K band (IEEE)

The IEEE K-band is a portion of the radio spectrum in the microwave range of frequencies from 18 to 27-Gigahertz (GHz). The range of frequencies in the center of the K-band between 18- and 26.5-GHz is absorbed by water vapor in the atmosphere due to its resonance peak at 22.24-GHz, 1.35 cm (0.53 in). Therefore these frequencies experience high atmospheric attenuation and cannot be used for long distance applications. For this reason the original K-band has been split into three bands, Ka-band, K-band, and Ku-band as detailed below.

The K stands for Kurz which stems from the German word for short.

Subdivisions

Because of the water vapor absorption peak in the center of the band,^[1] the IEEE K-band is conventionally divided into three sub-bands:

• Ku-band: K-under band, 12–18-GHz, mainly used for satellite communications, direct-broadcast satellite television, terrestrial microwave communications, and radar, especially police traffic-speed detectors.

• K-band 18–27-GHz: Due to the 22-GHz water vapor absorption line this band has high atmospheric attenuation and is only useful for short range applications.

• Ka-band: K-above band, 26.5–40-GHz, mainly used for satellite communications, radar and experimental communications. NASA's Kepler spacecraft is the first NASA mission to use Ka-band NASA Deep Space Network (NASA DSN) communications.^[2]

Amateur radio

The Radio Regulations of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) allow amateur radio and amateur satellite operations in the frequency range 24.000-GHz to 24.250-GHz, which is known as the 1.2-centimeter band. It is also referred to as the K-band by AMSAT.

See also

• K band (infrared)
• K band (NATO)
• K band (Radar Codes)

References

This page was last edited on 22 September 2023, at 21:13