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UHF-Satcom.com - X-Band satellite monitoring updated: (13/04/2013 15:05:58 +0100)
New : handy X-band satellite beacon summary
Many satellites carry X-band (7250 MHz to 7750 MHz) payloads - mostly for military communications. Some military payloads share a common spacecraft bus with TV payloads, for example the Syracuse military payload aboard the French Telecom satellites. You are not likely to hear any clear audio or data traffic via these satellites, except for Sicral-1 which has two cross-strapped UHF to X-band / Ka-Band transponders. If you like exotic waveforms, then X-Band does offer the chance to see a lot of data modes in use. Typically the traffic is either frequency hopping, time / code division multiplex, PSK, spread spectrum or IP DVB-S . You can however easily see these signals on a spectrum analyser or SDR. Details of X-Band receive hardware and ground segments have been split out into the X-Band Hardware page.
Regular readers of this page include Paradigm Communications who run the Skynet satellites for the British Military, and Thales-Group / Thales Computers who regularly visit this page for Syracuse info. Many other satcom companies and operators use this page for up to date beacon frequency information.
The SHF frequency list below has been compiled from internet sources and reception reports etc. All frequencies in the list have been verified and were active on the date given under the satellite name / orbital slot position.
If you are using this list, please contribute with updates, which can be sent anonymously via email to xband at uhf-satcom.com - beacon frequencies are particularly welcome along with satellite name / orbital slot etc.
Position Freq(MHz) Modulation Scheme / Comments (Frequencies logged by pjm,nils,trango & strider) 175 East TBA WGS-1 63 East 7314.175 300 kHz wide PSK (beam #1) SATCOMBw Stage2 7315.575 400 kHz wide PSK (beam #1) (8.08.11) 7352.175 300 kHz wide PSK, strong (beam #2) 7353.575 400 kHz wide PSK, strong (beam #2) 7418.300 3.6 MHz wide PSK 7420.950 900 kHz wide PSK 7422.000 900 kHz wide PSK 7676.500 TT&C / Beacon with sidebands 60 East 7300.000 7.5 MHz wide PSK WGS 2 7309.100 2.5 MHz wide PSK (8.08.11) 7326.100 2.5 MHz wide PSK 7338.500 4 MHz wide PSK 7368.600 1.8 MHz wide PSK (weak) 7412.600 2.3 MHz wide PSK 7415.200 1.6 MHz wide PSK 7418.000 2.7 MHz wide PSK 7421.800 2.7 MHz wide PSK 7426.000 3.3 MHz wide PSK 7440.000 2.7 MHz wide PSK 7451.000 14 MHz wide PSK very strong 7476.900 3.5 MHz wide PSK strong 7521.000 6 MHz wide PSK very strong 7600.000 TT&C Data / Beacon +-1024kHz of carrier (Probably SGLS standard) 7610.750 1.6MHz wide PSK 7622.650 1.6 MHz wide PSK 7630.150 100 kHz wide PSK, strong 7655.000 1.6 MHz wide PSK 7656.575 800kHz wide PSK, strong 7717.550 1.6 MHz wide PSK, strong 57 East 7583.000 PSK DSCS 3-8 7600.000 TTC (26.12.09) 7604.707 TTC (No user tfc) 7674.701 Continuous carrier / Beacon 53 East 7256.200 Continuous carrier Skynet 5B LHC 7267.220 PSK (10.06.10) 7269.140 PSK 7269.425 PSK 7270.300 PSK 7284.685 Framed PSK 7284.735 Framed PSK 7284.785 Framed PSK 7284.875 Framed PSK 7284.935 Framed PSK 7285.560 Framed PSK 7285.760 Framed PSK 7285.960 Framed PSK 7286.360 Framed PSK 7287.300 PSK 7293.000 PSK 7295.000 PSK 7330.560 