Zarya - Soviet, Russian and International Spaceflight

Full List of Frequencies

ISS Frequencies

Tracking ISS

Chinese Frequencies

Short Wave

US DoD Freqs

AFSATCOM

136-138 MHz

Coherent Pairs

S-band

Coherent Transmission Frequencies

For high precision orbit determination using radio signals, accuracy is improved by using a pair of frequencies linked by a simple ratio. The ratio is usually 8:3

Both the Soviet and US early navigation systems used linked frequencies near 150 MHz and 400 MHz. These were the "Nadezhda" and "Parus" systems on the Soviet side and the American "Transit" system. Today, the Nadezhda satellites are silent but Parus is still transmitting. Whether Parus is still used for navigation in these days of Glonass and GPS is a moot point. It may be that the satellites serve a different purpose where precise positional details are necessary.

Transit has been turned over to other purposes, coherent transmissions still emanate from the satellites but they are now used for ionospheric studies.

Some Chinese satellites transmit at coherent pairs of frequencies near 180 MHz and 480 MHz, in the 8:3 ratio.

Freq (MHz)

Satellite

Payload

Signal Type

Notes

149.910

Cosmos 2398

2003-23A
27818

Navigation (+ 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

2001-23A
26818

Navigation (+ 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 399.840 MHz

149.970

Cosmos 2389

2002-26A
27436

Navigation (+ 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

149.979

Oscar 29 (Transit)

1987-80B
18362

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

Oscar 31 (Transit)

1988-74B
19420

Ionospheric modelling for US military (NIMS)

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)

149.988

Oscar 23 (Transit)

1988-33A
19070

Ionospheric modelling for US military (NIMS)

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

Operational frequency

Coherent transmission at 399.968 MHz

Occasionally changes between this frequency and the maintenance one)

149.988

Oscar 25 (Transit)

1988-74A
19419

Ionospheric modelling for US military (NIMS)

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

Operational frequency

Coherent transmission at 399.968 MHz

Occasionally changes between this frequency and the maintenance one)

149.988

Oscar 27 (Transit)

1987-80A
18361

Ionospheric modelling for US military (NIMS)

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

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

Oscar 32 (Transit)

1988-33B
19071

Ionospheric modelling for US military (NIMS)

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

Operational frequency

Coherent transmission at 399.968 MHz

Occasionally changes between this frequency and the maintenance one)

150.000

Tsikada and Nadezhda

Navigation - plus Search and Rescue monitoring

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

Several satellites - the system is no longer operational, has been silent since 2003 November 26

Coherent transmission at 400.000 MHz

150.012

ARGOS

1999-8A
25634

USAF space experiments

CW - Doppler tracking beacon

Coherent transmission at 400.032 MHz

Ceased to transmit 2003

150.012

Geosat

1985-21A
15595

Oceanography - wave height measurement

CW - Doppler tracking beacon

Detected being switched on and off over Europe, not continuously active

Coherent transmission at 400.032 MHz

150.012

GFO

1998-7A
25157

Oceanography - wave height measurement

CW - Doppler tracking beacon

Geosat Follow On satellite

Coherent transmission at 400.032 MHz and also transmits at 2207.5 MHz

150.012

PicoSat 9

2001-43B
26930

USAF Space Test Program (STEP)

CW - Doppler tracking beacon

Coherent transmission at 400.032 MHz

Ceased to transmit late-2004

150.012

RADCAL

1993-41A
22698

Radar calibration

CW - Doppler tracking beacon

Radar Calibration satellite

Coherent transmission at 400.032 MHz, operation is intermittent

150.012

USA-147 (DMSP F-15)

1999-67A
25991

RADCAL secondary payload aboard US military metsat

CW - Doppler tracking beacon

Defense Meteorological Satellite Program

Also transmits at 2237.5 MHz and 2252.5 MHz (information contributed by the late Ivan Artner), 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

150.030

Cosmos 2361

1998-76A
25590

Navigation (+ comms?)

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

Coherent transmission at 400.080 MHz

150.300

Cosmos 2373

2000-58A

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

2005-34A
28841

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

CW - Doppler tracking beacon

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

179.951

Jiang Bing 3A (Zi-Yuan 2)

2000-50A
26481

Remote Sensing

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

Coherent transmission at 479.865 MHz

180.006

Fengyun 1C

1999-25A
25730

Meteorological imaging

CW carrier on centre frequency plus telemetry sidebands at +/- 5 kHz- and further carriers at +/- 10 kHz

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

Coherent transmission at 480.017 MHz

180.007

Fengyun 1D

2002-24A
27431

Meteorological Imaging

CW carrier on centre frequency plus telemetry sidebands at +/- 5 kHz- and further carriers at +/- 10 kHz

Coherent transmission at 480.017 MHz

180.011

CBERS 1 (Zi-Yuan 1)

1999-57A
25940

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

2007-42A
32062

Remote sensing

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

China Brazil Earth Resources Satellite

Coherent transmission at 480.033 MHz

180.014

CBERS 2A

2003-49A
28057

Remote sensing

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

China Brazil Earth Resources Satellite

Coherent transmission at 480.037 MHz

Ceased to transmit 2007

399.760

Cosmos 2341

1997-17A
24772

Navigation

CW - Doppler tracking beacon

Coherent transmission at 149.910 MHz

399.840

Cosmos 2366

1999-45A
25892

Navigation

CW - Doppler tracking beacon

Coherent transmission at 149.940 MHz

399.920

Cosmos 2336

1996-71A
24677

Navigation

CW - Doppler tracking beacon

Coherent transmission at 149.970 MHz

399.944

Oscar 29 (Transit)

