U.S. Code of Federal Regulations
Regulations most recently checked for updates: Jan 17, 2025
(a) Applicability. This section applies to applications for fixed and temporary-fixed FSS earth stations transmitting to geostationary space stations in the conventional C-band, extended C-band, conventional Ku-band, extended Ku-band, conventional Ka-band, extended Ka-band, or 24.75-25.25 GHz, and applications for ESIMs transmitting in the conventional C-band, conventional Ku-band, conventional Ka-band, except for applications proposing transmission of analog command signals at a band edge with bandwidths greater than 1 MHz or transmission of any other type of analog signal with bandwidths greater than 200 kHz.
(b) Routine processing. Earth station applications subject to this section may be routinely processed if they meet the applicable off-axis EIRP density envelopes set forth in this section.
(c) Analog earth station operation in the conventional or extended C-bands. (1) For co-polarized transmissions in the plane tangent to the GSO arc, as defined in § 25.103:
29.5-25log | dBW/4 kHz | for 1.5° ≤ θ ≤ 7°. |
8.5 | dBW/4 kHz | for 7° < θ ≤ 9.2°. |
32.5-25log | dBW/4 kHz | for 9.2° < θ ≤ 48°. |
−9.5 | dBW/4 kHz | for 48° < θ ≤ 180°. |
(2) For co-polarized transmissions in the plane perpendicular to the GSO arc, as defined in § 25.103:
32.5-25log | dBW/4 kHz | for 3° ≤ θ ≤ 48°. |
−9.5 | dBW/4 kHz | for 48° < θ ≤ 180°. |
(3) For cross-polarized transmissions in the plane tangent to the GSO arc and in the plane perpendicular to the GSO arc:
19.5-25log | dBW/4 kHz | for 1.5° ≤ θ ≤ 7°. |
(d) Digital earth station operation in the conventional or extended C-bands. (1) For co-polarized transmissions in the plane tangent to the GSO arc:
26.3-25log | dBW/4 kHz | for 1.5° ≤ θ ≤ 7°. |
5.3 | dBW/4 kHz | for 7° < θ ≤ 9.2°. |
29.3-25log | dBW/4 kHz | for 9.2° < θ ≤ 48°. |
−12.7 | dBW/4 kHz | for 48° < θ ≤ 180°. |
(2) For co-polarized transmissions in the plane perpendicular to the GSO arc:
29.3-25log | dBW/4 kHz | for 3° ≤ θ ≤ 48°. |
−12.7 | dBW/4 kHz | for 48° < θ ≤ 180°. |
(3) For cross-polarized transmissions in the plane tangent to the GSO arc and in the plane perpendicular to the GSO arc:
16.3-25log | dBW/4 kHz | for 1.5° ≤ θ ≤ 7°. |
(4) A license application for earth station operation in a network using variable power density control of earth stations transmitting simultaneously in shared frequencies to the same target satellite receiving beam may be routinely processed if the applicant certifies that the aggregate off-axis EIRP density from all co-frequency earth stations transmitting simultaneously to the same target satellite receiving beam, not resulting from colliding data bursts transmitted pursuant to a contention protocol, will not exceed the off-axis EIRP density limits permissible for a single earth station, as specified in paragraphs (d)(1) through (d)(3) of this section.
(e) Analog earth station operation in the conventional Ku-band. (1) For co-polarized transmissions in the plane tangent to the GSO arc:
21-25log | dBW/4 kHz | for 1.5° ≤ θ ≤ 7°. |
0 | dBW/4 kHz | for 7° < θ ≤ 9.2°. |
24-25log | dBW/4 kHz | for 9.2° < θ ≤ 19.1°. |
−8 | dBW/4 kHz | for 19.1° < θ ≤ 180°. |
(2) For co-polarized transmissions in the plane perpendicular to the GSO arc:
24-25log | dBW/4 kHz | for 3° ≤ θ ≤ 19.1°. |
−8 | dBW/4 kHz | for 19.1° < θ ≤ 180°. |
(3) For cross-polarized transmissions in the plane tangent to the GSO arc and in the plane perpendicular to the GSO arc:
11-25log | dBW/4 kHz | for 1.5° ≤ θ ≤ 7°. |
(f) Digital earth station operation in the conventional Ku-band. (1) For co-polarized transmissions in the plane tangent to the GSO arc:
15-25log | dBW/4 kHz | for 1.5° ≤ θ ≤ 7°. |
−6 | dBW/4 kHz | for 7° < θ ≤ 9.2°. |
18-25log | dBW/4 kHz | for 9.2° < θ ≤ 19.1°. |
−14 | dBW/4 kHz | for 19.1° < θ ≤ 180°. |
(2) For co-polarized transmissions in the plane perpendicular to the GSO arc:
18-25log | dBW/4 kHz | for 3° ≤ θ ≤ 19.1°. |
−14 | dBW/4 kHz | for 19.1° < θ ≤ 180°. |
(3) For cross-polarized transmissions in the plane tangent to the GSO arc and in the plane perpendicular to the GSO arc:
5-25log | dBW/4 kHz | for 1.5° ≤ θ ≤ 7°. |
(4) A license application for earth station operation in a network using variable power density control of earth stations transmitting simultaneously in shared frequencies to the same target satellite receiving beam may be routinely processed if the applicant certifies that the aggregate off-axis EIRP density from all co-frequency earth stations transmitting simultaneously to the same target satellite receiving beam, not resulting from colliding data bursts transmitted pursuant to a contention protocol, will not exceed the off-axis EIRP density limits permissible for a single earth station, as specified in paragraphs (f)(1) through -(f)(3) of this section.
