaryF, S, SP, TR
105 - 109.5 GHzprimaryF, FIN, S13, SP
109.5 - 111.8 GHzprimary: passive exclusiveF, FIN, S, SP
111.8 - 114.25 GHzprimaryF, FIN, S, SP
114.25 - 116 GHzprimary: passive exclusiveF, FIN, S, SP
123 - 126 GHzsecondarySP
126 - 130 GHzsecondarySP
130 - 134 GHzprimarySP
134 - 136 GHzsecondarySP
136 - 141 GHzprimaryF, SP
141 - 148.5 GHzprimaryF, RUS, SP
148.5 - 151.5 GHzprimary: passive exclusiveRUS, SP
151.5 - 155.5 GHzprimaryRUS, SP
155.5 - 158.5 GHzprimarySP
164 - 167 GHznotification of useSP
168 - 170 GHznotification of useSP
170 - 174.5 GHznotification of useSP
182 - 185 GHzprimarySP
191.8 - 200 GHznotification of useSP
200 - 202 GHzprimary: passive exclusiveSP
202 - 209 GHzprimary: passive exclusiveSP
209 - 217 GHzprimarySP
217 - 226 GHzprimaryF, SP
226 - 231.5 GHzprimary: passive exclusiveF, SP
241 - 248 GHzsecondarySP
248 - 250 GHzprimary: passive exclusiveSP
250 - 252 GHzprimarySP
252 - 265 GHzprimarySP
265 - 275 GHzprimaryF, SP
275 - 1000 GHznotification of useF, SP

Notes:

1): used frequencies: 10-90 MHz
2): Cambridge only
3): used frequencies: 150-450 MHz
4): in Switzerland: used frequecies 450 MHz - 4 GHz (~500 selected channels)
5): frequencies used by EISCAT Scientific Association
6): used for pulsar work
7): the band 400 - 2000 MHz is used in Poland for solar radio astronomy (channel frequencies are: 650, 810, 980, 1350, 1450 MHz)
8): used for Very Long Baseline Interferometry, Very Long Baseline Interferometry
9): used frequencies: 910-950 MHz
10): used for pulsar work/space probes
11): used for Very Long Baseline Interferometry; in Sweden: 2257 - 2313 MHz
12): used frequencies: 3200-3500 MHz
13): used for spectral line observations
14): In Italy the band 4700 - 5050 MHz is used
15): 4000 - 8000 MHz: used for MERLIN, spectral line, Very Long Baseline Interferometry, broadband interferometry, cosmic background
16): in Russia: 4600 - 4800 MHz is used
17): cosmic background research
18): in Germany the band 14.2 - 15.2 GHz is used
19): 14.5 - 15.5 GHz: used for cosmic background research
20): in Sweden 31.0 - 31.3 is used
21): the band 86.0 - 86.6 GHz is used for Very Long Baseline Interferometry
22): in Czechia: 0.8 - 4.5 GHz is used
23): in Portugal: 150 - 650 MHz is used
24): in Turkey: 1 - 15 GHz is used
25): in the Netherlands: frequencies between 10 and 250 MHz are used by the Low Frequency Array, LOFAR

Legal status for observations outside allocated frequency bands

PermittedToleratedForbidden
D, F, GB, NL, RUS, SB, EISCAT, I

Frequencies used for passive remote sensing of the terrestrial middle atmosphere (upper troposphere, stratosphere and mesosphere)

