Amateur-satellite service

First amateur-satellite station OSCAR 1, 1961

Amateur-satellite station OSCAR 10, 1983

Doug Wheelock, KF5BOC, flight engineer of the Expedition 24, uses a ham radio system in the Zvezda Service Module of the ISS, 2010

Amateur-satellite service (also: amateur-satellite radiocommunication service) is – according to Article 1.57 of the International Telecommunication Union´s (ITU) Radio Regulations (RR)^[1] – defined as «A radiocommunication service using space stations on earth satellites for the same purposes as those of the amateur service.»

See also

Classification

This radiocommunication service is classified in accordance with ITU Radio Regulations (article 1) as follows:
Radiocommunication service (article 1.19)

• Amateur service (article 1.56)
  • Amateur-satellite service (article 1.57)

Frequency allocation

The allocation of radio frequencies is provided according to Article 5 of the ITU Radio Regulations (edition 2012).^[2]

In order to improve harmonisation in spectrum utilisation, the majority of service-allocations stipulated in this document were incorporated in national Tables of Frequency Allocations and Utilisations which is within the responsibility of the appropriate national administration. The allocation might be primary, secondary, exclusive, and shared.

• primary allocation: is indicated by writing in capital letters (see example below)
• secondary allocation: is indicated by small letters (see example below)
• exclusive or shared utilization: is within the responsibility of national administrations

Example of frequency allocation

Allocation to services
Region 1	Region 2	Region 3
135.7–137.8 kHz FIXED MARITIME MOBILE Amateur	135.7–137.8 FIXED MARITIME MOBILE Amateur	135.7–137.8 FIXED MARITIME MOBILE RADIO NAVIGATION Amateur
7 000–7 100   AMATEUR AMATEUR-SATELLITE
14 000–14 250    AMATEUR AMATEUR-SATELLITE
18 068–18 168    AMATEUR AMATEUR-SATELLITE
21 000–21 450    AMATEUR AMATEUR-SATELLITE
24 890–24 990    AMATEUR AMATEUR-SATELLITE
28–29.7 MHz       AMATEUR AMATEUR-SATELLITE
144–146              AMATEUR AMATEUR-SATELLITE
5 830–5 850 FIXED-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space) RADIOLOCATION Amateur Amateur-satellite (Earth-to-space)	5 830–5 850 RADIOLOCATION Amateur Amateur-satellite (Earth-to-space)
10.5–10.6 GHz    AMATEUR AMATEUR-SATELLITE
24–24.05             AMATEUR AMATEUR-SATELLITE
47–47.2              AMATEUR AMATEUR-SATELLITE
76–77.5               RADIO ASTRONOMY RADIOLOCATIONY Amateur Amateur-satellite Space research (space-to-Earth)
77.5–78               AMATEUR AMATEUR-SATELLITE Radio astronomy Space research (space-to-Earth)
78–79                  RADIOLOCATION Amateur Amateur-satellite Radio astronomy Space research (space-to-Earth)
79–81                 RADIOLOCATION RADIO ASTRONOMY Amateur Amateur-satellite Space research (space-to-Earth)
134–136              AMATEUR AMATEUR-SATELLITE Radio astronomy
136–141              RADIO ASTRONOMY RADIOLOCATION Amateur Amateur-satellite
241–248              RADIO ASTRONOMY RADIOLOCATION Amateur Amateur-satellite
248–250              AMATEUR AMATEUR-SATELLITE Radio astronomy

References / sources

1. ITU Radio Regulations, Section IV. Radio Stations and Systems – Article 1.57, definition: amateur-satellite service / amateur-satellite radiocommunication service
2. ITU Radio Regulations, CHAPTER II – Frequencies, ARTICLE 5 Frequency allocations, Section IV – Table of Frequency Allocations

• International Telecommunication Union (ITU)