sat fq. list1

Frequency listsSatellite and Spacecraft Radio Transmission Frequencies

If you are interested in tracking satellites by radio, this frequency list should prove useful. It includes satellites and spacecraft tracked from the Zarya home location, with additional tracking information from other observers that is credited appropriately. Some of the frequencies have been used by past satellites but generally only transmissions logged since the year 2000 are listed here. An exception is the listing of some historic frequencies.

Specifically excluded from being listed are amateur radio satellites (eg Amsat OSCAR satellites and the Soviet/Russian 'Radio' series), and the US military satellite (milsat) point-to-point communications transponders, aboard certain geosynchronous satellites, that can be found near 250 MHz. Information on these can be found on amateur radio web sites and more-general military radio sites.

Where a satellite name is shown as "Object xxxx", it refers to the pseudo calalogue number listed in Mike McCants's "classified.tle" file. The incidence of these is becoming less as more satellites are becoming identified through radio and optical tracking.

In the menu on the left are some selective versions of the list for satellites in particular categories. There is also a list covering the now-defunct HF frequencies from earlier times in the space age. HF frequencies do not appear in the main table below.

Zarya is located at Lincoln, UK: 53°.2233 North, 0°.6004 West.

Freq (MHz)

Satellite Payload Signal Type Notes

121.750

Progress M-42(Progress 7K-TGM No 242)

1999-038A25858

Mir/ISS Logistics

Ranging pulses

Used by TORU remote control docking system as the return signal path to ISS (see also 130.167 MHz for the ISS transmission) - Also transmits at 166 MHz and 922.763 MHz

121.750

Progress M1-2(Progress M1 No252)

2000-021A26301

Mir/ISS Logistics

Ranging pulses

Used by TORU remote control docking system as the return signal path to ISS (see also 130.167 MHz for the ISS transmission) - Also transmits at 166 MHz and 922.763 MHz

121.750Soyuz TMA-1 ISS Crew Medium Frequency used

(Soyuz 11F732 No211)

2002-050A27552

transportbandwidth FM voice

during on-orbit operations to and from the Space Station, and reportedly used for recovery beacon during landing module descent - Also transmits at 166 MHz and 922.763 MHz

130.167

ISS(International Space Station)

1998-067A25544

Space StationMedium bandwidth FM voice

VHF-2 channel used as an alternative to VHF-1 (143.625 MHz) during Shuttle/ISS on-orbit operations

130.167


1998-067A25544

Space Station Ranging pulses

Used by TORU remote control docking system, usually tested 1-2 days before a Progress docking is due, the Progress return path is at 121.750 MHz

136.235

Tiros 10

1965-051A1430

MeteorologyAM - 1.3 kHz tone

Payload now inactive, radio transmission is not continuous - (information contributed by Michael D Kenny)

136.260

ERS 20(OV5-3)

1967-040D2768

USAF test satellite

AM - tone (unstable)

High orbit, visible for long periods of time - (information contributed by Michael D Kenny)

136.410

Isis 1

1969-009A3669

Ionosphere studies

CW(information contributed by Michael D Kenny)

136.440ERS 15(NORAD lists as Secor 7)

1966-077C2412

Military satellite

AM with 1.3 kHz tone

Incorrectly catalogued by NORAD as SECOR 7 - (information contributed by

Michael D Kenny)

136.500

Nimbus 4(Nimbus D)

1970-025A4362

Meteorology (including imaging)

CW - sometimes modulated

Payload no longer operational - (information contributed by Michael D Kenny)

136.650

NNS O-2(Oscar O-2)

1964-083D965

NavigationCW Carrier plus telemetry tones

Second operational TRANSIT navsat, navigation system failed soon after launch but transmitter is still active (information contributed by Michael D Kenny)

136.695

Shinsei(MS-F2)

1971-080A5485

Japanese scientific satellite

CW

Continuous transmission - (information contributed by Michael D Kenny)

136.770

NOAA 9(NOAA F)

1984-123A15427

Formerly meteorological imaging

CW

Telemetry frequency, transmission is intermittent - (information contributed by Michael D Kenny) - Also has a transmission at 137.500 MHz

136.800

Solrad 7B(SR 7B)

1965-016D1291

Solar radiation studies (launched 1969)

AM IRIG telemetry channels

Continuous transmission - (information contributed by Michael D Kenny)

137.080

OPS 7898-2(NOSS B1?)

