Spectrum management and the EVN

TL;DR

The paper discusses the increasing challenges of spectrum management for radio astronomy due to the proliferation of digital telecommunications and satellite constellations, highlighting CRAF's efforts to advocate for astronomers' spectrum rights.

Contribution

It summarizes CRAF's recent activities and regulatory efforts specifically related to EVN operations and spectrum compatibility calculations.

Findings

Spectrum use by telecoms and satellites is severely impacting radio astronomy.

CRAF actively participates in regulatory processes to protect astronomers' spectrum rights.

Recent activities focus on spectrum compatibility and advocacy for EVN.

Abstract

In recent years, the utilisation of the radio spectrum has dramatically increased. Digital telecommunication applications, be it terrestrial cell-phone networks or new-space low-earth orbit satellite constellations, have not only acquired unprecedented amounts of spectrum but also use their frequencies everywhere on Earth. The consequences for radio astronomy and other scientific radio services are severe. A single cell-phone tower within hundreds of kilometers around a radio telescope can blind us and there is no place on Earth to escape the ubiquitous transmissions of satellite megaconstellations. Since 1988, the Committee on Radio Astronomy Frequencies (CRAF) is advocating for astronomers' rights to use the spectrum. CRAF does this by participation in the national and international regulatory frameworks. Hundreds if not thousands of documents need to be processed every year. CRAF not only contributes to regulatory texts, but even more importantly, performs spectrum compatibility calculations. In this contribution, CRAF's latest activities are summarized with a focus on matters relevant to EVN operations.