National Focal Points for Radio Frequency matters

The National Focal Points on RF matters will receive support from the WMO ET-RFC to gain the necessary expertise and skills (if they do not yet have them) to ensure that they are fully capable of addressing the RF-related issues in accordance with the present Terms of Reference.

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Working Structure

See a current list of our experts and our Terms of Reference in the Contacts Directory.

Subsidiary bodies

Working groups

Focal Points

Objectives

The objectives of establishing National Focal Points on Radio Frequency (RF) matters are threefold:

To enhance the capabilities of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) and other institutions with relevant mandates worldwide in addressing RF-related issues;
To foster close communication between NMHSs and their respective National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs), to ensure that they have a comprehensive understanding of the importance of and requirements on radio frequencies for meteorological and related environmental activities;
To foster the development of new experts in the field of spectrum management from which the membership of the WMO Expert Team on Radio Frequency Coordination (ET-RFC) can be sustained, addressing capacity development and succession planning risks identified by ET-RFC.

Access to the radio-frequency spectrum is critical to the WMO’s global infrastructure that underpins weather, climate, water, and related environmental services worldwide. Radiosondes, ground-based meteorological radars (weather radars and radar wind profilers), oceanographic radars, ground-based remote-sensing systems (lightning location systems, microwave radiometers, etc.), passive and active space-based remote-sensing systems (meteorological and other related environmental satellites) and several types of ground-based space weather sensors are all reliant on radio spectrum to perform observations. Additionally, satellites, aircraft, hydrological observing systems, drifting buoys and other ocean-based platforms are reliant on radio spectrum for the dissemination of meteorological and related environmental data.

National Focal Points on RF matters are nominated by Members’ Permanent Representatives with WMO. Members should strive to cover with their nomination all WMO Earth system domains/disciplines (weather, climate, hydrology, atmospheric composition, cryosphere, ocean, space weather), which may be achieved by nominating several contacts, representing different communities of interest. The focal points are expected to provide the dedicated channel of communication with their respective NRAs on the one hand and with the WMO Secretariat and its ET-RFC on the other hand.

Opportunities

The potential opportunities for the focal points include:

Participating in training activities on spectrum management organized by ET-RFC, including dedicated sessions with ET-RFC Members from their respective regions.
Being kept up to date about the training opportunities provided by WMO and ITU-R.
Participating in annual ET-RFC meetings online as observers.

You are invited to nominate your national focal points on RF matters. Please refer to the letter from WMO: 24769/2023/I/SSU _en (in all UN languages at wmo.int/circulars).