December 1, 2015 1240-1300 MHz 1. Band Introduction The band 1240-1300 MHz is used by Federal agencies for operating various types of long-range radar systems that perform missions critical to safe and reliable air traffic control (ATC) in the national airspace, border surveillance, early warning missile detection, and drug interdiction. These radar systems ensure the safe transportation of people and goods, encourage the flow of commerce, and provide for national defense. Long-range radar systems are operated in this portion of the radio frequency spectrum because the effects of rain and fog on radar target detection are very low, the external background noise levels are low, and high-power transmitter tubes operate very efficiently. These factors are important to achieve the long-range detection of different size aircraft as well as other targets. 2. Allocations 2a. Allocation Table The frequency allocation table shown below is extracted from the Manual of Regulations and Procedures for Federal Radio Frequency Management, Chapter 4 – Allocations, Allotments and Plans. Table of Frequency Allocations United States Table Federal Table Non-Federal Table FCC Rule Part(s) 1240-1300 EARTH EXPLORATION-SATELLITE (active) RADIOLOCATION G56 SPACE RESEARCH (active) AERONAUTICAL RADIONAVIGATION 5.332 5.335 1240-1300 AERONAUTICAL RADIONAVIGATION Amateur Earth exploration-satellite (active) Space research (active) 5.282 Amateur (97)
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1240-1300 MHz
December 1, 2015
1240-1300 MHz
1. Band Introduction
The band 1240-1300 MHz is used by Federal agencies for operating various types of
long-range radar systems that perform missions critical to safe and reliable air traffic
control (ATC) in the national airspace, border surveillance, early warning missile
detection, and drug interdiction. These radar systems ensure the safe transportation of
people and goods, encourage the flow of commerce, and provide for national defense.
Long-range radar systems are operated in this portion of the radio frequency spectrum
because the effects of rain and fog on radar target detection are very low, the external
background noise levels are low, and high-power transmitter tubes operate very
efficiently. These factors are important to achieve the long-range detection of different
size aircraft as well as other targets.
2. Allocations
2a. Allocation Table
The frequency allocation table shown below is extracted from the Manual of Regulations
and Procedures for Federal Radio Frequency Management, Chapter 4 – Allocations,
Allotments and Plans.
Table of Frequency Allocations
United States Table
Federal Table Non-Federal Table FCC Rule Part(s) 1240-1300 EARTH EXPLORATION-SATELLITE (active) RADIOLOCATION G56 SPACE RESEARCH (active) AERONAUTICAL RADIONAVIGATION 5.332 5.335
1240-1300 AERONAUTICAL RADIONAVIGATION Amateur Earth exploration-satellite (active) Space research (active) 5.282
Amateur (97)
1240 – 1300 MHz
Page 2 of 25
2b. Additional Allocation Table Information
G56 Federal radiolocation in the bands 1215-1300, 2900-3100, 5350-5650 and 9300-
9500 MHz is primarily for the military services; however, limited secondary use is
permitted by other Federal agencies in support of experimentation and research programs.
In addition, limited secondary use is permitted for survey operations in the band 2900-
3100 MHz.
5.282 In the bands 435-438 MHz, 1 260-1 270 MHz, 2 400-2 450 MHz, 3 400-3 410
MHz (in Regions 2 and 3 only) and 5650-5670 MHz, the amateur-satellite service may
operate subject to not causing harmful interference to other services operating in
accordance with the Table (see No. 5.43). Administrations authorizing such use shall
ensure that any harmful interference caused by emissions from a station in the amateur-
satellite service is immediately eliminated in accordance with the provisions of No.
25.11. The use of the bands 1 260-1 270 MHz and 5 650-5 670 MHz by the amateur-
satellite service is limited to the Earth-to-space direction.
5.332 In the band 1 215-1 260 MHz, active spaceborne sensors in the Earth exploration-
satellite and space research services shall not cause harmful interference to, claim
protection from, or otherwise impose constraints on operation or development of the
radiolocation service, the radionavigation- satellite service and other services allocated on
a primary basis. (WRC-2000)
5.335 In Canada and the United States in the band 1 240-1 300 MHz, active spaceborne
sensors in the earth exploration-satellite and space research services shall not cause
interference to, claim protection from, or otherwise impose constraints on operation or
development of the aeronautical radionavigation service.
1240-1300 MHz
Page 3 of 25
3. Federal Agency Use
3a. Federal Agency Frequency Assignments Table
The following table identifies the frequency band, types of allocations, types of
applications, and the number of frequency assignments in the Government Master File
(GMF) by agency.
