Institute for Telecommunication Sciences / Research / Table Mountain / TM Home

Welcome to the Table Mountain Field Site and Radio Quiet Zone

The Table Mountain Field Site and Radio Quiet Zone is located approximately 15 km north of the Department of Commerce campus in Boulder, CO. The site is approximately 4 km (2.5 miles) in a north-south direction by 2.4 km (1.5 miles) east-west and has an area of approximately 680 hectares (1,700 acres). While Table Mountain is owned by the Department of Commerce, ITS has been designated to oversee site management and operations. Table Mountain is expansive enough to support a multitude of radio frequency and non–radio frequency research programs overseen by ITS, NIST, NOAA, and the U.S. Geological Survey.

This aerial view of Table Mountain showcases the large flat mesa with a few man-made structures.

Due to its location and unique geology, Table Mountain is well suited for conducting radio frequency research and science. The soil is homogeneous and free of inconsistent radio wave scatterers. The topology is that of a flat-top butte with uniform 2% slope. There are no perimeter obstructions, only a few man-made structures, and power lines are buried. To preserve this rare asset, Table Mountain is protected by law as one of only two federally mandated radio quiet zones within the United States where external signals are restricted by state law and federal regulation.

Since 1954, Table Mountain has provided an ideal environment for the sensitive experiments performed by ITS researchers, federal agency partners, academic institutions, and industry. In 2023 Table Mountain hosted multiple C-band 5G base stations which were used to perform national priority research into the potential for 5G interference to radar altimeters on aircraft.

Current ITS research activities at Table Mountain include 3 GHz and mmWave radio wave propagation measurements, precise measurements of radiated emissions of transmitters, and the assessment of the interactions between disparate spectrum-dependent systems such as radars and both commercial and federal telecommunications and telemetry systems.

Anyone wishing to make use of the Table Mountain facilities should refer to the protocols for accessing the Table Mountain Field Site and Radio Quiet Zone.