Radio astronomy service

Antenna 100 m of the Radio telescope Effelsberg, Germany

Antenna 70 m of the Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex, California

Antenna 110m of the Green Bank radio telescope, USA

Arecibo Observatory in Arecibo, Puerto Rico

Jupiter radio-bursts

Radio astronomy service (also: radio astronomy radiocommunication service) is – according to Article 1.58 of the International Telecommunication Union´s (ITU) Radio Regulations (RR)^[1] – defined as «A radiocommunication service involving the use of radio astronomy.» Subject of this radiocommunication service is to receive radio waves transmitte by astronomical or celestical objects.

See also

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 with-in 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
• exclusive or shared utilization: is within the responsibility of administrations

In line to the appropriate ITU Region the frequency bands are allocated (primary or secondary) to the radio astronomy service as follows.

Frequency bands

Allocation to services
Region 1	Region 2	Region 3
13 360–13 410 kHz  FIXED       RADIO ASTRONOMY
25 550–25 650          RADIO ASTRONOMY
37.5–38.25 MHz  FIXED MOBILE Radio astronomy
322–328.6     FIXED MOBILE RADIO ASTRONOMY
406.1–410     FIXED MOBILE except aeronautical mobile RADIO ASTRONOMY
1 400–1 427   EARTH EXPLORATION-SATELLITE (passive) RADIO ASTRONOMY SPACE RESEARCH (passive)
1 610.6–1 613.8 MOBILE-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space) RADIO ASTRONOMY AERONAUTICAL RADIONAVIGATION	1 610.6–1 613.8 MOBILE-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space) RADIO ASTRONOMY AERONAUTICAL RADIONAVIGATION RADIODETERMINATION- SATELLITE (Earth-to-space)	1 610.6–1 613.8 MOBILE-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space) RADIO ASTRONOMY AERONAUTICAL RADIONAVIGATION Radiodetermination- satellite (Earth-to-space)
10.6–10.68 GHz   RADIO ASTRONOMY and other services
10.68–10.7           RADIO ASTRONOMY and other services
14.47–14.5           RADIO ASTRONOMY and other services
15.35–15.4           RADIO ASTRONOMY and other services
22.21–22.5           RADIO ASTRONOMY and other services
23.6–24                RADIO ASTRONOMY and other services
31.3–31.5             RADIO ASTRONOMY and other services

References / sources

1. ITU Radio Regulations, Section IV. Radio Stations and Systems – Article 1.58, definition: radio astronomy service / radio astronomy radiocommunication service
2. ITU Radio Regulations, CHAPTER II – Frequencies, ARTICLE 5 Frequency allocations, Section IV – Table of Frequency Allocations

• International Telecommunication Union (ITU)