§  87.187   Frequencies.

   (a) Frequencies used for air-ground Communications are listed in
   subpart E. Aircraft stations may use frequencies assigned to Government
   or non-Government aeronautical stations or radionavigation land
   stations if the communications are within the aeronautical or
   radionavigation land station scope of service.

   (b) 410 kHz is the international direction-finding frequency for use
   outside the continental United States.

   (c) 457 kHz is an authorized working frequency for flights over the
   high seas.

   (d) 500 kHz an international calling and distress frequency for
   aircraft on flights over the high seas. Except for distress, urgency or
   safety messages an aircraft station must not transmit on 500 kHz during
   the silence periods for three minutes twice each hour beginning at x h.
   15 and x h.45 Coordinated Universal Time (u.t.c.).

   (e) The frequency 2182 khz is an international distress and calling
   frequency for use by ship, aircraft and survival craft stations.
   Aircraft stations must use J3E emission when operating on 2182 kHz and
   communicating with domestic public and private coast stations. The
   emission H3E may be used when communicating with foreign coast and ship
   stations.

   (f) The frequencies 3023 kHz, 5680 kHz, 122.900 MHz and 123.100 MHz are
   authorized for use by aircraft engaged in seach and rescue activities
   in accordance with subpart M. These frequencies may be used for air-air
   and air-ground communications.

   (g) The frequency 4125 kHz may be used for distress and safety
   communications between aircraft and ship and coast maritime mobile
   stations.

   (h) The frequency 8364.0 kHz is authorized for use of survival craft
   for search and rescue communications with stations in the maritime
   mobile service.

   (i) The frequencies in the band 121.975-122.675 MHz are authorized for
   use by private aircraft of air traffic control operations.

   (1) The frequencies 122.00 and 122.050 MHz are authorized for use by
   air carrier and private aircraft stations for enroute flight advisory
   service (EFAS) provided by the FAA;

   (2) The frequency 122.100 MHz is authorized for use by air carrier
   aircraft stations for air traffic control operations at locations in
   Alaska where other frequencies are not available for air traffic
   control.

   (j) The frequency 122.750 MHz is authoried for use by private fixed
   wing aircraft for air-air communications. The frequency 123.025 MHz is
   authorized for use by helicopters for air-air Communications.

   (k) The frequencies 121.500 MHz and 243.000 MHz are emergency and
   distress frequences available for use by survival craft stations,
   emergency locator transmitters and equipment used for survival
   pruposes. Use of 121.500 MHz and 243.00 MHz shall be limited to
   transmission of signals and communications for survival purposes. Type
   A2A, A3E or A3N emission may be employed, except in the case of
   emergency locator transmitters where A3E, A3X and NON are permitted.

   (l) The frequencies 156.300, 156.375, 156,400, 156,425, 156.450,
   156.625, 156.800 156.900 and 157.425 MHz may be used by aircraft
   stations to communicate with ship stations in accordance with part 80
   and the following conditions:

   (1) The altitude of aircraft stations must not exceed 300 meters (1,000
   feet), except for reconnaissance aircraft participating in icebreaking
   operations where an altitude of 450 meters (1,500 feet) is allowed;

   (2) Aircraft station transmitter power must not exceed five watts;

   (3) The frequency 156.300 MHz may be used for safety purposes only. The
   frequency 156.800 MHz may be used for distress, safety and calling
   purposes only.

   (4) Except in the Great Lakes and along the St. Lawrence Seaway the
   frequency 157.425 MHz is available for communications with commerical
   fishing vessels.

   (5) The frequency 156.375 MHz cannot be used in the New Orleans, LA,
   VTS protection area. No harmful interference shall be caused to the
   VTS.

   (m) The frequency 406.0-406.1 MHz is an emergency and distress
   frequency available for use by emergency locator transmitters. Use of
   this frequency must be limited to transmission of distress and safety
   communications.

   (n) The frequency band 960-1215 MHz is for the use of airborne
   electronic aids to air navigation and directly associated land
   stations.

   (o) The frequency band 1300-1350 MHz is for surveillance radar stations
   and associated airborne transponders.

   (p) The frequency band 1435-1525 MHz is available on a primary basis
   and the frequency band 1525-1535 MHz is available on a secondary basis
   for telemetry and telecommand associated with the flight testing of
   aircraft, missiles, or related major components. This includes
   launching into space, reentry into the earth's atmosphere and
   incidental orbiting prior to reentry. The following frequencies are
   shared with flight telemetry mobile stations: 1444.5, 1453.5, 1501.5,
   1515.5, and 1524.5 MHz. See §  87.303(d).

   Note to paragraph ( p ): Aeronautical telemetry operations must protect
   mobile-satellite operations in the 1525-2535 MHz band and maritime
   mobile-satellite operations in the 1530-1535 MHz band.

