These examples use the real search pages. Classic view is the default. The records are the FCC's public ULS bulk files, updated daily; this site is unofficial and is not affiliated with the FCC. Background on the data is on About.
To list active stations from 450 to 470 MHz with a transmitter site in Maricopa County, Arizona, open this Advanced / Geographic result:
450–470 MHz, Maricopa County, AZ, active
The parameters are freqMode=range, freqLo and freqHi in MHz, state=AZ, county=Maricopa (the county name, without the word County), and status=A for Active. The same fields are on the Advanced / Geographic form. Leave every status box unchecked when you also want expired and canceled licenses.
The Site / Market / Frequency search answers the same question. State and county apply to the transmitter site, and Begin plus End is the range in the units you select (MHz here):
Site search: Arizona, Maricopa, 450–470 MHz
Begin alone, with no End, matches that one frequency (within 0.5 kHz). County matching ignores case. Check “Format output for raw data export” on the site form for a CSV download (up to 25,000 licenses).
The Callsign search lists active licenses only. This example looks up WQNY249:
Wildcard Search, on by default, treats the text as the start of the call sign. A * matches any characters, so WQNY* and *249 both work. Results are still active licenses only.
The ULS License Search looks up a call sign in every status. Exact call sign:
End the term with * for “starts with” (searchTerm=WQNY*). The same form searches a licensee name or an FRN when Search By is changed. In the modern view (?view=modern, or the Modern link in the top bar) the same call sign is /?call=WQNY249&view=modern.
On Site / Market / Frequency, the Co-channel Check block takes a frequency in MHz, a radius in miles, and the location already entered above it (decimal degrees, degrees/minutes/seconds, or a street address). Co-channel lists other active licenses on that frequency. Adjacent lists active licenses exactly one channel spacing above it and one spacing below it, not the center frequency. Spacings are 12.5, 25, 50, 100, 200, and 400 kHz. Distances are straight-line miles. The result includes a map of the matching sites.
Example: 453.0000 MHz within 25 miles of downtown Phoenix (33.4484, −112.0740), co-channel:
Co-channel 453.0000 MHz, 25 miles, Phoenix
On a license's Frequencies tab, a frequency whose location has coordinates has a Co-channel link. That link opens the same check with the site filled in and that license left out (exclude_usi).
A result links to /classic/license/ plus the ULS system id. The Main tab shows the call sign, the radio service code and its name, status, grant and expiration, the FRN, and the licensee. Code names are on the radio service codes page. An 800/900 MHz market-area SMR license (YC, YH, or YD) also shows market code, market name, channel block, and the lower and upper frequency. A point-and-radius search uses transmitter sites; most of those market licenses have none, so they do not show up in a radius search.
The Frequencies tab lists each assigned frequency with its station class code, the mobile-unit count (the Units column), output power, and maximum ERP. Both power columns are watts. FB is a base, FB2 is a mobile relay (repeater), FX1 is a control station, and MO is a mobile. A last letter can add a use: C is interconnect, I is itinerant. The Classic tab shows the code; the modern license view also prints the words. The full class and suffix list is on the radio service codes page.
The Emissions tab lists the emission designator as it was filed. SpectrumLookup does not translate it. Read the bandwidth first: the letter H, K, M, or G is the decimal point, so 11K2 is 11.2 kHz and 7K60 is 7.60 kHz. The next three characters are the emission. For 11K2F3E, F is frequency modulation, 3 is one analog channel, and E is telephony (a typical analog FM voice channel). For 7K60FXE, F is frequency modulation, X is “cases not otherwise covered,” and E is telephony (a designator often filed on DMR). A last character of D is data. The Map tab plots transmitter locations that have coordinates.
Each license page has Download PDF: Classic and Modern. For system id 3301544 the addresses are Classic PDF and Modern PDF (/classic/license/3301544.pdf?style=classic or style=modern). Replace 3301544 with the system id from the license you have open. The PDF is an unofficial copy for reading and printing. It is not an FCC authorization. The same line on the license page links to the official FCC ULS record.
I'm Ty Calta, KF4DLA, Director of Service and Engineering at one of the largest Motorola dealers in the US. I'm a former Motorolan who traveled the world fixing broken radio systems, and I've worked in land mobile radio for more than 28 years. I specialize in MOTOTRBO, with many years on Capacity Max. I enjoy troubleshooting radio systems and coverage problems and helping people sort out radio issues. You can reach me at radio@spectrumlookup.com or on LinkedIn. Please mention SpectrumLookup and your ZIP code so your message doesn't end up in my spam folder.