1987-80B
18362

Ionospheric modelling for US military (NIMS)

Modulated CW carrier

Maintenance frequency

Coherent transmission at 149.979 MHz (known to change between this frequency and the operational one)

No longer transmitting as of 2008 Jan 1

399.944

Oscar 31 (Transit)

1988-74B
19420

Ionospheric modelling for US military (NIMS)

Modulated CW carrier

Maintenance frequency

Coherent transmission at 149.979 MHz (known to change 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)

399.968

Oscar 23 (Transit)

1988-33A
19070

Ionospheric modelling for US military (NIMS)

Modulated CW carrier

Operational frequency

Coherent transmission at 149.988 MHz (known to change between this frequency and the maintenance one)

399.968

Oscar 25 (Transit)

1988-74A
19419

Ionospheric modelling for US military (NIMS)

Modulated CW carrier

Operational frequency

Coherent transmission at 149.988 MHz (known to change between this frequency and the maintenance one)

399.968

Oscar 27 (Transit)

1987-80A
18361

Ionospheric modelling for US military (NIMS)

Modulated CW carrier

Operational frequency

Coherent transmission at 149.988 MHz (known to change between this frequency and the maintenance one)

No longer transmitting as of 2008 Feb 1

399.968

Oscar 32 (Transit)

1988-33B
19071

Ionospheric modelling for US military (NIMS)

Modulated CW carrier

Operational frequency

Coherent transmission at 149.988 MHz (known to change between this frequency and the maintenance one)

400.000

Tsikada and Nadezhda

Navigation - plus Search and Rescue monitoring

CW - Doppler tracking beacon

Coherent transmission at 150.000 MHz
no longer active (see 150 MHz note)

400.032

ARGOS

1999-8A
25634

USAF space experiments

CW - Doppler tracking beacon

Coherent transmission at 150.012 MHz

Ceased to transmit 2003

400.032

Geosat

1985-21A
15595

Oceanography - wave height measurement

CW - Doppler tracking beacon

Coherent transmission at 150.012 MHz

400.032

GFO

1998-7A
25157

Oceanography - wave height measurement

CW - Doppler tracking beacon

Geosat Follow On

Coherent transmission at 150.012 MHz and also transmits at 2207.5 MHz

400.032

PicoSat 9

2001-43B
26930

USAF Space Test Program (STEP)

CW - Doppler tracking beacon

Detected being switched on and off over Europe, not continuously active

Coherent transmission at 150.012 MHz

Ceased to transmit late-2004

400.032

RADCAL

1993-41A
22698

Radar calibration

CW - Doppler tracking beacon

Radar Calibration satellite

Coherent transmission at 150.012 MHz, operation is intermittent

400.032

USA-147 (DMSP F-15)

1999-67A
25991

RADCAL secondary payload aboard US military metsat

CW - Doppler tracking beacon

Defense Meteorological Satellite Program - also transmits at 2237.5 MHz (information contributed by the late Ivan Artner), and 150.012 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

400.080

Cosmos 2361

1998-76A
25590

Navigation

CW - Doppler tracking beacon

Non operational but still transmitting 2000 December 13

Coherent transmission at 150.030 MHz

400.080

Cosmos 2373

2000-58A

Navigation

CW - Doppler tracking beacon

Coherent transmission at 150.030 MHz

400.550

Resurs O1-4

1998-43A
25394

Remote sensing

CW Spread Spectrum

Signals from Little LEO ranging between 400.318 and 400.787 MHz

Piggy-back 'store and forward' communications payload carried by Russian satellite

Transmitter not heard since 2001 February

The meteorological payload transmitted at 137.85 MHz
no longer active

400.800

Cosmos 2373

2000-58A

'Yantar/Cometa' recoverable satellite - photographic mapping

CW - Doppler tracking beacon

Coherent transmission at 150.300 MHz

Cameras and film recovered after mission running between 2000 September 29 and 2000 November 14
no longer active

400.800

Cosmos 2415

2005-34A
28841

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

CW - Doppler tracking beacon

Coherent transmission at 150.300 MHz

Cameras and film recovered after mission running between 2005 September 2 and 2005 October 14?
no longer active

479.865

Jiang Bing 3A (Zi-Yuan 2)

2000-50A
26481

Remote sensing

CW - Doppler tracking beacon

Coherent transmission at at 179.951 MHz

480.017

Fengyun 1D

2002-24A
27431

Meteorological Imaging

CW - Doppler tracking beacon

Coherent transmission at 180.007 MHz

480.019

Fengyun 1C

1999-25A
25730

Remote sensing

CW - Doppler tracking beacon

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

Coherent transmission at 180.007 MHz

480.025

CBERS 1 (Zi-Yuan 1)

1999-57A
25940

Remote sensing

CW - Doppler tracking beacon

China Brasil Earth Resources Satellite

Coherent transmission at 180.011 MHz - silent since mid-2003

480.033

CBERS 2B

2007-42A
32063

Remote sensing

CW - Doppler tracking beacon

China Brazil Earth Resources Satellite

Coherent transmission at 180.013 MHz

480.037

CBERS 2A

2003-49A
28057

Remote sensing

CW - Doppler tracking beacon

China Brazil Earth Resources Satellite

Coherent transmission at 180.014 MHz

Copyright Robert Christy