Radar Wind Profiler Frequency Spectrum Review and Concerns

Radar wind profilers (RWPs) have operated throughout the world in support of atmospheric research and 24/7 operational applications since the mid-1980’s. Due to atmospheric physics, RWPs use different transmitting frequencies depending on the maximum desired height, with the required spectrum bandwidth being determined mainly by the desired vertical range resolution. In the U.S., for most cases, frequency spectrum use has been granted as experimental non-interference frequency licenses, with the only notable exception of 449 MHz for the NOAA Profiler Network. This paper will review RWP transmit frequency requirements, the history of RWP frequency spectrum allocation, and concerns for frequency spectrum allocation for RWPs impacting current and future use of these systems.