L band

NATO L band

The NATO L band is defined as the frequency band between 40 and 60 GHz (5–7.5 mm).

IEEE L band

The IEEE L band (20-cm radar long-band) is a portion of the microwave band of the electromagnetic spectrum ranging roughly from one to two GHz. ^[1][2] It is used by some communications satellites, and by terrestrial Eureka 147 digital audio broadcasting (DAB).

Military use

In the United States and overseas territories, the L band is held by the military for telemetry, thereby forcing digital radio to in-band on-channel (IBOC) solutions. DAB is typically done in the 1452–1492-MHz range as in most of the world, but other countries also use VHF and UHF bands.

GNSS

The Global Positioning System carriers are in the L band, centered at 1176.45 MHz (L5), 1227.60 MHz (L2), 1381.05 MHz (L3), and 1575.42 MHz (L1) frequencies.

• The Gallieo Navigation System uses the L-band similarly to GPS
• The GLONASS System uses the L-band similarly to GPS

Telecommunications use

GSM mobile phones operate at 800–900 and 1800–1900 MHz.

Digital Audio Broadcasting (Earth Orbital)

WorldSpace satellite radio broadcasts in the 1467–1492 MHz L sub-band.

DAB L band usage

The following blocks are use for T-DAB (terrestrial) broadcasts:

Block	Centre Frequency
LA	1452.960 MHz
LB	1454.672 MHz
LC	1456.384 MHz
LD	1458.096 MHz
LE	1459.808 MHz
LF	1461.520 MHz
LG	1463.232 MHz
LH	1464.944 MHz
LI	1466.656 MHz
LJ	1468.368 MHz
LK	1470.080 MHz
LL	1471.792 MHz
LM	1473.504 MHz
LN	1475.216 MHz
LO	1476.928 MHz
LP	1478.640 MHz

The following blocks are use for S-DAB (satellite) broadcasts:

Block	Centre Frequency
LQ	1480.352 MHz
LR	1482.064 MHz
LS	1483.776 MHz
LT	1485.488 MHz
LU	1487.200 MHz
LV	1488.912 MHz
LW	1490.624 MHz

Note: Canada uses slightly different central frequencies for L-band DAB while in many European countries DAB is limited part of Band III due to television and mobile two way radio using the rest.

Physics issues relating to band use

The band also contains the hyperfine transition of neutral hydrogen (the hydrogen line), which is of great astronomical interest as a means of imaging the normally invisible neutral atomic hydrogen in interstellar space. Consequently parts of the L-band are protected radio astronomy allocations world-wide.

Optical communications L band

L band is also used in optical communications to refer to the wavelength range 1570 nm to 1610 nm.