U.S. Non-Federal-Government Allocations
METEOROLOGICAL AIDS 5.54A
SpectrumWiki
Radio spectrum allocations
Look up a frequency or a range.
Examples: 88.5 MHz, 1350–1430 MHz, 2.4 GHz
8.999 kHz (8,999 Hz)
U.S. Federal Government Allocations
METEOROLOGICAL AIDS 5.54A
ITU Region 1 Allocations
ITU Region 2 Allocations
ITU Region 3 Allocations
Footnotes
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5.54A Use of the 8.3-11.3 kHz frequency band by stations in the meteorological aids service is limited to passive use only. In the band 9-11.3 kHz, meteorological aids stations shall not claim protection from stations of the radionavigation service submitted for notification to the Bureau prior to 1 January 2013. For sharing between stations of the meteorological aids service and stations in the radionavigation service submitted for notification after this date, the most recent version of Recommendation ITU-R RS.1881 should be applied. (WRC 12)
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5.54B Additional allocation: in Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, the Russian Federation, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Qatar, the Syrian Arab Republic, Sudan and Tunisia, the frequency band 8.3-9 kHz is also allocated to the radionavigation, fixed and mobile services on a primary basis. (WRC 15)
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5.54C Additional allocation: in China, the frequency band 8.3-9 kHz is also allocated to the maritime radionavigation and maritime mobile services on a primary basis. (WRC 12)
Wiki entries
Lightning Detection
Current Use
8.3–11.3 kHz WRC-12 allocation for lightning detection
ITU studies have determined that the optimal frequency for long-distance Arrival Time Difference (ATD) lightning detection systems is 9.76 kHz. However, the currently-operating ATD system uses the frequency 13.733 kHz due to interference near the 9.76 kHz frequency.
According to the ITU:
"Long-range lightning detection using observations near 10 kHz has been performed since 1939, originally with a very manpower-intensive system measuring the direction from which signals were received, but since 1987 detection has been carried out with an automated Arrival time difference system (ATD) using the time differences of signals received to derive strike locations.
"The ATD system utilizes a network of “detector” out-stations to monitor spectral emissions of cloud to ground lightning strikes centred between about 5 and 20 kHz. At these frequencies the sky waves, reflected off the ionosphere, propagate for very large distances with relatively little attenuation and are preceded by a ground wave at shorter ranges. Thus, it is possible to receive the emissions from the cloud to ground strokes at thousands of kilometres from the stroke location. A distributed network of ground based sensors can locate the origin of the lightning stroke, using the time differences between the arrivals of the lightning emission at the individual sensor sites.
"At June 2010, the network comprised 11 sensors distributed across Europe from Iceland to Cyprus, operating in collaboration with Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Portugal and Switzerland."
At the 2012 World Radiocommunication Conference, the use of the band 8.3 - 11.3 kHz for passive meteorological aids service (i.e., ATD lightning detection) was noted, formally extending the table of frequency allocations below 9 kHz.
In FCC 15-50 (2015), the FCC has proposed to adopt the 8.3-11.3 kHz MetAids allocation in the U.S.
According to the ITU:
"Long-range lightning detection using observations near 10 kHz has been performed since 1939, originally with a very manpower-intensive system measuring the direction from which signals were received, but since 1987 detection has been carried out with an automated Arrival time difference system (ATD) using the time differences of signals received to derive strike locations.
"The ATD system utilizes a network of “detector” out-stations to monitor spectral emissions of cloud to ground lightning strikes centred between about 5 and 20 kHz. At these frequencies the sky waves, reflected off the ionosphere, propagate for very large distances with relatively little attenuation and are preceded by a ground wave at shorter ranges. Thus, it is possible to receive the emissions from the cloud to ground strokes at thousands of kilometres from the stroke location. A distributed network of ground based sensors can locate the origin of the lightning stroke, using the time differences between the arrivals of the lightning emission at the individual sensor sites.
"At June 2010, the network comprised 11 sensors distributed across Europe from Iceland to Cyprus, operating in collaboration with Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Portugal and Switzerland."
At the 2012 World Radiocommunication Conference, the use of the band 8.3 - 11.3 kHz for passive meteorological aids service (i.e., ATD lightning detection) was noted, formally extending the table of frequency allocations below 9 kHz.
In FCC 15-50 (2015), the FCC has proposed to adopt the 8.3-11.3 kHz MetAids allocation in the U.S.