Ku-band generally covers 12–18 GHz (12,000–18,000 MHz). [1] For satellite communications, the service and signal direction determine the specific range: U.S. conventional Ku uses 11.7–12.2 GHz downlink (ground reception) and 14.0–14.5 GHz uplink (ground transmission) for fixed-satellite service. [2]
Table of Contents
Ku Downlink and Uplink Frequencies
| Context | Frequency range | Calculated span |
|---|---|---|
| General Ku letter band | 12–18 GHz | 6,000 MHz |
| FCC conventional Ku downlink | 11.7–12.2 GHz | 500 MHz |
| FCC conventional Ku uplink | 14.0–14.5 GHz | 500 MHz |
| FCC extended Ku downlink | 10.95–11.2 GHz and 11.45–11.7 GHz | 250 MHz each |
| FCC extended Ku uplink | 13.75–14.0 GHz | 250 MHz |
| FCC direct broadcast satellite service downlink | 12.2–12.7 GHz | 500 MHz |
The FCC rows follow U.S. 47 CFR §25.103. Conventional and extended Ku refer to fixed-satellite service; the separate DBS row covers direct broadcast satellite service. Downlink means satellite to Earth, and uplink means Earth to satellite. [2] Calculated spans are upper minus lower frequency, using 1 GHz = 1,000 MHz—not bandwidth assignments to individual terminals.
Why Ku Reception Starts Below 12 GHz
The general band name and satellite-service definitions have different boundaries. The conventional U.S. downlink starts at 11.7 GHz, 300 MHz below the general Ku boundary. That does not change the 12–18 GHz letter-band range. [1] [2]
A wider receive range, 10.7–12.75 GHz, appears in ETSI EN 302 340 V2.1.1 (May 2016) for certain vessel earth stations using geostationary satellites. Those terminals receive on one or more fixed-satellite service frequencies within that range, depending on ITU Region, and transmit at 14.0–14.5 GHz. The receive limits are not a continuous worldwide assignment for every Ku terminal. [3]
Is Extended Ku One Continuous Band?
The FCC’s extended downlink consists of the two separate 250 MHz intervals in the table. The intervening 11.2–11.45 GHz interval is a gap in that definition, not a claim that the spectrum is unused. On the uplink, extended and conventional Ku meet at 14.0 GHz, covering 13.75–14.5 GHz, or 750 MHz, together. [2]
How We Specify Ku Coverage
At Dolph Microwave, our published antenna feed network inquiry guidance asks for separate receive and transmit ranges. Our waveguide filter ordering guidance asks for passband start and stop frequencies, plus rejection at specified frequencies. These requirements make “Ku-band” alone an incomplete component specification.
For a feed required to cover both full conventional U.S. bands, the receive requirement is 11.7–12.2 GHz and the transmit requirement is 14.0–14.5 GHz. [2] A receive filter for that requirement needs the specified receive passband; its Ku label alone does not establish transmit-band coverage. Actual operating channels must match the operator’s frequency plan and the applicable station authorization.
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