PSK 7331.090 PSK 7334.415 PSK 7334.730 PSK 7335.130 PSK 7340.700 Strong PSK, ~400 kHz B/W (June 2010) 7405.000 ~12 MHz wide PSK (June 2010) 7430.000 weak continuous carrier (June 2010) 7436.400 Very Strong PSK, ~200kHz wide (June 2010) 7442.605 Continuous carrier 7445.786 Continuous carrier 7495.350 PSK (possible TT&C) 7495.800 Beacon / Continuous carrier 7495.845 TT&C (possibly regenerative) ~20kHz wide 7496.160 TT&C generated on board satellite ~20kHz wide 7559.800 1.5 MHz wide PSK (June 2010) 7541.800 1.6 MHz wide PSK (June 2010) 7571.500 1.4 MHz wide PSK (June 2010) 7615.000 ~7 MHz wide PSK (June 2010) 7659.500 Possible spread spectrum (June 2010) 7689.400 PSK 47 East 7268.000 PSK Syracuse 3A LHC 7269.000 PSK (27.12.09) 7272.000 PSK 650MHz offset 7273.000 Weak PSK 7284.000 Beacon / Continuous carrier 7300.300 PSK 7301.100 PSK 7302.750 PSK 7326.500 PSK with pilot tone at CF 7327.000 PSK with pilot tone at CF 7328.200 PSK 7329.700 PSK 7378.000 PSK 7433.100 Wide PSK 7435.600 Wide PSK 7500.500 PSK 7507.500 Wide PSK 7512.000 PSK 7533.925 Narrow band PSK 7554.075 PSK 7554.400 PSK 7554.750 PSK 7612.200 PSK modem (idle) 7616.700 PSK modem (idle) 7720.000 DSSS TT&C (Identical to 7560/7580 from Telecom 2x) 7737.500 TT&C generated on board the satellite (sidebands at +-40Khz, +-82KHz) 42 East 7410.000 Beacon / Continuous carrier Turksat 2A LHC 7431.000 Framed telemetry (13.04.13) 7431.600 Framed telemetry 7431.800 to 7437.400 Framed telemetry every 200KHz 7460.250 Strong PSK (idle) 7522.000 Wideband PSK 7546.000 PSK 7548.000 PSK 7550.000 PSK 7552.000 PSK 7554.000 PSK 7558.000 PSK 7559.000 Very weak PSK 7560.000 PSK 7561.000 Very weak PSK 7562.000 PSK 7564.000 PSK 7556.000 PSK 7568.000 PSK 35 East 7249.995 Beacon / Continuous carrier (probably 10X 725~MHz used for TX/RX split) Nato 4B (NIVb) 7345.000 Beacon / Continuous carrier (strong) No signals! 7365.000 Beacon / Continuous carrier (not always on) (1.09.08) 7587.500 Beacon / Continuous carrier 35 East 7249.997 Beacon / Continuous carrier Skynet 4E LHC 7326.800 Beacon / Continuous carrier (1.09.08) 7368.438 Continuous carrier 7397.500 TT&C Beacon (verified) 800bps BPSK 29 East 7251.001 Beacon / Continuous carrier Xtar-EU LHC 7419.500 Strong PSK (25.12.07) 7420.000 PSK 7508.250 PSK with multiple streams 7574.500 Idle PSK modem 7618.000 PSK 7623.500 PSK 7626.655 PSK 7629.550 PSK 7634.000 Massivly strong carrier 7638.250 PSK 7662.500 Carrier with sidebands 7669.000 PSK - possibly DVB data 7720.750 PSK carrier at CF 7730.250 PSK carrier at CF 7748.994 TT&C 20.7 East 7293.700 FHSS 6.42MHz wide DSP-F18 (13.04.13) 16.3 East 7263.000 PSK 1.8MHz wide Sicral LHC 7266.160 PSK 150KHz wide PDF on Sicral 7393.200 UHF TPX cross-strap (off air) (13.04.13) 7393.330 FM - pirates accessing Sicral, recordings here and here 712.5MHz offset 7393.350 UHF TPX cross-strap (off air) 7408.100 UHF TPX cross-strap carrying low rate PSK or FSK data. 100KHz wide (off air) 7408.250 UHF TPX cross-strap (off air) 7500.000 TT&C (sidebands at 7499.937 and 7500.063 also framing once per second, carrier +-125KHz) 7504.900 WFM relay of German language radio station (QRT when checked 16/7/2006) 7514.999 Continuous carrier 13.2 East 7259.000 TPX test carrier ComSatBW2 7291.000 TPX test carrier (13.04.13) 7329.000 TPX test carrier No