United States National Radio Quiet Zone
Encyclopedia
The United States National Radio Quiet Zone is a large area of land surrounding the National Radio Astronomy Observatory
(NRAO) at Green Bank, West Virginia
, and especially the large Green Bank Telescope
radio telescope. The Radio Quiet Zone is a rectangle of land approximately 13000 square miles (33,669.8 km²) in size that straddles the border area of Virginia
and West Virginia
. It includes all land with latitudes between 37.5°N and 39.25°N and longitudes between 78.5°W and 80.5°W. This area was chosen because it has a hilly topography that screens out most incoming radio signals, allowing the Green Bank telescopes to receive signals that are otherwise too low in power to be heard over the normal radio background in North America
.
The National Radio Quiet Zone also protects the antennas and receivers of the U.S. Navy Information Operations Command (NIOC) at Sugar Grove, West Virginia
. The NIOC at Sugar Grove has long been the location of electronic intelligence gathering systems, and is today said to be a key station in the ECHELON
system operated by the National Security Agency
(NSA).
The Radio Quiet Zone was established by the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) in 1958 to protect the observatory's radio telescope
s from harmful interference. Omnidirectional and high-power transmissions are very restricted. Furthermore, fixed radio links are often built as tight-beamed directional links that do not illuminate the sensitive radio telescopes and electronic intelligence-gathering stations there.
Not all radio transmissions are prohibited in the Radio Quiet Zone. For example Citizen's Band radios, police and ambulance radios, and fire department radios are used there. However, large radio transmitter owners must typically coordinate their operations with representatives of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory
and the U.S. Department of Defense. The Allegheny Mountain Radio
company operates the only broadcast radio stations in the inner core of the Quiet Zone, with just one station in the AM band, and several low-power FM stations. Most radio transmitters within the area are licensed by the FCC (just as they are in the rest of the United States
). Exceptions to the Radio Quiet Zone restrictions are usually determined on a case-by-case basis, with preference given to public safety concerns, such as remote alarm systems, repeaters for first responders, and NOAA Weather Radio. Due to the restrictions, the area has attracted people who believe they suffer from Electromagnetic hypersensitivity
.
Clarksburg, West Virginia
, and Lynchburg, Virginia
, are just outside the Quiet Zone.
National Radio Astronomy Observatory
The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is a Federally Funded Research and Development Center of the United States National Science Foundation operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc for the purpose of radio astronomy...
(NRAO) at Green Bank, West Virginia
Green Bank, West Virginia
Green Bank is a census-designated place in Pocahontas County in West Virginia's Potomac Highlands inside the Allegheny Mountain Range. Green Bank is located along WV 28. Green Bank is also close to the Snowshoe Mountain ski resort...
, and especially the large Green Bank Telescope
Green Bank Telescope
The Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope is the world's largest fully steerable radio telescope and the world's largest land-based movable structure. It is part of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory site at Green Bank, West Virginia, USA. The telescope honors the name of the late Senator...
radio telescope. The Radio Quiet Zone is a rectangle of land approximately 13000 square miles (33,669.8 km²) in size that straddles the border area of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
and West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
. It includes all land with latitudes between 37.5°N and 39.25°N and longitudes between 78.5°W and 80.5°W. This area was chosen because it has a hilly topography that screens out most incoming radio signals, allowing the Green Bank telescopes to receive signals that are otherwise too low in power to be heard over the normal radio background in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
.
The National Radio Quiet Zone also protects the antennas and receivers of the U.S. Navy Information Operations Command (NIOC) at Sugar Grove, West Virginia
Sugar Grove, West Virginia
Sugar Grove is an American government communications site located in Pendleton County, West Virginia operated by the National Security Agency. According to a in the New York Times, the site intercepts all international communications entering the Eastern United States.The site was first developed...
. The NIOC at Sugar Grove has long been the location of electronic intelligence gathering systems, and is today said to be a key station in the ECHELON
ECHELON
ECHELON is a name used in global media and in popular culture to describe a signals intelligence collection and analysis network operated on behalf of the five signatory states to the UK–USA Security Agreement...
system operated by the National Security Agency
National Security Agency
The National Security Agency/Central Security Service is a cryptologic intelligence agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the collection and analysis of foreign communications and foreign signals intelligence, as well as protecting U.S...
