Ka band is strictly speaking K band ....

[Vipersan]

It is interesting that what we refer to as Ka band ...which we further subdivide into 4 separate bands A B C & D ...are in actual fact K band ...
and that Ka Band is actually 27ghz to 40ghz..

K being Kurtz ..
A reference to the German word for 'Short' ...which has the area of electromagnetic spectrum first used for effective search radar scans ..
Sadly for them and great for us I suppose this area of spectrum proved ineffective due to what we know as rain fade ..which made the radar practically useless in rain or thick mist/fog conditions.
Thus the radar system was moved down frequency 12 > 18 ghz ..
This was known as UNDER Kurtz ....or Ku
we know that ku extends at least in satellite terms from 10700 > 12750 but strictly speaking only the top end is Ku ...and the lower end was originally classed as X band..
So 27ghz to 40ghz is actually Ka ...or in other words ABOVE Kurtz..
Now then ...there is a massive gap in modern satellite downlink frequencies 12.750ghz to 18ghz ...
...and it got me wondering what is 'inside' this gap ..
Is it all perhaps used for uplink frequencies ??
Is it perhaps used by military or scientific institutions ??
Or is it simply not used extensively because of propagation issues ??
Anyone fancy having a stab at this question.
rgds
VS

 

[Analoguesat]

Uplinks are often ~3GHz above the downlink frequency, so the 13/14GHz range

 

[hvdh]

Indeed much uplinking and radiolocation between 13 and 17 GHz.
I think so far, you must have lived without the ITU Radio Regulations.
Send me a PM, the pdf is too big to attach here. And probably ITU won't like it online elsewhere, although the 2012 issue is free of charge upon request.

 

[Terryl]

I find this for the US, it has a very colorful photo of the RF spectrum up to 300 GHz.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frequency_allocation

 

[Miika]

... the ITU Radio Regulations ... the 2012 issue is free of charge upon request.

You mean that - http://www.itu.int/dms_pub/itu-s/oth/02/02/S02020000244501PDFE.pdf ?

 

[hvdh]

Yes, that is the first Volume of the Radio Regulations, that has the Frequency Allocations table.
Vol.I: "Articles"
Vol.II: "Appendices"
Vol.III: "Resolutions & Recommendations"
Vol.IV: "ITU-R Recommendations incorporated by reference"
Lots of technical papers for a rainy day!

 

[hvdh]

For the few interested:
Since today, Radio Regulations 2016 is available online at ITU, again free of charge.
One needs to register first, though. Got it by modifying a previous download link.

 

[Channel Hopper]

From, memory our lovely UK government of 2005-9 sold the bands from 13 - 18 GHz to the mobile networks and the money accrued simply vapourised.

I'll try to find a link (though I may be gone some time)

 

[satosk]

"Now then ...there is a massive gap in modern satellite downlink frequencies 12.750ghz to 18ghz ..."

There`s a project in progress me and Onacila (Peon) are currently working on.
Our top KU band limit will be 13.98 GHz, but will be able to get also down to 10 GHz.
We have no idea what to expect up there (96.5E - 53W), but we`re very keen to start exploring another uncharted territory.
But at the same time we`re improving X band reception, too! But this is completely different story....

 

[hvdh]

For the few interested:
Since today, Radio Regulations 2016 is available online at ITU, again free of charge.
One needs to register first, though. Got it by modifying a previous download link.

Radio Regulations 2020 was released today, free download without registration:

Radio Regulations 2020 - ITU Hub

Contents: Vol. 1 - Articles, Vol. 2 – Appendices, Vol. 3 - Resolutions and Recommendations, Vol. 4 – ITU-R Recommendations incorporated by reference. Plus map for Appendix 27 Rev. WRC-19.

www.itu.int