user traffic 7370.000 TPX test carrier 7416.000 TPX test carrier 7452.000 TPX test carrier 7464.000 TPX test carrier 7512.000 TPX test carrier 7515.000 TT&C 7520.000 TPX test carrier 7550.000 TPX test carrier 7567.000 TPX test carrier 43.6MHz wide TPX 7678.50295 TT&C PSK s/c +- 128KHz, other at +- 16KHz (off air) 11.94 East 7249.375 Continuous carrier Sicral-1B LHC 7260.000 PSK wide (13.04.13) 7266.000 PSK wide 712.5MHz offset 7305.000 TTC beacon (sidebands +- 312KHz) 7405.000 TTC beacon (sidebands +- 312KHz) 7515.000 Continuous carrier 7569.700 OQPSK 1.2MHz wide 7572.902 Continuous carrier (weak) 7574.210 PSK 200KHz wide 7575.175 PSK 350KHz wide 7577.050 PSK 650KHz wide 7579.638 Spur 7579.878 Spur 7580.950 PSK 160KHz wide 7581.200 PSK 160KHz wide 7581.450 PSK 160KHz wide 7582.100 PSK 350KHz wide 7582.650 PSK 350KHz wide 7583.475 PSK 600KHz wide 7584.500 PSK 600KHz wide 7589.075 PSK 300KHz wide 7590.175 PSK 300KHz wide 7591.775 PSK 1MHz wide 7595.150 PSK 1.2MHz wide 7599.275 PSK 1.2MHz wide 7602.540 PSK 160KHz wide 7602.840 PSK 160KHz wide 7603.760 PSK 1MHz wide 7605.350 PSK 1MHz wide 7607.850 PSK 600KHz wide 7609.630 PSK 160KHz wide 7609.930 PSK 160KHz wide 7610.540 PSK 120KHz wide 7611.200 PSK 1MHz wide 7612.260 PSK 1MHz wide 7613.270 PSK 160KHz wide 7613.510 PSK 160KHz wide 7613.760 PSK 160KHz wide 7614.000 PSK 160KHz wide 7614.250 PSK 160KHz wide 7614.740 PSK 160KHz wide 7615.230 PSK 160KHz wide 7615.720 PSK 160KHz wide 6 East 7250.900 PSK Skynet 5A LHC 7251.225 PSK (27.12.09) 7251.650 PSK 7252.400 PSK 7253.100 Narrow PSK 7253.400 Narrow PSK 7253.800 PSK 7254.250 PSK 7254.600 PSK (cyclic frames) 7257.500 PSK 7259.200 2MHz wide PSK 7260.850 PSK 7261.650 PSK 7264.250 2MHz wide PSK 7265.850 Narrow band Framed PSK modem 7265.900 Narrow band Framed PSK modem 7266.200 Narrow band Framed PSK modem 7266.525 Narrow band Framed PSK modem 7266.725 Narrow band Framed PSK modem 7267.125 Narrow band Framed PSK modem 7281.125 PSK 7286.160 Narrow band Framed PSK modem 7286.220 Narrow band Framed PSK modem 7286.260 Narrow band Framed PSK modem 7286.310 Narrow band Framed PSK modem 7286.840 Narrow band Framed PSK modem 7286.440 Narrow band Framed PSK modem 7303.900 PSK 7305.000 PSK 7306.800 PSK (carrier at CF) 7308.925 weak PSK 7309.400 weak PSK 7310.225 PSK 7311.100 PSK 7335.550 Idle PSK modem 7336.600 PSK 7336.925 PSK 7344.590 strong PSK 7344.900 strong PSK 7345.150 strong PSK 7345.700 Possible ranging tones (possibly from SN4C at 1.1W inclined orbit) 7345.960 PSK 7347.100 1.5MHz wide PSK 7348.600 PSK 7349.800 PSK modem in idle 7390.965 Continuous carrier 7405.750 Frequency hopping modem 7433.100 narrow band PSK 7433.200 narrow band PSK 7434.350 1.75MHz wide PSK 7458.400 PSK modem in idle 7460.200 PSK modem in idle 7463.200 PSK modem in idle 7466.150 PSK 7493.550 PSK 7494.000 TT&C QPSK? 7494.045 Narrow band Framed PSK modem 7494.360 Narrow band PSK 7741.675 Very strong PSK 6.7 East 7250.045 PSK 80KHz wide Skynet 4C LHC 7331.500 TT&C Inclined Orbit (13.04.13) 5 West 7255.000 - 7290 Frequency hopping PSK modem Syracuse 3B LHC 7312.300 PSK - Carrier at CF (13.04.13) 7320.000 Continuous carrier 650MHz offset 7332.000 PSK - Carrier at CF 7333.050 PSK - Carrier at CF 7339.000 PSK - Carrier at CF 7353.508 PSK - Carrier at CF 7383.650 PSK - Carrier at CF 