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IARU  Revises Satellite Coordination Guidelines to Align with WRC-15 
Decisions
07/03/2017   
Starting  on August 1, the International Amateur Radio Union (_IARU_ 
(http://www.iaru.org/) ) will follow revised guidelines for  satellite frequency 
coordination. Educational satellite projects have grown in  popularity as 
launch opportunities have increased. These satellites, constructed  by students 
at universities and other institutions, generally have been licensed  to 
operate in the Amateur-Satellite Service, which the International  
Telecommunication Union (ITU) _Radio  Regulations_ 
(http://search.itu.int/history/HistoryDigitalCollectionDocLibrary/1.43.48.en.101.pdf)  define as having the “
purpose of  self-training, intercommunication, and technical investigations 
carried out by  amateurs…interested in radio technique solely with a personal 
aim and without  pecuniary interest.” 
“The  strong preference is for all satellites using spectrum allocated to 
the Amateur  and Amateur-Satellite services to operate under amateur licenses 
and within the  definition of the Amateur-Satellite service and the 
service-specific Article 25  of the Radio  Regulations,” IARU said in announcing 
the change. “The IARU believes the  definition is sufficiently broad to 
encompass nearly all educational satellite  projects that include giving students 
hands-on experience with  radiocommunication and are conducted under an 
amateur license.” 
Some  administrations have issued experimental licenses for such satellites 
operating  in Amateur-Satellite Service bands. The IARU has coordinated 
these satellites as  well, to reduce the possibility of harmful interference 
that might result from  uncoordinated operation. Since July 1, 2014, however, 
it has not been possible  to coordinate experimental satellites in the 
144-146 MHz band, because of the  high probability of harmful interference in 
this heavily used band. 
IARU  will continue to coordinate satellites with combined amateur and 
non-amateur  missions. It will only coordinate a non-amateur satellite if an 
administration  directs in writing that it be operated in an Amateur-Satellite 
band under an  experimental or other non-amateur license. 
The  new guidelines bring IARU’s satellite coordination policies into line 
with  Resolution 659 at World Radiocommunication Conference 2015 (WRC-15). 
The  resolution noted that the use of 144-146 MHz and 435-438 MHz by 
non-amateur  satellites was not in accordance with the definition of the 
Amateur-Satellite  service in the Radio  Regulations. Resolution 659 made clear that 
the spectrum needs of what are  now called “non-geostationary satellites with 
short duration missions” should be  met either within the service in which 
the space station is operating, or within  the Space Operation Service. If 
new or upgraded allocations to the Space  Operation Service are needed, 
studies should be limited to the frequency ranges  150.05-174 MHz and 400.15-420 
MHz, IARU said. 
WRC-19  has been invited to consider steps to facilitate the deployment and 
operation of  nanosatellites and picosatellites. Such satellites generally 
must use spectrum  below 1 GHz for operational reasons. 
A  global federation of national associations of radio amateurs in more 
than 150  countries, IARU has provided complimentary frequency coordination 
services for  amateur satellites for many years. 



 
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