Amateur radio

From HFUnderground

Badge of the International Amateur Radio Union

Amateur radio is a service available in nearly all countries, allowing individuals to operate two-way radios and engage in communications as a hobby. A license is required and is obtained by passing a test demonstrating adequate knowledge of Rules and Regulations, Operation of Equipment, Propagation, and more. There are typically multiple license classes, with each one up granting more privileges and having a more difficult test. Many different modes and bands are used. It is internationally represented and coordinated by the International Amateur Radio Union and each country has its own organization (such as the American Radio Relay League in the USA). Amateur radio has secondary allocation in some bands.

Amateur Radio Bands MF/HF

• 1800 kHz - 2000 kHz - 160 meter band/160 meters
• 3500 kHz - 4000 kHz - 80 meter band (top portion is often called 75 meters) and is shared with broadcasting
• 5330.5 kHz - 60 meter band (channelized, "center frequency" 5331.9 kHz)
• 5346.5 kHz - 60 meter band dial frequency (channelized, "center frequency" 5347.9 kHz)
• 5357.0 kHz - 60 meter band dial frequency (channelized, "center frequency" 5358.4 kHz)
• 5371.5 kHz - 60 meter band dial frequency (channelized, "center frequency" 5372.9 kHz)
• 5403.5 kHz - 60 meter band dial frequency (channelized, "center frequency" 5404.9 kHz)
• 7000 kHz - 7300 kHz - 40 meter band, 7100-7300 kHz is shared with shortwave broadcasting outside of the Americas
• 10100 kHz - 10150 kHz - 30 meter band (CW and digital modes only, no voice permitted)
• 14000 kHz - 14350 kHz - 20 meter band
• 18068 kHz - 18168 kHz - 17 meter band, shared with the fixed service in many countries
• 21000 kHz - 21450 kHz - 15 meter band
• 24890 kHz - 24990 kHz - 12 meter band
• 28000 kHz - 29700 kHz - 10 meter band - shared with land mobile, marine mobile and other services in some areas

Amateur Radio Bands VHF UHF and up

• 40 MHz band - 8 meter band (only available in some countries, shared with VHF land mobile, Part 15 and Short Range Device (SRD) services, ISM devices 40.66-40.70 MHz and military tactical radio) 40.675 MHz and 40.685 MHz beacon frequencies
• 50-54 MHz - 6 meter band (50-51 MHz or 50-52 MHz in some countries)
• 70 MHz band - 4 meter band (69 MHz, 70 MHz band, only available in some countries, shared with OIRT FM broadcast band)
• 144-148 MHz - 2 meter band (144-146 MHz only in many countries) - most popular VHF ham radio band
• 222-225 MHz - 1.25 meter band (220-225 MHz in some areas), only available in some countries, shared service in others
• 420-450 MHz - 70cm band (usually much smaller band allocation in most areas/countries, including all of Europe)
• 902-902 MHz - 33cm band or 900 MHz band (shared with Part 15 services, cordless phones, long-haul WiFi and telemetry links, long range drone remote control systems and backhaul video/data links, along with many other services in the USA, not available in many areas). Shared with ISM services and many other systems, center frequency 915 MHz.
• 1240-1300 MHz - 23cm band 1.2 GHz band 1.24 GHz to 1.3 GHz
• 2400-2500 MHz - 2.4 GHz or 2.45 GHz band. 2.4 GHz to 2.5 GHz shared with Part 15, WiFi, data links, RC remote control systems, drone remote control and telemetry systems, video senders, and about six dozen other services, including Part 18 ISM devices (center frequency: 2450 MHz or 2.45 MHz).

See also

• Famous hams
• CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame
• VHF and UHF radio

External links

• The International Amateur Radio Union (IARU)
• ARRL: The national association for Amateur Radio