(NSA).
The Radio Quiet Zone was established by the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
(FCC) in 1958 to protect the observatory's radio telescope
Radio telescope
A radio telescope is a form of directional radio antenna used in radio astronomy. The same types of antennas are also used in tracking and collecting data from satellites and space probes...
s from harmful interference. Omnidirectional and high-power transmissions are very restricted. Furthermore, fixed radio links are often built as tight-beamed directional links that do not illuminate the sensitive radio telescopes and electronic intelligence-gathering stations there.
Not all radio transmissions are prohibited in the Radio Quiet Zone. For example Citizen's Band radios, police and ambulance radios, and fire department radios are used there. However, large radio transmitter owners must typically coordinate their operations with representatives of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory
National Radio Astronomy Observatory
The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is a Federally Funded Research and Development Center of the United States National Science Foundation operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc for the purpose of radio astronomy...
and the U.S. Department of Defense. The Allegheny Mountain Radio
Allegheny Mountain Radio
Allegheny Mountain Radio or AMR is a network of Full Service and Freeform formatted broadcast radio stations.The stations broadcast from and to Pocahontas and Pendleton Counties in West Virginia and Bath and Highland Counties in Virginia....
company operates the only broadcast radio stations in the inner core of the Quiet Zone, with just one station in the AM band, and several low-power FM stations. Most radio transmitters within the area are licensed by the FCC (just as they are in the rest of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
). Exceptions to the Radio Quiet Zone restrictions are usually determined on a case-by-case basis, with preference given to public safety concerns, such as remote alarm systems, repeaters for first responders, and NOAA Weather Radio. Due to the restrictions, the area has attracted people who believe they suffer from Electromagnetic hypersensitivity
Electromagnetic hypersensitivity
Idiopathic environmental intolerance attributed to electromagnetic fields is a set of claims of adverse medical symptoms purportedly caused by exposure to electromagnetic fields. Other terms for IEI-EMF include electromagnetic hypersensitivity , electrohypersensitivity, electro-sensitivity, and...
.
Virginia
- Western Albemarle CountyAlbemarle County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 79,236 people, 31,876 households, and 21,070 families residing in the county. The population density was 110 people per square mile . There were 33,720 housing units at an average density of 47 per square mile...
- Alleghany CountyAlleghany County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 12,926 people, 5,149 households, and 3,866 families residing in the county. The population density was 29 people per square mile . There were 5,812 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile...
- Amherst CountyAmherst County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 31,894 people, 11,941 households, and 8,645 families residing in the county. The population density was 67 people per square mile . There were 12,958 housing units at an average density of 27 per square mile...
, except for the southern quarter - Extreme northern Appomattox CountyAppomattox County, VirginiaAppomattox County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 14,973. Its county seat is Appomattox. For a long time, Appomattox was a prohibition or dry county...
- Augusta CountyAugusta County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 65,615 people, 24,818 households, and 18,911 families residing in the county. The population density was 68 people per square mile . There were 26,738 housing units at an average density of 28 per square mile...
- Bath CountyBath County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 5,048 people, 2,053 households, and 1,451 families residing in the county. The population density was 10 people per square mile . There were 2,896 housing units at an average density of 5 per square mile...
- Extreme northern Bedford CountyBedford County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 60,371 people, 23,838 households, and 18,164 families residing in the county. The population density was 80 people per square mile . There were 26,841 housing units at an average density of 36 per square mile...
- Northern Botetourt CountyBotetourt County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 30,496 people, 11,700 households, and 9,114 families residing in the county. The population density was 56 people per square mile . There were 12,571 housing units at an average density of 23 per square mile...
- Northwestern Buckingham County
- Northern Craig CountyCraig County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 5,091 people, 2,060 households, and 1,507 families residing in the county. The population density was 15 people per square mile . There were 2,554 housing units at an average density of 8 per square mile...