   (q) The frequencies in the band 1545.000-1559.000 MHz and
   1646.500-1660.500 MHz are authorized for use by the Aeronautical
   Mobile-Satellite (R) Service. The use of the bands 1544.000-1545.000
   MHz (space-to-Earth) and 1645.500-1646.500 MHz (Earth-to-space) by the
   Mobile-Satellite Service is limited to distress and safety operations.
   In the frequency bands 1549.500-1558.500 MHz and 1651.000-1660.000 MHz,
   the Aeronautical Mobile-Satellite (R) requirements that cannot be
   accommodated in the 1545.000-1549.500 MHz, 1558.500-1559.000 MHz,
   1646.500-1651.000 MHz, and 1660.000-1660.500 MHz bands shall have
   priority access with real-time preemptive capability for communications
   in the Mobile-Satellite Service. Systems not interoperable with the
   Aeronautical Mobile-Satellite (R) Service shall operate on a secondary
   basis. Account shall be taken of the priority of safety-related
   communications in the Mobile-Satellite Service.

   (r) The frequency band 1559-1626.5 MHz is available for airborne
   electronic aids to air navigation and any associated land station.

   (s) The frequency band 4200-4400 MHz is reserved exclusively for radio
   altimeters.

   (t) The frequency band 5350-5470 MHz in the aeronautical
   radionavigation service is limited to airborne radars and associated
   airborne beacons.

   (u) The frequency band 8750-8850 MHz is available for use by airborne
   doppler radars in the aeronautical radionavigation service only on the
   condition that they must accept any interference which may be
   experienced from stations in the radiolocation service in the band
   8500-10,000 MHz.

   (v) The frequency band 9300-9500 MHz is limited to airborne radars and
   associated airborne beacons.

   (w) The frequency band 13250-13400 MHz available for airborne doppler
   radar use.

   (x) The frequency bands 24450-24650 MHz, 24750-25050 MHz and
   32300-33400 MHz are available for airborne radionavigation devices.

   (y) Brief keyed RF signals (keying the transmitter by momentarily
   depressing the microphone "push-to-talk" button) may be transmitted
   from aircraft for the control of automated unicoms on the unicom
   frequencies listed in paragraph (y)(3) of this section, or for the
   control of airport lights on the following frequencies:

   (1) Any air traffic control frequency listed in §  87.421.

   (2) FAA Flight Service Station frequencies 121.975-122.675 MHz.

   (3) The unicom frequencies 122.700, 122.725, 122.800, 122.950, 122.975,
   123.000, 123.050 and 123.075 MHz.

   (4) Aviation support station frequencies listed in §  87.323(b):
   121.950, 123.300 and 123.500 MHz if the frequency is assigned to a
   station at the airport and no harmful interference is caused to voice
   communications. If no such station is located at the concerned airport,
   aircraft may use one of the aviation support station frequencies for
   the control of airport lights.

   (5) The frequency 122.9 MHz when it is used as the common traffic
   advisory frequency at the concerned airport.

   (z) Frequencies for public correspondence between ships and public
   coast stations in the maritime mobile service (except frequencies in
   the 156-174 MHz band) and coast earth stations in the maritime
   mobile-satellite service are available for public correspondence
   between aircraft and public coast stations and coast earth stations,
   respectively. The transmission of public correspondence from aircraft
   must not cause interference to maritime communications.

   (aa) Frequencies in the 454.675-459.975 MHz band are available in the
   Public Mobile Radio Service (part 22) for use on board aircraft for
   communications with land mobile stations which are interconnected to
   the nationwide public telephone system.

   (bb) The frequencies 121.950 MHz, 122.850 MHz and 127.050 1 MHz are
   authorized for air-to-air use for aircraft up to and including 3 km
   (10,000 ft) mean sea level in the vicinity of Grand Canyon National
   Park in Arizona within the area bounded by the following coordinates
   (all coordinates are referenced to North American Datum 1983 (NAD83)):

   1  Until further notice this frequency is available for air-to-air use
   as described in the Grand Canyon vicinity. Availability is a result of
   the FAA's assignment of this frequency. If the FAA reassigns this
   frequency the Commission may require air-to-air use to cease.

   36-27-59.9 N. Lat; 112-47-2.7 W. Long.

   36-27-59.9 N. Lat; 112-48-2.7 W. Long.

   35-50-00.0 N. Lat; 112-48-2.7 W. Long.

   35-43-00.0 N. Lat; 112-47-2.7 W. Long.

   (cc) The frequency 120.650 MHz 1 is authorized for air-to-air use for
   aircraft up to and including 3 km (10,000 ft) mean sea level within the
   area bounded by the following coordinates (all coordinates are
   referenced to North American Datum 1983 (NAD83)):

   35-59-44.9 N. Lat; 114-51-48.0 W. Long.

   36-09-29.9 N. Lat; 114-50-3.0 W. Long.

   36-09-29.9 N. Lat; 114-02-57.9 W. Long.

   35-54-45.0 N. Lat; 113-48-47.8 W. Long.

   (dd) The frequencies 136.425, 136.450, and 136.475 MHz are designated
   for flight information services--broadcast (FIS-B) and may not be used
   by aircraft for transmission.