FrequencyPreferred BandwidthMoleculeGround-basedLimb sounding
(GHz)(GHz)
22.2352H2O¥
96.9112O3¥
101.762O3¥
109.7822C18O¥
110.201213CO¥
110.8362O3¥
112.3592C17O¥
115.2711CO¥
118.7502O2¥(P,T)
142.1752O3¥
181.62HNO3¥¥
183.3103H2O¥¥
194.002H217O¥
197.142SO2¥
200-2091¥¥ (MASTER)
200.961N2O¥¥(MASTER)
202.881HO2¥¥(MASTER)
203.411H218O¥¥ (MASTER)
204.252SO2¥¥(MASTER)
204.3521ClO¥¥(MASTER)
206.622HNO3¥¥(MASTER)
208.642O3¥
212.62CH3Cl¥
213.071SO2¥
219.162HNO3¥
219.562C17O¥
220.40213CO¥
224.7142C17O¥
230.54212CO¥
233.95217OO¥(P,T)
235.722O3¥¥
250.502HO2¥¥
250.822SO2¥¥
251.212NO¥¥
255.052HDO¥¥
262.002HO2¥¥
265.641CH335Cl¥
265.692NO2,HO2¥
267.721SO2¥
269.232HNO3¥
276.332N2O¥¥
277.492HNO3¥¥
278.641ClO¥¥
281.762SO2¥¥
294-305.5uninterrupted band18OO, O3, N2O¥ (MASTER)
315.5-326.5uninterrupted bandH2O, O3¥ (MASTER)
322.058HNO3, CH3CL¥ (Future project)
335-345uninterrupted bandO3, H2O, 37ClO, HO2, CO¥ (Future project)
340-3608 - uninterrupted bandwidthOCS, CO, N2O, H2CO, HCN¥ (Future project)
342-349uninterrupted bandCO, HNO3, O3,¥ (MASTER)
345.88CO¥ (Future project)
351.78N2O¥ (Future project)
351.88H2CO¥ (Future project)
354.58HCN¥ (Future project)
486-4914 - uninterrupted bandwidthH216O, H218O, HDO, O2, O3¥ (Future project)
487.253O2(P,T), ¥ (Odin, Future project)
488.492H2O¥(Odin)
489.052H218O¥ (Odin)
490.602HDO¥ (Odin)
494.602O3, HNO3¥ (Odin)
496-506uninterrupted band¥ (SOPRANO, Future project)
497.5281BrO¥(Odin)
499.6279BrO¥(Odin)
500.402O3¥(Odin)
501.302ClO¥ (Odin)
502.292N2O¥(Odin)
503.5-505uninterrupted bandCH3Cl¥ SOPRANO)
544.382HNO3¥(Odin)
544.82O3¥(Odin)
547.682H218O¥(Odin)
548.5281BrO¥(Odin)
550.8279BrO¥(Odin)
551.502O3, NO¥(Odin)
552.022H217O¥(Odin)
552.492N2O¥(Odin)
556.942H2O¥(Odin)
566.912O18O¥(Odin)
569.392HO2¥(Odin)
570.02NO2¥(Odin)
571.552SO2¥(Odin)
571.902H2O2¥(Odin)
573.9281BrO¥(Odin)
574.52O3¥(Odin)
574.812SO2¥(Odin)
575.382ClO¥(Odin)
576.042SO2¥(Odin)
576.302CO¥(Odin)
577.462HO2¥(Odin)
577.582N2O¥(Odin)
579.802HO2¥(Odin)
606.802HNO3, HO2, O3aircraft
612.432ClO, HOCl, O3aeronautical
620.703H2O, O3aircraft
624.5-626.6uninterrupted band¥(SOPRANO)
625.072H37Cl, BrO, HOClaircraft, ¥ (Future project)
625.922H35Cl, O3, HO2aircraft,¥ (EOS, Future project)
627.762N2O, O2aircraft, ¥ (Future project)
628.2-628.8uninterrupted bandHOCl, 18OO¥ SOPRANO)
635.5-637.5uninterrupted bandCH3Cl, O3¥ SOPRANO)
636.502HOCl, O217O, HNO3, HO2, O3, CH3Claircraft
650.003O218O, ClO, HO2, BrO, O3aircraft, ¥ (EOS)
652.503O3, N2Oaircraft,¥ (EOS)
660.352HO2¥(EOS)
730.5-732.0uninterrupted band18OO, O3¥ SOPRANO)
851.3-852.8uninterrupted bandNO, O3¥ SOPRANO)
951.6-955.4uninterrupted bandNO, O3, 18OO¥ SOPRANO)
15002HBr¥ (Future project)
25002 x 3OH¥ (Future project)

Note:

  • Ground-based measurements are carried out at precise locations

    Explanation of terms:

    EOS-Aura: NASA EOS-Aura/MLS project to limb sound the middle atmosphere
    MASTER: ESA project to limb sound the upper troposphere/lower stratosphere
    Odin: Swedish/French/Finnish/Canadian project to limb sounding the middle atmosphere
    Future project: Limb-sounding project in progress submitted to ESA and/or national organisations
    SOPRANO: ESA project to limb sound the stratosphere and mesosphere

    Last modified: January 16, 2005