Communication of most meteorological information depends heavily on the radio spectrum. Radio signals are used for weather radar, radiosondes, weather satellites, wind profiling and many other methods of gathering weather-related information. They are also used to distribute weather information to the public. These instruments use radio frequencies to deliver data back to Earth from their respective position in the atmosphere. Within the radio spectrum, certain frequencies, such as those currently assigned for meteorological data, are coveted because they have better transmission characteristics and so are more reliable than others.
Meteorological bands are also in high demand because they are assigned globally, for use worldwide.
Someone is going to lose, and we cannot afford to let it be the meteorological community. Protection of these signals is in the interest of public safety and security and is required to improve the measurements used for meteorological operations and research. The cellular phone is just one new technology gaining popularity around the world that is battling for its share of scarce radio frequencies. But cell phones are not the only threat. Private industry and military are also dependent on the radio spectrum for global positioning systems and other emerging technologies.