(g) Analog earth station operation in the extended Ku-band. (1) For co-polarized transmissions in the plane tangent to the GSO arc:
21-25log | dBW/4 kHz | for 1.5° ≤ θ ≤ 7°. |
0 | dBW/4 kHz | for 7° < θ ≤ 9.2°. |
24-25log | dBW/4 kHz | for 9.2° < θ ≤ 48°. |
−18 | dBW/4 kHz | for 48° < θ ≤ 180°. |
(2) For co-polarized transmissions in the plane perpendicular to the GSO arc:
24-25log | dBW/4 kHz | for 3° ≤ θ ≤ 48°. |
−18 | dBW/4 kHz | for 48° < θ ≤ 180°. |
(3) For cross-polarized transmissions in the plane tangent to the GSO arc and in the plane perpendicular to the GSO arc:
11-25log | dBW/4 kHz | for 1.5° ≤ θ ≤ 7°. |
(h) Digital earth station operation in the extended Ku-band. (1) For co-polarized transmissions in the plane tangent to the GSO arc:
15-25log | dBW/4 kHz | for 1.5° ≤ θ ≤ 7°. |
−6 | dBW/4 kHz | for 7° < θ ≤ 9.2°. |
18-25log | dBW/4 kHz | for 9.2° < θ ≤ 48°. |
−24 | dBW/4 kHz | for 48° < θ ≤ 180°. |
(2) For co-polarized transmissions in the plane perpendicular to the GSO arc:
18-25log | dBW/4 kHz | for 3° ≤ θ ≤ 48°. |
−24 | dBW/4 kHz | for 48° < θ ≤ 85°. |
(3) For cross-polarized transmissions in the plane tangent to the GSO arc and in the plane perpendicular to the GSO arc:
5-25log | dBW/4 kHz | for 1.5° ≤ θ ≤ 7°. |
(4) A license application for earth station operation in a network using variable power density control of earth stations transmitting simultaneously in shared frequencies to the same target satellite receiving beam may be routinely processed if the applicant certifies that the aggregate off-axis EIRP density from all co-frequency earth stations transmitting simultaneously to the same target satellite receiving beam, not resulting from colliding data bursts transmitted pursuant to a contention protocol, will not exceed the off-axis EIRP density limits permissible for a single earth station, as specified in paragraphs (h)(1) through (h)(3) of this section.
(i) Digital earth station operation in the conventional or extended Ka-band. (1) For co-polarized transmissions in the plane tangent to the GSO arc:
32.5-25log(θ) | dBW/MHz | for | 2.0° ≤ θ ≤ 7°. |
11.5 | dBW/MHz | for | 7° ≤ θ ≤ 9.2°. |
35.5-25log(θ) | dBW/MHz | for | 9.2° ≤ θ ≤ 19.1°. |
3.5 | dBW/MHz | for | 19.1° < θ ≤ 180°. |
(2) For co-polarized transmissions in the plane perpendicular to the GSO arc:
35.5-25log(θ) | dBW/MHz | for | 3.5° ≤ θ ≤ 7°. |
14.4 | dBW/MHz | for | 7° < θ ≤ 9.2°. |
38.5-25log(θ) | dBW/MHz | for | 9.2° < θ ≤ 19.1°. |
6.5 | dBW/MHz | for | 19.1° < θ ≤ 180°. |
(3) The EIRP density levels specified in paragraphs (i)(1) and (2) of this section may be exceeded by up to 3 dB, for values of θ > 7°, over 10% of the range of theta (θ) angles from 7-180° on each side of the line from the earth station to the target satellite.
(4) For cross-polarized transmissions in the plane tangent to the GSO arc and in the plane perpendicular to the GSO arc:
22.5-25log(θ) | dBW/MHz | for | 2.0° < θ ≤ 7.0°. |
(5) A license application for earth station operation in a network using variable power density control of earth stations transmitting simultaneously in shared frequencies to the same target satellite receiving beam may be routinely processed if the applicant certifies that the aggregate off-axis EIRP density from all co-frequency earth stations transmitting simultaneously to the same target satellite receiving beam, not resulting from colliding data bursts transmitted pursuant to a contention protocol, will not exceed the off-axis EIRP density limits permissible for a single earth station, as specified in paragraphs (i)(1) through (4) of this section.
(j) Non-qualifying applications. Applications for authority for fixed earth station operation in the conventional C-band, extended C-band, conventional Ku-band, extended Ku-band, conventional Ka-band, extended Ka-band, or 24.75-25.25 GHz, that do not qualify for routine processing under relevant criteria in this section, § 25.211, or § 25.212 are subject to the requirements in § 25.220.