1971-110C5680

US military satellite


137.100

NOAA 18(NOAA N)

2005-018A28654

Meteorological imaging

APT at 4 lines per second - interlaced visible light and infrared images

Revised frequency as of 2006 Jan 4, changed from 137.9125 MHz

137.142Eutelsat I F4 Defunct CW Regular, intermittent

(ECS 4)

1987-078B18351

comsat

signal possibly due to vehicle rotation causing periodic flow of power from solar panels

137.200OrbcommMobile telephony

Digitised telephone traffic

One of several frequencies,individual satellites switch between them - Also transmits at 400.100 MHz







137.300Russian ImagingMeteorological imaging

APT at 2 lines per second

Frequency not currently active

137.350

NOAA 15(NOAA K)

1998-030A25338


CW Doppler Beacon and telemetry

Continuous transmission -(information contributed by Michael D Kenny) - Also transmits at 137.500 MHz

137.350

NOAA 16(NOAA L)

2000-055A26536



Continuous transmission -(information contributed by Michael D Kenny) - Also transmits at 137.500 MHz

137.350Compass 2

2006-019A29157

Russian scientific satellite studying possible ways of predicting earthquakes -

CW/AM After launch on 2006 May 26 - bursts of CW tone one to ten seconds duration in groups with peaks at central frequency and +/- 64 kHz - As of

not operating properly

2006 Nov 16 - data transmission at 64 kHz side bands only

137.380

OPS 7613-1(NRL PL176)

1969-082B4256

Navigation technology

Mixed modulation (PAM/FM/AM)

(information contributed by Michael D Kenny)




137.410

OPS 7613-6(NOSS A1?)

1969-082E4237

USAF test satellite




One of several frequencies, individual satellites switch between them - Also transmits at 400.100 MHz



One of several frequencies, individual satellites switch between them - Also transmits at 400.100 MHz

137.500

Tiros-N

1978-096A11060


CW - carrier only

Inactive satellite but reportedly transmitting

137.500

NOAA 6(NOAA A)

1979-057A11416


CW - carrier only

Inactive satellite but reportedly transmitting

137.500NOAA 9(NOAA F)

1984-123A15427


Tone for 6 seconds out of every 25 seconds (periods vary - these are averages)

Non-operational satellite but transmitter still had power long after the payload was switched off - Timings shown are as of 2001 January 6 - Probably no longer transmitting

at this frequency - Also has a transmission at 136.770 MHz

137.500

NOAA 12(NOAA D)

1991-032A21263



Switched off occasionally when transmissions conflict with those from NOAA 15 - Also transmits at 137.770 MHz - De-commissioned 2007 Aug 10

137.500

NOAA 15(NOAA K)

1998-030A25338



Switched off occasionally when transmissions conflict with those from NOAA 12 - Also transmits at 137.350 MHz

137.625

NOAA 14(NOAA 14)

1994-089A23455



Switched off occasionally when transmissions conflict with those from NOAA 17 - Also transmits at 137.770 MHz - Decommissioned 2007 May 23

137.625

NOAA 17(NOAA M)

2002-032A27453



Switched off occasionally when transmissions conflict with those from NOAA 14



One of several frequencies - individual satellites switch between them - Also transmits at 400.100 MHz










137.770

NOAA 11(NOAA H)

1988-089A19531



Continuous transmission when operational - (information contributed by Michael D Kenny) - De-commissioned 2004 June 16

137.770

NOAA 12(NOAA D)

1991-032A21263



Also transmitted at 137.500 MHz - De-commissioned 2007 Aug 10

137.770

NOAA 14(NOAA 14)

1994-089A23455



Also transmits at 137.625 MHz - Decommissioned 2007 May 23

137.770

NOAA 17(NOAA M)

2002-032A27453



Also transmits at 137.625 MHz







137.913NOAA 18(NOAA N)


APT at 4 lines per second -

Frequency probably not active - changed

2005-018A28654

interlaced visible light and infrared images

to 137.100 MHz (2006 Jan 4?)

143.625


1998-067A25544

Space StationMedium bandwidth FM voice

VHF-1 channel, also used to relay Mission Control to the Shuttle - used as part of the ISS Early Communications System over the USA working with the Wallops Facility and White Sands, detected carrying packet data transmissions during Expedition 1

145.800


1998-067A25544

Space StationAmateur Radio downlink frequency

Amateur radio downlink - see NASA's ARISS Page

145.825


1998-067A25544

Space StationAmateur Radio downlink frequency

Amateur radio downlink - see NASA's ARISS Page

145.990

Suitsat(Orlan-M No14)

2005-035C28933

Amateur radio experiment - life expired Orlan spacesuit equipped with a radio transmitter and released from ISS during a crew EVA

NFM - extremely weak

Voice recording + SSTV image - the low power was due to a failed amplifier - Released from ISS 2006 Feb 3 and battery exhausted 2006 Feb 18

149.910Cosmos 2341(Parus)