Federal Frequency Assignment Table
AE
RO
NA
UT
ICA
L
RA
DIO
NA
VIG
AT
ION
EA
RT
H E
XP
LO
RA
TIO
N
SA
TE
LL
ITE
RA
DIO
NA
VIG
AT
ION
-
SA
TE
LL
ITE
LA
ND
RA
DIO
LO
CA
TIO
N
MO
BIL
E
RA
DIO
LO
CA
TIO
N
RE
SE
AR
CH
DE
VE
LO
PM
EN
T
TE
ST
ING
EV
AL
UA
TIO
N
TO
TA
L
AF 2 20 30 52
AR 138 5 2 145
DHS 6 10 16
DOC 1 1
DOE 8 3 11
FAA 208 208
MC 2 95 2 99
N 4 15 1 11 31
NASA 1 1 1 6 9
TOTAL 224 1 1 275 17 54 572
The number of actual systems, or number of equipments, may exceed and sometimes far
exceed, the number of frequency assignments in a band. Also, a frequency assignment may
represent, a local, state, regional or nationwide authorization. Therefore, care must be taken in
evaluating bands strictly on the basis of assignment counts or percentages of assignments.
Time system operates % 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100
LHCP: left-hand circularly polarized
RHCP: right-hand circularly polarized
NOTE 1 – The radar has 44 RF channel pairs with one of 44 RF channel pairs selected in normal mode. The transmitted waveform consists of a 88.8 s pulse at frequency f1 followed by a 58.8 s
pulse at frequency f2. Separation of f1 and f2 is 82.854 MHz.
NOTE 2 – The radar has 20 RF channels in 8.96 MHz increments. The transmitted waveform group consists of one 0.4 s P0 pulse (optional) which is followed by one 102.4 s linear frequency modulated
pulse (if 0.4 s P0 is not transmitted) of 2.5 MHz chirp which may be followed by one to four long-range 409.6 s linear frequency modulated pulses each chirped 625 kHz and transmitted on different
carriers separated by 3.75 MHz. Normal mode of operation employs frequency agility whereby the individual frequencies of each waveform group are selected in a pseudo-random manner from one of the
possible 20 RF channels within the frequency band 1 215-1 400 MHz.
NOTE 3 – The radar has the capability of operating single frequency or dual frequency. Dual RF channels are separated by 60 MHz. The single channel mode uses the 39 s pulse width. In the dual
channel mode, the 26 s pulse is transmitted at frequency f, followed by the 13 s pulse transmitted at f+ 60 MHz.
NOTE 4 – This radar utilizes two fundamental carriers, F1 and F2, with two sub-pulses each, one for medium range detection and one for long range detection. The carriers are tunable in 0.1 MHz
increments with a minimum separation of 26 MHz between F1 (below 1 300 MHz) and F2 (above 1 300 MHz). The carrier sub-pulses are separated by a fixed value of 5.18 MHz. The pulse sequence
is as follows: 115.5 µs pulse at F1 + 2.59 MHz, then a 115.5 µs pulse at F2 + 2.59 MHz, then a 17.5 µs pulse at F2 – 2.59 MHz, then a 17.5 µs pulse at F1 – 2.59 MHz. All four pulses are transmitted
within a single pulse repetition interval.
1240-1300 MHz
Page 9 of 25
4c. Space Research (Active) Service
There are no Federal systems operating in the space research (active) service.
4e. Earth Exploration-Satellite (Active) Service
There is an assignment for the NASA Aquarius non-geostationary satellite that operates
in the EESS (active) service at 1260 MHz. It is a remote sensing instrument that is used
to measure the salinity of the ocean as a joint venture with Argentina. The transmitter
has a power of 200 Watts and 4.6 MHz bandwidth.
4c. Research Testing and Development
In addition to the operational radars in the band 1240 -1300 MHz, there are frequency
assignments for research and development purposes to examine hardware and software
improvements for existing systems. The research and development includes examining
new waveforms and testing new signal processing techniques. The operation of radar
systems used for research and development are carefully coordinated to ensure that they
do not cause harmful interference to operational aeronautical radionavigation radar
systems.
4d. Frequency Coordination and Sharing
In the band 1240-1300 MHz hundreds of high-power long-range radar systems operate
across the country. In some cases near large population centers with airports, multiple
radars must operate in the same geographic area. Compatible operation between different
types of radar systems is accomplished through careful design of the radar receivers,
frequency selection, and NTIA spectrum standards. The radar receivers use various types
of circuitry and signal processing to reduce or eliminate the effects of pulsed interference
from other radars.2 The careful assignment of frequencies for radars operating in this
band is crucial to prevent interference to and from other radar systems. The FAA and
DoD carefully choose and coordinate the frequencies of each of their systems that operate
in this band. Radar systems that operate in the band 1240-1300 MHz with power levels
above 1 kilowatt are expected to comply with the NTIA Radar Spectrum Engineering
2 These techniques are not effective in mitigating the effects of interference from continuous signals such
as those generated by communication systems as discussed in NTIA Report TR-06-444, Effects of RF
Interference on Radar Receivers (September 2006) available at www.its.bldrdoc.gov/publications.