This splinter session aims at discussing some presently urgent issues identified for ground-based space weather observations, both for instrument networks and single instruments. Several common issues have been recognized in preceding discussions throughout the year 2023: in particular at the EGU n Vienna, during the Space Weather Coordination Summit in Geneve, and at the European Space Weather Week in Toulouse.

Such common issues include the need of coordinated and durable financial support for the maintenance and continued operation of such networks; their spatial densification and expansion, and a modernization to higher temporal resolution data, as required by the expressed future needs of space weather operations. The pending transition of such ground-based assets from best effort operations, traditionally serving mostly science needs, to 24/7 real time operations, serving future space weather needs, is another commonly raised item of concern.

Recently the question of available frequencies (and their protection) both for active radar-operations and passive observations of radio-emissions from the sun has been recognized as a high-priority discussion item. Ground based radar systems represent a highly valuable operational space weather entity , however, the security of their operational frequency ranges is not certain. At the same time, passive observations of solar emissions will require clean access to full “bands of frequencies”. In both cases, we start to see the case for increased frequency protection for the benefit of both SWx user- and science-communities alike.

The session will provide a brief overview of some of the above points for further discussion and will look to identify some common actions, including the formal entities to carry these actions forward.