The Committee on Radio Astronomy Frequencies (CRAF) is a committee of
the European Science Foundation (ESF).
CRAF is the ESF Expert Committee on Radio Astronomy Frequencies. CRAF coordinates the efforts on frequency protection for European radio astronomy, passive remote sensing and related sciences.
CRAF activities in the year 2000 have been strongly focussed on the World Radio Conference WRC-2000. This was a major event for radio astronomy, in which 6 CRAF members participated. After years of careful preparations, radio astronomers won crucial protection for the mm-wave spectrum. Radio astronomy is now officially allocated most of the frequencies that can be observed from the ground through the atmospheric windows, in the frequency range 71-275 GHz. WRC-2000 also set the first mandatory limits on unwanted emissions from transmitters on spacecraft. (Unwanted emissions are a form of radio pollution produced by the transmitter but not needed by the receiver.) CRAF members were active in the national and international preparatory studies on these issues and they are already involved in studies related to the next such conference, WRC-03.
Within the European telecommunications arena of the Conférence Européenne des Postes et des Télécommunications (CEPT), CRAF participates actively in various working groups and project teams. Particularly important issues at the present time include the standards to be set for radio equipment operating in Europe, the frequency channels to be used for particular services, and the introduction of new services into Europe, such as high-altitude platform systems (HAPs), or digital TV broadcasting. Having a single radio astronomy position on these issues is essential. CRAF provides input to the CEPT to ensure that radio astronomy and related scientific use of frequencies is known and properly protected.
The CRAF Newsletter which is available on the World Wide Web, enjoys a wide interest among administrations, industry and research organizations. Since the start of 2000, the ESF has produced a hardcopy version, which has enabled us to widen our audience and our influence. A special edition of the Newsletter was distributed to delegates to the WRC-2000 in Istanbul. A new edition of the CRAF Handbook for Radio Astronomy is considered for 2001, to reflect the results of WRC-2000.
CRAF has three plenary meetings in 2000: in Granada (Spain) 20th-21st March, in Manchester (UK) on 11th August and a forthcoming meeting in Penc (Hungary) on 9-10th November. In addition a CRAF Workshop was held in Bonn (Germany) on 15th-16th June to prepare documents for ITU-R Working Party 7D.