1997-017A24772

Comms FM time and position information - sidebands at 3 kHz, 5 kHz and 7 kHz

Transmission contains an almanac for all active satellites in the constellation - Use for navigation has probably ceased but is still supporting whatever other system requires reasonably precise

positional information for the satellites - Coherent transmission at 399.920 MHz

149.910

Cosmos 2398(Parus)

2003-023A27818

Comms

FM time and position information - sidebands at 3 kHz, 5 kHz and 7 kHz

Transmission contains an almanac for all active satellites in the constellation - Use for navigation has probably ceased but is still supporting whatever other system requires reasonably precise positional information for the satellites - Coherent transmission at 399.760 MHz

149.940

Cosmos 2378(Parus)

2001-023A26818

Comms




2009-039A35635


Transmission contains an almanac for all active satellites in the constellation - Use for navigation has probably ceased but is still supporting whatever other system requires reasonably precise positional information

for the satellites - Coherent transmission at 399.840 MHz

149.940

Cosmos 2463(Parus)

2010-010A36519

Comms



149.970

Cosmos 2336(Parus)

1996-071A24677

Comms




2002-026A27436


Transmission contains an almanac for all active satellites in the constellation - Use for navigation has probably ceased but is still supporting whatever other system requires reasonably precise positional information for the satellites -

Coherent transmission at 399.920 MHz

149.979

Oscar 29(Transit/NIMS)

1987-080B18362

Ionospheric modelling for US military (NIMS)

Modulated CW carrier

Maintenance frequency - Coherent transmission at 399.944 MHz (has been heard to transmit tones similar to the other OSCAR satellite but 2003 December 28 - this frequency was occupied by a modulated 'buzzing' signal - No longer transmitting as of 2008 Feb 1

149.979


1988-074B19420


FM telemetry (tones) +/- 2.4 kHz from carrier

Maintenance frequency - Coherent transmission at 399.944 MHz - Occasionally changes between this frequency and the operational one - Sometime between 2007 Dec 21 and 2008 Feb 7, the normal transmissions at both frequencies were replaced with a highly unstable CW carrier (wandering frequency + variations in strength)

149.988Oscar 27(Transit/NIMS)

1987-080A18361



Operational frequency - Coherent transmission at 399.968 MHz - Occasionally changes between this frequency and the maintenance one) - No longer transmitting as of

2008 Jan 1

149.988


1988-033A19070



Operational frequency - Coherent transmission at 399.968 MHz - Occasionally changes between this frequency and the maintenance one)

149.988


1988-033B19071




149.988


1988-074A19419




150.000Nadezhda

Navigation - plus Search and Rescue monitoring


Several satellites - the system is no longer operational, has been silent since 2003 November 26 - Coherent transmission at 400.000 MHz

150.000Tsikada

Navigation - plus Search and Rescue monitoring


Several satellites - the system is no longer operational, has been silent since 2003 November 26 - Coherent transmission at 400.000 MHz

150.012Unknown Not known'Wandering' CW

Satellite in GEO, possibly graveyard orbit, also transmits 400.032 MHz

150.012Geosat Oceanography CW - Doppler Detected being

1985-021A15595

- wave height measurement

tracking beacon

switched on and off over Europe, not continuously active. Sometime around 2007, transmissions ceased to be detected but Geosat was subsequently determined to be transmitting continuously while in sunlight. Coherent transmission at 400.032 MHz

150.012

RADCAL(STEP P92-1)

1993-041A22698

Radar calibration

CW - Doppler tracking beacon

Radar Calibration satellite - Coherent transmission at 400.032 MHz, operation is intermittent

150.012

GFO

1998-007A25157

Oceanography - wave height measurement


Geosat Follow On satellite - Coherent transmission at 400.032 MHz and also transmitted at 2207.5 MHz. Ceased to transmit 2208 November.

150.012

ARGOS(STEP P91-1)

1999-008A25634

USAF space experiments


Coherent transmission at 400.032 MHz - Ceased to transmit 2003

150.012USA 147(DMSP F-15)

1999-067A25991

RADCAL secondary payload aboard US military metsat


Defense Meteorological Satellite Program - Also transmits at 2237.5 MHz and 2252.5 MHz, and 400.032 MHz - Post-launch testing revealed interference with other equipment from the 150/400 MHz transmitters so they remained

inactive (apart from further testing) until 2006 Aug 14

150.012

Picosat 9(STEP P97-1)

2001-043B26930

USAF Space Test Program (STEP)


Coherent transmission at 400.032 MHz - Ceased to transmit late-2004

150.012

Formosat 3A(Cosmic FM-6)

