NASA Procedural Requirements

NPR 2570.1C Effective Date: September 22, 2014 Expiration Date: September 22, 2026

Subject: NASA Radio Frequency (RF) Spectrum Management Manual (Revalidated w/change1)

Responsible Office: Space Operations MD

Appendix H: Call Signs

H.1 Call Signs Allocated To NASA Centers And Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) a Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC), Blocks of call signs are allotted to NASA Centers and JPL (an FFRDC) for assignment by the FCC through the NASA National Spectrum Program Manager who, in turn, allots them in groups to the Center or JPL (an FFRDC) Spectrum Manager. The Center/Facility Spectrum Manager assigns these call signs, as required, to all frequency users at the Center or JPL (an FFRDC), including commercial contractors. The call signs allocated to each NASA Center and JPL (FFRDC) are shown in Tables H-1 through H-3. For the assignment of additional call signs, contact the National Spectrum Program Manager.

Table H-1 Allocation of Experimental Call Signs

Table H-2 Allocation of HF Call Signs

Table H-3 Allocation of VHF-UHF Call Signs

H.2 Responsibility For Assignment

The NASA Center/Facility Spectrum Manager is responsible for the assignment of one or more of the call signs allocated to the Center to each specific operation requiring such an identifier.

H.3 Assignment Procedure

H.3.1 The Center or JPL (an FFRDC) Spectrum Manager exercises complete control of the assigned block of call signs and reserves the right to cancel or make changes. The Center/Facility Spectrum Manager maintains a complete and accurate record of all call sign assignments. Additional call signs may be made available by the National Spectrum Program Manager upon receipt of a request supplemented by documentary proof that the call sign allocation cannot satisfy existing call sign requirements.

H.3.2 One or more call signs may be assigned by the Center or JPL (an FFRDC) Spectrum Manager to any operation remotely located from the Center where the spectrum manager exercises responsibility for the Radio Frequency Assignment specifically issued to NASA representatives of commercial contractors, research institutes, colleges, and universities under contractual jurisdiction of the activity.

H.3.3 The Center or JPL (an FFRDC) Spectrum Manager will make all call sign assignments required by operations on such radio frequencies from the call sign block allocated to the Center or JPL (an FFRDC), regardless of the organization or commercial activity conducting the operation.

H.3.4 Prior to the assignment of an initial radio call sign, the Center or JPL (an FFRDC) Spectrum Manager will first determine that a valid requirement exists and that no previous assignment of an experimental call sign has been made to this operation.

H.3.5 Upon receipt of a request for an additional call sign, the Center or JPL (an FFRDC) Spectrum Manager will review the requirement to determine the feasibility of expanding the initial call sign assignment in lieu of the assignment of an additional identifier.

H.3.6 Duplicate assignment of the same call sign to different operations is not authorized.

H.4 Expansion of NASA Call Signs

In consideration of special requirements or the shortage of basic call signs, any assigned basic call sign may be expanded by suffixing any letter (A through Z) or any number (including zero) and may consist of more than one digit.

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