Threats to radio astronomy: now and the future

Radio astronomy is a non-commercial, passive user of the radio frequency spectrum. It is also the branch of fundamental scientific research that provides us with the most useful data on the origins of our universe. The recent and planned growth in radio communications systems presents a real threat to the future of radio astronomy as a viable scientific discipline. This paper attempts to put the problem of radio interference in perspective with regards to radio astronomy, and presents the case for the increased protection of the spectral bands allocated to radio astronomy.