7385.300 PSK - Carrier at CF 7421.350 QPSK 1623KSym/sec 7425.000 PSK 7458.500 QPSK 1230KSym/sec 7466.000 PSK 7473.800 QPSK 1230KSym/sec 7636.150 QPSK 1230KSym/sec 7638.900 QPSK 1230KSym/sec 7705.000 DSSS TT&C Beacon (weak compared to user traffic) 12 West 7317.500 PSK WGS-F3 7320.000 PSK (13.04.13) 7352.400 PSK 7600.000 Beacon, TTC +- 1024KHz subcarriers 17.9 West 7346.600 QPSK 1623KSym/sec Skynet 5C LHC 7356.400 QPSK 1623KSym/sec (13.04.13) 7359.250 PSK 7413.250 QPSK 1623KSym/sec 7491.74904 PSK 7492.200 Beacon / Continuous carrier 7492.24404 PSK 7492.55904 PSK 7561.000 QPSK 2960 1/2 DVB-S PID16,60,62,100,200,900,902 (encrypted TCP/IP traffic) 18 West. 7293.700 +- 6.4MHz Frequency hopping modem DSP-unknown LHC (18.1.08) 30 West 7250.506 TT&C Beacon multiple sidebands SpainSat LHC 7261.500 Weak PSK 7262.300 Weak PSK (13.04.13) 7300.000 Beacon / Continuous carrier 7312.000 Beacon / Continuous carrier 7347.600 PSK with pilot tone at CF 7348.000 Strong PSK with pilot tone at CF 7351.200 PSK with pilot tone at CF 7351.850 Narrow band PSK 7353.350 PSK 7353.750 PSK 7354.400 PSK with pilot tone at CF 7354.800 PSK with pilot tone at CF 7355.150 PSK with pilot tone at CF 7355.450 PSK with pilot tone at CF 7355.680 PSK with pilot tone at CF 7356.000 Strong PSK 7356.270 PSK with pilot tone at CF 7357.350 PSK with pilot tone at CF 7357.750 PSK with pilot tone at CF 7358.070 PSK with pilot tone at CF 7358.430 PSK with pilot tone at CF 7358.800 PSK with pilot tone at CF 7359.230 PSK with pilot tone at CF 7359.300 Narrow PSK with pilot tone at CF 7360.320 PSK with pilot tone at CF 7360.690 PSK with pilot tone at CF 7361.000 PSK 7361.330 PSK 7361.850 PSK with pilot tone at CF 7362.190 PSK with pilot tone at CF 7362.950 PSK 7363.860058 PSK 7365.000 PSK 7366.060 Narrow PSK 7366.600 Idle PSK modem 7368.775 PSK with pilot tone at CF 7369.925 PSK 7370.390 PSK 7370.830 PSK with pilot tone at CF 7371.380 PSK 7372.150 PSK 7373.200 PSK 7374.300 PSK with pilot tone at CF 7374.750 PSK with pilot tone at CF 7375.070 PSK with pilot tone at CF 7375.910 PSK with pilot tone at CF 7376.150 PSK with pilot tone at CF 7376.850 PSK with pilot tone at CF 7377.220 PSK with pilot tone at CF 7378.950 PSK with pilot tone at CF 7379.570 PSK with pilot tone at CF 7380.250 PSK with pilot tone at CF 7380.850 PSK with pilot tone at CF 7381.500 PSK with pilot tone at CF 7382.950 PSK with pilot tone at CF 7383.750 PSK with pilot tone at CF 7384.400 PSK with pilot tone at CF 7394.630 PSK with pilot tone at CF 7395.160 PSK with pilot tone at CF 7397.950 Wide PSK 7400.150 Wide PSK 7402.800 Wide PSK 7404.960 Wide PSK with pilot tone at CF 7406.640 PSK with pilot tone at CF 7415.880 PSK with pilot tone at CF 7418.100 PSK with pilot tone at CF 7418.990 PSK with pilot tone at CF 7420.330 PSK with pilot tone at CF 7436.070 Strong PSK with pilot tone at CF 7436.530 Strong PSK with pilot tone at CF 7437.500 Strong PSK with pilot tone at CF 7438.000 Very strong PSK with pilot tone at CF 7438.300 Strong PSK with pilot tone at CF 7493.000 Beacon / Continuous carrier 7494.325 Narrow PSK 7494.660 Idle PSK modem 7532.000 PSK with pilot tone at CF 7565.115 Narrow PSK modem 7665.465 Wide PSK 7665.970 Narrow PSK RHC 7749.504 TT&C Beacon multiple sidebands 34 West 7250.001 Beacon / Continuous carrier Skynet 4F