S-Band

S-Band

The frequency spectrum near 2 GHz used for land based microwave and some mobile satellite communications. (Cingular)

The S band ranges from 2.0 to 4.0 GHz., crossing the imaginary boundary between UHF and SHF at 3.0 GHz. It is part of the microwave band of the electromagnetic spectrum. The S band is used by weather radar and some communications satellites. The 10-cm radar short-band ranges roughly from 1.55 to 5.2 GHz.

S band is also used in optical communications to refer to the wavelength range from 1450nm to 1490nm.

In the U.S., the FCC approved Digital Audio Radio Satellite (DARS) broadcasts in the S band around 2.3 GHz, currently used by Sirius Satellite Radio and XM Satellite Radio.

More recently, the FCC has approved for portions of the S band between 2.0 and 2.2 GHz the creation of Mobile Satellite Services (MSS) networks in connection with Ancillary Terrestrial Components (ACN). There are presently a number of companies attempting to deploy such networks, including ICO Satellite Management and TerreStar.