Band plan

Related Wiki pages Records - Distance, Emergency Frequencies, Propagation, Antennas, Electromagnetic Waves

Band Ranges

• HF 3 MHz to 30 MHz
• VHF 30 MHz to 300 MHz
• UHF 300 MHz to 3 000 MHz (3GHz)
• Microwave and other bands above 3 GHz

ITU Frequency Regions

• LF 30 - 300 kHz
• MF 300 kHz - 3 MHz
• HF 3 - 30 MHz (aka shortwave)
• VHF 30 - 300 MHz
• UHF 300 MHz - 3000 MHz (3 GHz)
• SHF 3,000 - 30,000 MHz

There's a much more comprehensive page at RadioIng.com eEngineer

HF Bands

There are a number of amateur HF bands used worldwide, although the bands and frequencies legally available vary from country to country.

HF bands used today include 160 metres, 80 metres, 60 metres, 40 metres, 30 metres, 20 metres, 17 metres, 15 metres, and 10 metres. (Although 160 meters is often considered a Medium Frequency (MF) band, it can be lumped in with the HF bands for simplicity.)

VHF/UHF/Microwave Bands

Related wiki pages: Tropospheric ducting, Meteor scatter, Aurora

VHF, UHF, and Microwave bands and frequencies available to amateurs vary more widely from country to country than HF bands do.

Amateur bands used today include 6 metres, 4 metres, 2 metres, 1.25 metres, 70 centimetres, 33 centimetres, 23 centimetres, 13 centimetres, 9 centimetres, 6 centimetres 3 centimetres, 1.25 centimetres and Bands above 24GHz.

Band Plans

Within three regions around the world, different "plans" are agreed upon by Amateur Radio Operators to divide up the authorized band into sections. Each section is targeted to a specific operating mode (e.g., SSB, FM, Digital, etc).

Region Band Plans

From the IARU website.

Region 1 encompasses Africa, the Mediterranean, Europe, and Asiatic Russia

• IARU Region 1 website

Region 2 encompasses North America, South America, and Greenland

• IARU Region 2 website

Region 3 encompasses India, Australia, Southeast Asia, China, Japan, New Zealand, and Pacific nations.

• IARU Region 3 website

Country Band Plans (Alphabetical)

• The Australian band plan (.pdf) from the Wireless Institute of Australia
• The Canadian band plan (.html) from Radio Amateurs Canada
• The New Zealand Band Plan can be found at NZART
• The United Kingdom band plan (.pdf and .html) from the Radio Society of Great Britain
• The United States Band Plan

Extended Electromagnetic Spectrum Information

Boundary frequency and wavelength	Name	Notes
0Hz - 30Hz	un-named
10Mm - 1Mm 30-300Hz	Extra Low Frequency – ELF	Mains power is in this range usually 50Hz or 60Hz
1Mm - 100km 300Hz-3kHz	Super Low Frequency - SLF Voice	Most useful voice is in this range although frequencies outside may be audible
100km - 10km 3-30kHz	Very Low Frequency - VLF	Omega navigation system 10kHz and 14kHz
10km - 1km 30-300kHz	Low Frequency - LF	Some Radio navigation beacons in this band
1km - 100m 300kHz-3MHz	Medium frequency - MF	AM broadcast radio stations 160m ham band, marine
100m - 10m 3-30MHz	High Frequency - HF	AM CB at 27MHz 10m, 12m, 15m, 17m, 20m, 30m, 40m, 80m ham bands
10m - 1m 30-300MHz	Very High Frequency – VHF	FM broadcast stations VHF marine, aviation, 2m, 6m ham bands, VHF TV in some countries
1m-10cm 300MHz-3GHz	Ultra High Frequency - UHF	UHF CB, FRS/GMRS, Mobile phones UHF TV, Microwave ovens 1.25m, 70cm, 23cm ham bands
10cm - 1cm 3-30GHz	Super High Frequency – SHF microwave	3 cm, 1.25 cm ham bands
1cm - 1mm 30-300GHz	Extra High Frequency – EHF
1mm - 100µm	Infrared
1µm 300THz	Visible light
	Ultra Violet

Bands
HF and MF	160 metres * 80 metres* 60 metres * 40 metres * 30 metres * 20 metres * 17 metres * 15 metres * 12 metres * 10 metres
VHF	6 metres * 4 metres * 2 metres * 1.25 metres
UHF	70 centimetres * 33 centimetres * 23 centimetres * 13 centimetres
Microwave	9 centimetres * 6 centimetres * 3 centimetres * 1.25 centimetres * Bands above 24GHz
See also	US bandplan