LHC 7250.026 Continuous carrier (13.04.13) 7425.000 PSK 7425.300 PSK Narrow band 7426.000 PSK Narrow band 7426.100 PSK 7426.300 PSK 7428.800 PSK 7429.130 PSK 7429.950 PSK 7432.600 PSK 7432.900 PSK 7434.500 PSK 7435.000 PSK 7437.900 PSK 7438.190 PSK 7456.300 PSK 7456.700 PSK 7458.500 PSK Narrow band 7458.700 PSK 7459.000 PSK 7460.000 PSK 7460.400 PSK 7460.600 PSK 7540.001 Beacon / Continuous carrier (strong) 7557.000 PSK 7569.875 PSK 7620.500 PSK 7621.000 PSK 52.5 West 7300.000 10MHz wide FHSS modem carrying low-rate PSK data, possibly the SCT DSCS-3 LHC 7488.000 PSK (13.04.13) 7489.000 PSK 7600.000 TT&C (EC Beacon 1 Frequency - verified) 7604.706 TT&C (EC Beacon 2 Frequency - verified) 7749.125 Framed PSK 7749.200 Two stations exchanging data (slight freq offset between TX's) 7749.425 PSK 7749.525 PSK 135 West 7600.000 TT&C (EC Beacon 1 Frequency - verified)
DSCS-3 7604.706 TT&C (EC Beacon 2 Frequency - verified)
DSCSIII Transponder layout (models A-1,A-2,B-4,B-5 and B-7) 7250.000 to 7310.000 TPX1 60MHz bandwidth (SCT UHF crosslink) 7335.000 to 7395.000 TPX2 60MHz bandwidth 7420.000 to 7505.000 TPX3 85MHz bandwidth 7530.000 to 7590.000 TPX4 60MHz bandwidth 7615.000 to 7675.000 TPX5 60MHz bandwidth 7700.000 to 7750.000 TPX6 50MHz bandwidth DSCSIII Transponder layout (A-3,B-6,B-8,B-9,B-10,B-11,B-12,B-13 and B-14) 7250.000 to 7300.000 TPX1 50MHz bandwidth (SCT UHF crosslink) 7315.000 to 7390.000 TPX2 75MHz bandwidth 7405.000 to 7490.000 TPX3 85MHz bandwidth 7505.000 to 7590.000 TPX4 85MHz bandwidth 7615.000 to 7675.000 TPX5 60MHz bandwidth 7700.000 to 7750.000 TPX6 50MHz bandwidth
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7580.000 MHz beacon from Telecom 2c at 3.1 East:
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7395.000 MHz beacon from Skynet 4D at 34 West
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7454.000 MHz - FHSS modem from 1West Skynet 4C |
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7622.900 MHz - Tracking Telemetry and Command from 1West Skynet 4C |
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7431.000 MHz from Turksat 42east - multiple framed carriers |
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7504.900 MHz from Sicral 16.2e - a German language
radio feeder - note in the 'quiet' period you can see the 19 KHz stereo pilot
either side of the main carrier. This is now off the air. |
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7250.500 MHz RHC TT&C from the newly launched SpainSat, on station at 30w. A similar TT&C exists in LHC at 7749.500 MHz |
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7421.30245 MHz RHC Classic DSSS signal from Skynet at 1.1 west. |
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7402.930 MHz TT&C from Nato 4A at 17.8 West |
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7260.000 MHz TT&C from DSP-2 at 28.7 East. This TT&C is similar to that from Telecom / Syracuse, presumably a similar format in use. |
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7570.000 MHz transponder tests via Syracuse-3B at 5west - note the high phase noise of the programmable synthesiser. |
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7553.100 MHz signal from Skynet 4C at 1.1west. Possibly ranging? Also to the right is a normal PSK modem. |