   (ee) The frequency 121.95 MHz is authorized for air-to-ground and
   air-to-air communications for aircraft up to 13000 feet above mean sea
   level (AMSL) within the area bounded by the following coordinates (all
   coordinates are referenced to North American Datum 1983 (NAD83)):

   32-35-00 N. Lat.; 117-12-00 W. Long.

   32-42-00 N. Lat.; 116-56-00 W. Long.

   32-41-00 N. Lat.; 116-41-00 W. Long.

   32-35-00 N. Lat.; 116-38-00 W. Long.

   32-31-00 N. Lat.; 117-11-00 W. Long.

   (ff) The frequency 978 MHz is authorized for Universal Access
   Transceiver data transmission.

   (gg) (1) The frequency 120.650 MHz is authorized for air-to-air
   communications for aircraft over and within five nautical miles of the
   shoreline of the Hawaiian Island of Maui.

   (2) The frequency 121.950 MHz is authorized for air-to-air use for
   aircraft over and within five nautical miles of the shoreline of the
   Hawaiian Island of Molokai.

   (3) The frequency 122.850 MHz is authorized for air-to-air use for
   aircraft over and within five nautical miles of the shoreline of the
   Hawaiian Island of Oahu.

   (4) The frequency 122.850 MHz is authorized for aircraft over and
   within five nautical miles of the shoreline of the Hawaiian Island of
   Hawaii when aircraft are south and east of the 215 degree radial of
   very high frequency omni-directional radio range of Hilo International
   Airport.

   (5) The frequency 127.050 MHz is authorized for air-to-air use for
   aircraft over and within five nautical miles of the shoreline of the
   Hawaiian Island of Hawaii when aircraft are north and west of the 215
   degree radial of very high frequency omni-directional radio range of
   Hilo International Airport.

   (6) The frequency 127.050 MHz is authorized for air-to-air use for
   aircraft over and within five nautical miles of the Hawaiian Island of
   Kauai.

   (hh) (1) The frequency 121.95 MHz is authorized for air-to-air
   communications for aircraft within the area bounded by the following
   coordinates (all coordinates are referenced to North American Datum
   1983 (NAD83)):

   33-46-00 N. Lat.; 118-27-00 W. Long.

   33-47-00 N. Lat.; 118-12-00 W. Long.

   33-40-00 N. Lat.; 118-00-00 W. Long.

   33-35-00 N. Lat.; 118-08-00 W. Long.

   34-00-00 N. Lat.; 118-26-00 W. Long.

   (2) The frequency 122.775 MHz is authorized for air-to-air
   communications for aircraft within the area bounded by the following
   coordinates (all coordinates are referenced to North American Datum
   1983 (NAD83)):

   34-22-00 N. Lat.; 118-30-00 W. Long.

   34-35-00 N. Lat.; 118-15-00 W. Long.

   34-27-00 N. Lat.; 118-15-00 W. Long.

   34-16-00 N. Lat.; 118-35-00 W. Long.

   34-06-00 N. Lat.; 118-35-00 W. Long.

   34-05-00 N. Lat.; 118-50-00 W. Long.

   (3) The frequency 123.30 MHz is authorized for air-to-air
   communications for aircraft within the area bounded by the following
   coordinates (all coordinates are referenced to North American Datum
   1983 (NAD83)):

   34-08-00 N. Lat.; 118-00-00 W. Long.

   34-10-00 N. Lat.; 117-08-00 W. Long.

   34-00-00 N. Lat.; 117-08-00 W. Long.

   33-53-00 N. Lat.; 117-42-00 W. Long.

   33-58-00 N. Lat.; 118-00-00 W. Long.

   (4) The frequency 123.50 MHz is authorized for air-to-air
   communications for aircraft within the area bounded by the following
   coordinates (all coordinates are referenced to North American Datum
   1983 (NAD83)):

   33-53-00 N. Lat.; 117-37-00 W. Long.

   34-00-00 N. Lat.; 117-15-00 W. Long.

   34-00-00 N. Lat.; 117-07-00 W. Long.

   33-28-00 N. Lat.; 116-55-00 W. Long.

   33-27-00 N. Lat.; 117-12-00 W. Long.

   (5) The frequency 123.50 MHz is authorized for air-to-air
   communications for aircraft within the area bounded by the following
   coordinates (all coordinates are referenced to North American Datum
   1983 (NAD83)):

   33-50-00 N. Lat.; 117-48-00 W. Long.

   33-51-00 N. Lat.; 117-41-00 W. Long.

   33-38-00 N. Lat.; 117-30-00 W. Long.

   33-30-00 N. Lat.; 117-30-00 W. Long.

   33-30-00 N. Lat.; 117-49-00 W. Long.

   [ 53 FR 28940 , Aug. 1, 1988]

   Editorial Note: For Federal Register citations affecting §  87.187, see
   the List of CFR Sections Affected, which appears in the Finding Aids
   section of the printed volume and at www.fdsys.gov .

   return arrow Back to Top