- Western Greene CountyGreene County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there are 15,244 people, 5,574 households, and 4,291 families residing in the county. The population density is 97 people per square mile . There are 5,986 housing units at an average density of 38 per square mile...
- Highland CountyHighland County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 2,536 people, 1,131 households, and 764 families residing in the county. The population density was 6 people per square mile . There were 1,822 housing units at an average density of 4 per square mile...
- Nelson CountyNelson County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 14,445 people, 5,887 households, and 4,144 families residing in the county. The population density was 31 people per square mile . There were 8,554 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile...
- Western Page CountyPage County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 23,177 people, 9,305 households, and 6,634 families residing in the county. The population density was 74 people per square mile . There were 10,557 housing units at an average density of 34 per square mile...
- Rockbridge CountyRockbridge County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 20,808 people, 8,486 households, and 6,075 families residing in the county. The population density was 35 people per square mile . There were 9,550 housing units at an average density of 16 per square mile...
- Rockingham CountyRockingham County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 67,725 people, 25,355 households, and 18,889 families residing in the county. The population density was 80 people per square mile . There were 27,328 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
, except for a small area in the extreme eastern part - Western Shenandoah CountyShenandoah County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 35,075 people, 14,296 households, and 10,064 families residing in the county. The population density was 68 people per square mile . There were 16,709 housing units at an average density of 33 per square mile...
West Virginia
- Barbour CountyBarbour County, West VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there are 15,557 people, 6,123 households, and 4,365 families residing in the county. The population density is 46 people per square mile . There are 7,348 housing units at an average density of 22 per square mile...
, except for a small area in the north - Extreme eastern Braxton County
- Grant CountyGrant County, West VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 11,299 people, 4,591 households, and 3,273 families residing in the county. The population density was 24 people per square mile . There were 6,105 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile...
, except for an area in the north - Eastern Greenbrier CountyGreenbrier County, West VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 34,453 people, 14,571 households, and 9,922 families residing in the county. The population density was 34 people per square mile . There were 17,644 housing units at an average density of 17 per square mile...
- Southwestern Hampshire CountyHampshire County, West VirginiaHampshire County is a county located in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 23,964. Its county seat is Romney, West Virginia's oldest town . Hampshire County was created by the Virginia General Assembly on December 13, 1753, from parts of Frederick and Augusta counties ...
- Hardy CountyHardy County, West VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 12,669 people, 5,204 households, and 3,564 families residing in the county. The population density was 22 people per square mile . There were 7,115 housing units at an average density of 12 per square mile...
- Southeastern Harrison CountyHarrison County, West VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 68,652 people, 27,867 households, and 19,088 families residing in the county. The population density was 165 people per square mile . There were 31,112 housing units at an average density of 75 per square mile...
- Eastern Lewis CountyLewis County, West VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 16,919 people, 6,946 households, and 4,806 families residing in the county. The population density was 44 people per square mile . There were 7,944 housing units at an average density of 21 per square mile...
- Extreme southern Mineral CountyMineral County, West VirginiaMineral County is a county located in the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 28,212. Its county seat is Keyser.-Ancient history:...
- Northeastern and east central Monroe CountyMonroe County, West VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 14,583 people, 5,447 households, and 3,883 families residing in the county. The population density was 31 people per square mile . There were 7,267 housing units at an average density of 15 per square mile...
- Extreme eastern Nicholas County
- Pendleton CountyPendleton County, West VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 8,196 people, 3,350 households, and 2,355 families residing in the county. The population density was 12 people per square mile . There were 5,102 housing units at an average density of 7 per square mile...
- Pocahontas CountyPocahontas County, West VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 9,131 people, 835 households, and 527 families residing in the county. The population density was 10 people per square mile . There were 7,594 housing units at an average density of 8 per square mile...
- Two areas in extreme southwestern and southeastern Preston CountyPreston County, West VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 29,334 people, 11,544 households, and 8,357 families residing in the county. The population density was 45 people per square mile . There were 13,444 housing units at an average density of 21 per square mile...