2006-011A29047

Atmospheric studies using CW beacons at coherent frequencies

CW

Switched on when observation required, European observations usuall 08:00-17:00 UTC Mon-Fri, also transmits 400.032 MHz and 1066.752 MHz

150.012

Formosat 3B(Cosmic FM-1)

2006-011B29048


CW


150.012

Formosat 3C(Cosmic FM-5)

2006-011C29049


CW

Switched on when observation required, European observations usuall 08:00-17:00 UTC Mon-Fri, also transmits 400.032MHz and 1066.752 MHz

150.012

Formosat 3D(Cosmic FM-3)

2006-011D29050


CW


150.012Formosat 3E(Cosmic FM-4)

Atmospheric studies using

CW Switched on when observation required,

2006-011E29051

CW beacons at coherent frequencies

European observations usuall 08:00-17:00 UTC Mon-Fri, also transmits 400.032 MHz and 1066.752 MHz

150.012

Formosat 3F(Cosmic FM-2)

2006-011F29052


CW


150.030

Cosmos 2361(Parus)

1998-076A25590

Navigation (+ comms?)



150.300

Cosmos 2373(Yantar-1KFT11Ф660 №20, Kometa)

2000-058A26552

Yantar/Cometa' recoverable satellite - photographic mapping

AM telemetry - wide bandwidth

Coherent transmission at 400.800 MHz - Cameras and film recovered after mission running between 2000 September 29 and 2000 November 14 - no longer in orbit

150.300

Cosmos 2415(Yantar-1KFT11Ф660 №21, Kometa)

2005-034A28841

Yantar/Cometa' recoverable satellite - wide-area photographic reconnaissance


Coherent transmission at 400.800 MHz - Cameras and film recovered after mission mission running between 2005 September 2 and 2005 October 14 - transmissions heard over the USA - no longer in orbit

166.000Progress M-42(Progress 7K-TGM No 242)

Mir/ISS Logistics

FM telemetry - sidebands at +/-

Transmits during on-orbit operations to

1999-038A25858

128 kHz

and from the ISS, and while docked with the space station - The transmission sounds as a loud buzz with sharp peaks at the sideband frequencies - Also transmits at 922.763 MHz

166.000

Progress M1-2(Progress M1 No252)

2000-021A26301

Mir/ISS Logistics

FM telemetry - sidebands at +/- 128 kHz

Transmits during on-orbit operations to and from the ISS, and while docked with the space station - The transmission sounds as a loud buzz with sharp peaks at the sideband frequencies - Also transmits at 922.763 MHz

166.000

Soyuz TMA-1(Soyuz 11F732 No211)

2002-050A27552

ISS Crew transport

FM telemetry - sidebands at +/- 128 kHz

Transmits during on-orbit operations to and from the ISS, and while docked with the space station - The transmission sounds as a loud buzz with sharp peaks at the sideband frequencies - Also transmits at 121.750 MHz and 922.763 MHz

179.951

Zi Yuan 2(Jiang Bing 3A)

2000-050A26481

Remote Sensing

CW carrier on centre frequency plus telemetry sidebands at +/- 20 kHz- and further carriers at +/- 40 kHz


180.006Fengyun 1C

1999-025A25730


CW carrier on centre frequency plus telemetry sidebands at +/- 5 kHz- and

Active transmitter until 2007 February when attacked in ground-based interceptor test - Coherent

further carriers at +/- 10 kHz

transmission at 480.017 MHz

180.007

Fengyun 1D

2002-024B27431

Meteorological Imaging



180.011

CBERS 1

1999-057A25940

Remote sensing

CW carrier on centre frequency plus telemetry sidebands at +/- 20 kHz - and further carriers at +/- 40 kHz

China Brasil Earth Resources Satellite - Coherent transmission at 480.025 MHz - Silent since mid 2003, the last public report being 2003 Jun 6 by Maik Hermenau of www.satellitenwelt.de

180.013

CBERS 2B

2007-042A32062

Remote sensing


China Brazil Earth Resources Satellite - Coherent transmission at 480.033 MHz, also transmits 2204.400 MHz and 2267.500 MHz

180.014

CBERS 2

2003-049A28057

Remote sensing


China Brazil Earth Resources Satellite - Coherent transmission at 480.037 MHz, also transmits 2204.400 MHz and 2267.500 MHz, ceased to transmit 2007

243.695USA 125(SDS-2 F4)

1996-038A23945

Military quick reaction comms

CW - RTTY-style data

AFSATCOM Channel 1 transmission - 2005-2007, USA-137 and USA-125 were providing alternating coverage of the northern hemisphere from HEO - Second

transmission frequency at 2242.50 MHz - 2007 Oct 15, USA-125 ceased to transmit AFSATCOM

sat fq. list1

Documents