Extends FB-1200 with C/Ku/Ka band context, the geostationary arc visible from your location, and reference material on NGSO/GSO sharing and ITU coordination. FCC earth-station licensing (Part 25, filed in ICFS) is not yet loaded, so no earth stations are shown.
47 CFR Part 25
The umbrella rule set for FCC-licensed satellite earth stations, space stations, and earth-station operations in any FSS/MSS/BSS band. Subparts B (applications), C (technical), D (operating).
3.7–4.2 GHz down · 5.925–6.425 GHz up
Historically the workhorse of fixed-satellite service (FSS) — TV distribution, telephony backbones. After the 2020 C-band auction, the lower 3.7–4.0 GHz was repurposed for 5G; FSS now operates 4.0–4.2 GHz with hard interference protection.
11.7–12.7 GHz down · 14.0–14.5 GHz up
The standard satellite-TV / VSAT band. Higher capacity than C, smaller dishes (60–120 cm). Susceptible to rain fade. Widely used for broadcast contribution, enterprise VSAT, maritime/aero connectivity.
17.7–20.2 / 27.5–30.0 GHz
High-throughput satellite band. ViaSat, Hughes Jupiter, Starlink, OneWeb all leverage Ka. Spot-beam architectures allow GHz of capacity per beam. Rain fade is significant — link budgets account for ~10 dB margin.
37.5–42.5 / 47.2–50.2 GHz
Next-generation satellite band for feeder links into mega-constellations. Operators offload gateway traffic to Q/V to free Ka for user beams. ITU coordination is intense — atmospheric absorption matters.
47 CFR § 25.261
Non-geostationary (NGSO) systems must protect GSO operations from in-line interference events when their satellites cross the GSO arc as seen from a user terminal. Implemented via downtilt, exclusion arcs, or temporary band switches.
47 CFR Part 25 · L/S band
Personal satellite voice + data (Iridium, Globalstar, Inmarsat). Operates at 1.5–1.6 GHz (L) and 2.0–2.2 GHz (S). Co-primary with terrestrial in some sub-bands — see Iridium 1.6175 GHz coordination.
ITU Radio Regulations
Before launching/operating internationally, a satellite system must coordinate with all administrations whose systems could be affected. For US filings, the FCC coordinates Article 9 on the operator's behalf based on the licensed parameters.
Industry distinction
A gateway is a large, FCC-licensed earth station that feeds traffic into a satellite for distribution. A user terminal (VSAT, mobile, residential) is typically blanket-licensed under the parent satellite operator's authorization.
47 CFR § 25.120
Short-term temporary use (under 180 days) — disaster response, news contribution, special events — uses a Special Temporary Authority (STA). Many news-gathering and emergency-response earth stations operate under recurring STAs.