Orbit spectrum is a spectrum that became available due to the placement of artificial satellites in orbit. This orbit spectrum, more commonly called the satellite spectrum, is a limited and precious natural resource for every country. In order to ensure optimum utilization of orbit spectrum, the national administrations of countries worldwide undertake regular monitoring exercises. It is this orbit spectrum which is being used by different service providers to impart satellite based broadcasting, telecommunication and meteorological services. To ensure good quality of services to millions of users, it is necessary that this orbit spectrum should be used by service providers as per terms and conditions approved by the Government. Regulatory measures are required to be enforced for efficient and legal usage of spectrum. This practice of regulating the spectrum within the limits of permissions or licenses is considered to be a part of spectrum management.
Orbit spectrum also requires management which in turn needs effective spectrum monitoring exercises to enforce regulatory measures for ensuring violation free usage of spectrum resource. There could be many examples of such spectrum monitoring exercises undertaken by different countries around the world. One such initiative is Mission Orbit Spectrum by International Satellite Monitoring Earth Station (ISMES), Jalna Maharashtra India. It was launched under the leadership of Mr. Ajay Singhal (IRRS), Head of ISMES Jalna since 19 February 2013.
During this mission, ISMES exposed the gross irregularities in the usage of satellite spectrum allocated to big named satellite service providers across the country. Approximately, there have been 60 cases of violation during the first six months of 2014.
Since satellite spectrum is precious and scarce natural resources for the country, its usage is governed through certain technical and financial terms and conditions laid down in the licenses issued by the Indian government, as per the provisions of Indian Telegraphy Act 1885 and Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act 1933.
The impact of this mission was nationwide as it was targeted against different types of satellite based services imparting services to millions of end users. This mission has been appreciated by Wireless Monitoring Organisation Ministry of Communications & Information Technology, Government of India in August 2014. It has also been nominated for Prime Minister's award for excellence in public administration in India for the year 2013 – 14.
In November 2015, the man behind this innovative mission was conferred with Gfiles Governance Award for Exceptional Contribution.
Orbit spectrum initiative by Mr. Ajay Singhal found a place in Limca Book of records in January 2016. During this initiative, a very low cost satellite spectrum monitoring facility is developed using manual steerable dish antenna system named Small Wonder and software database named SAJAG for preserving the outcome of spectrum monitoring. Mr.Singhal along with another IRRS officer Onkar Nath has set a National record for Limca Book. The unprecedented success of this initiative in highlighting the cases of violation in the usage of satellite spectrum and subsequent remedial actions taken by the satellite service providers has been widely recognized.
They have developed a manually steerable dish antenna alignment system using only a 2.4 meter dish. It is also fitted with polarizer unit. This system is named SMALL WONDER as it has been used to monitor different types of satellite services like DTH, Teleport, DSNG, Captive VSAT service, Commercial VSAT etc in C and Ku bands. The success of this low-cost initiative by Mr. Ajay Singhal has earned him the tag of ‘Spectrum Man’ and a place in Limca Book of Records in January 2017.