- Randolph CountyRandolph County, West VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 28,262 people, 11,072 households, and 7,661 families residing in the county. The population density was 27 people per square mile . There were 13,478 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile...
- Extreme southern Taylor CountyTaylor County, West VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 16,089 people, 6,320 households, and 4,487 families residing in the county. The population density was 93 people per square mile . There were 7,125 housing units at an average density of 41 per square mile...
- Tucker CountyTucker County, West VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 7,321 people, 3,052 households, and 2,121 families residing in the county. The population density was 18 people per square mile . There were 4,634 housing units at an average density of 11 per square mile...
, except for an area in the extreme northern part - Upshur CountyUpshur County, West VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 23,404 people, 8,972 households, and 6,352 families residing in the county. The population density was 66 people per square mile . There were 10,751 housing units at an average density of 30 per square mile...
- Central and eastern Webster County
Virginia
- Buena VistaBuena Vista, VirginiaBuena Vista is an independent city located within the confines of Rockbridge County, Virginia. The population was 6,650 in 2010. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Buena Vista with Rockbridge county for statistical purposes.-Geography:Buena Vista is located at...
- The western half of CharlottesvilleCharlottesville, VirginiaCharlottesville is an independent city geographically surrounded by but separate from Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of King George III of the United Kingdom.The official population estimate for...
, including much of the University of VirginiaUniversity of VirginiaThe University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
Grounds - CovingtonCovington, VirginiaCovington is an independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia, located at the confluence of Jackson River and Dunlap Creek. It is in Alleghany County where it is also the county seat. The population was 5,961 in 2010. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Covington with Alleghany...
- HarrisonburgHarrisonburg, VirginiaHarrisonburg is an independent city in the Shenandoah Valley region of Virginia in the United States. Its population as of 2010 is 48,914, and at the 2000 census, 40,468. Harrisonburg is the county seat of Rockingham County and the core city of the Harrisonburg, Virginia Metropolitan Statistical...
- LexingtonLexington, VirginiaLexington is an independent city within the confines of Rockbridge County in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 7,042 in 2010. Lexington is about 55 minutes east of the West Virginia border and is about 50 miles north of Roanoke, Virginia. It was first settled in 1777.It is home to...
- StauntonStaunton, VirginiaStaunton is an independent city within the confines of Augusta County in the commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 23,746 as of 2010. It is the county seat of Augusta County....
- WaynesboroWaynesboro, VirginiaWaynesboro, deriving its name from General Anthony Wayne, is an independent city surrounded by Augusta County in the U.S. state of Virginia. The population was 21,006 in 2010.....
West Virginia
- BuckhannonBuckhannon, West VirginiaBuckhannon is the only incorporated city in, and the county seat of, Upshur County, West Virginia, United States, and is located along the Buckhannon River. The population was 5,725 at the 2000 census. Buckhannon is home to West Virginia Wesleyan College and the West Virginia Strawberry Festival,...
- ElkinsElkins, West VirginiaElkins is a city in Randolph County, West Virginia, United States. The community was incorporated in 1890 and named in honor of Stephen Benton Elkins , a U.S. Senator from West Virginia. The population was 7,032 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Randolph County...
- LewisburgLewisburg, West VirginiaLewisburg is a city in Greenbrier County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 3,830 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Greenbrier County.-Geography:Lewisburg is located at ....
- White Sulphur SpringsWhite Sulphur Springs, West VirginiaWhite Sulphur Springs is a city in Greenbrier County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 2,444 at the 2010 census.-Geography:White Sulphur Springs is located at ....
Clarksburg, West Virginia
Clarksburg, West Virginia
Clarksburg is a city in and the county seat of Harrison County, West Virginia, United States, in the north-central region of the state. It is the principal city of the Clarksburg, WV Micropolitan Statistical Area...
, and Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 75,568 as of 2010. Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains along the banks of the James River, Lynchburg is known as the "City of Seven Hills" or "The Hill City." Lynchburg was the only major city in...
, are just outside the Quiet Zone.