Radio interference prevention for satellite reception at Ny-Ålesund

A 20 km radius around Ny-Ålesund is defined as a radio silent area and the frequency range between 2 and 32 GHz joins special protection by the Norwegian telecommunication authority NKOM. In addition it is mandatory not to disturb other research activities at Ny-Ålesund.

The operation of equipment with disturbing radio signals may be denied or stopped onsite at any time, despite of permissions from NKOM.

The reception of satellites at the satellite receiving station Ny-Ålesund (operated since 2001) can be disturbed by local radio signals in the range between 2 and 2.5 GHz and 7.9 to 8.4 GHz. The following rules are considered by GFZ (German Research Centre for Geosciences, operator of local satellite receiving station) to be sufficient for the prevention of disturbances.

1. Coordination with GFZ for transmitter operations between 2 and 2.5 GHz (including 2.4 GHz WIFI / WLAN etc.) and 7.9 to 8.4 GHz if the transmitter power is greater than 100 mW (20 dBm) and / or if the distance to the satellite receiving station is less than 1 km (see map below).
   


2. Do not transmit in the 2.4 GHz band (WIFI / WLAN etc.) in the short time intervals with satellite reception in the 2.4 GHz band, as listed in the table below (times given in UTC). The time table is updated once per week, usually on Thursday, for the following week).

Actual “no 2.4 GHz transmissions” time table (UTC time):