Without Compromising National Radio Quiet Zone Protections
NSF/NSA-commissioned engineering study concludes it is possible to improve emergency communications within the National Radio Quiet Zone at the Green Bank Observatory and the Sugar Grove Research Station without impacting the mission of these sites. A variety of technical options are presented and explored.
FRANKLIN, W.Va. — Pendleton County Emergency Management in partnership with Pocahontas County 911/Emergency Management today announced the findings of a major new federal engineering study examining how the National Radio Quiet Zone (NRQZ) affects public safety radio and communications systems in Pendleton and Pocahontas Counties.
The study, prepared by CTA Consultants LLC and Roberson & Associates, LLC, as part of the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) – National Security Agency (NSA) “NRQZ Modernization Effort,” confirms what local first responders have long experienced: gaps in radio coverage that put residents, visitors, and emergency personnel at risk. But it also delivers welcome news — there are technical solutions that can result in greatly improved coverage, protecting both public safety and the federal missions the Quiet Zone was created to serve.
The NRQZ was established in 1958 to shield two federally significant facilities from radio frequency interference: the Green Bank Observatory (GBO), operated under the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) in Pocahontas County, and the Sugar Grove Research Station (SGRS), operated by the NSA in Pendleton County. The zone spans roughly 13,000 square miles across Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland, and touches 37 counties and seven Virginia cities.
KEY FINDINGS: COVERAGE FALLS SHORT, BUT THE FIX DOESN’T HAVE TO COST
THE QUIET ZONE ITS “QUIET”
The study’s Needs Analysis found that Pendleton County’s existing public safety radio infrastructure delivers only about 47% mobile and 49% portable radio coverage countywide, while Pocahontas County showed 71% mobile and only 13% portable coverage — far below the nationwide 95% coverage standard expected of a modern public safety system. Large sections of the counties, particularly in rugged and low-lying terrain, currently have little to no reliable radio service, forcing first responders to operate without confidence that they can call for help or coordinate a response when it matters most. The study also found that some of the challenges faced are not unique to the NRQZ, but are similar to other counties with rugged terrain and low population densities.
Critically, the study’s Impact Analysis found that these shortfalls are not the result of incompatibility between public safety needs and federal protection requirements — they identified that strategically located towers and adding a VHF capability and dual-band radios can get us to 95% coverage without impacting the federal missions.
Additionally, the study identified some modest potential gains with updated modeling and propagation tools used by the NRQZ to determine tower site limitations, although these alone are not sufficient to meet the national 95% coverage goal.
The bottom line: The study concludes that adding strategically located towers in Pendleton and Pocahontas Counties, expanded VHF-Band capabilities, and adding dual-band UHF/VHF radios can provide the necessary emergency communications and interoperability. Importantly, the recommended improvements can be implemented while remaining within the interference limits established to protect the Green Bank Observatory and Sugar Grove Research Station. Better coverage and continued federal protection are not competing goals, but complementary ones. Investments are recommended and the study notes that they would have longevity.
A RECOMMENDED PATH FORWARD
Based on its analysis, the study recommends that Pendleton County continue its ongoing implementation of a VHF radio system for initial notification of personnel and for back-up communications to the WV SIRN System (Statewide Interoperable Radio Network). And, it recommended an expansion of Pocahontas County’s VHF System. State and County officials have requested that federal officials relax their current restrictions imposed on several UHF-Band WV SIRN System towers in counties throughout the NRQZ.
The study also identifies that a holistic approach to identifying tower locations can result in improved coverage with fewer towers and overall lower costs— translating directly into lower construction and long-term maintenance costs for the counties.
FEDERAL SUPPORT
NEEDED FOR ALL QUIET ZONE COUNTIES
The study is direct about what stands between these findings and real-world results: federal recognition and funding. Both Pendleton and Pocahontas Counties are low-population, large geographic areas, with extreme terrain variances, facing declining populations and tax bases. This makes it difficult for either county to fund a public safety-grade radio system that requires additional NRQZ standards without outside help. Both support large numbers of visitors and tourists which increase their public safety demands.
The Study results found that WiFi-capable radios, paired with Starlink roving systems, can provide some supplemental radio system coverage, however, the testing demonstrated that Starlink does not provide the level of consistent and reliable connectivity required for use as a primary public safety communications system. The voice tests via radios linked with Starlink revealed signal interruptions due to terrain and tree canopy obstructions with an average 65% failure rate in both counties. It does enhance the delivery of EMS patient data beyond the small areas of cellular wireless phone systems coverage.
COUNTY OFFICIAL QUOTES
Rick Gillespie, Pendleton County Emergency Services Coordinator, said, “We are optimistic after having met with federal officials at the end of August. The study reflects the fact that there is genuine interest in finding solutions to these issues. Our primary concern is with timing. We need this to move along on an accelerated timeline, since the Study and its release took over two years. Each day we wait to address these radio system coverage gaps, we are exposed to potentially fatal consequences. I am confident that we are moving toward permanent solutions.
Any modernization of the NRQZ’s protection criteria, and any new federal assistance in helping us meet these federally-mandated restrictions inside the Quiet Zone would be much appreciated. The conversion of their modeling software is a low-cost partial solution to the problem.”
Gillespie further stated, “For years, our first responders have done their jobs knowing there are places in this county and region where the radio simply doesn’t work. This study proves what we’ve been saying all along – that we can close those gaps without putting the Quiet Zone agencies at risk. Now we need to promptly act as a team on these findings showing that teamwork will result in enhanced mission capabilities of all concerned.”
Pocahontas County 911/EM Director Ben Brown added, “Over the past 100 years, emergency communications and 911 technology have transformed the way people call for help and how first responders communicate. Yet many areas of Pocahontas County continue to face significant gaps in reliable emergency and public wireless systems.”
“The findings of the two-year communications study provide clear evidence that these gaps exist throughout our region and reinforce the need for them to be addressed as soon as possible. In today’s world, reliable communication is not simply a convenience—it is a lifeline for our citizens and the first responders who serve them.”
“We recognize and respect the important scientific mission of the National Radio Quiet Zone, but scientific advancement and public safety should not come at the expense of one another. We must work together to find solutions that protect that mission while ensuring our citizens can call for help and our responders can communicate when every second matters.”
Pendleton County and Pocahontas County authorities extend a special thanks and appreciation for the support of our federal delegation, especially Sen. Capito, who specifically requested this study occur. Additionally, we wish to thank the U.S. National Science Foundation, the National Security Agency, CTA Consultants LLC, Roberson & Associates, LLC, the Green Bank Observatory, and the Sugar Grove Research Station, for their cooperation throughout this study.
