Amateur radio, also known as ham radio, is a popular hobby and service that brings electronics, people, and communication using the radio frequency spectrum. Using amateur radio, people can talk across the city, around the world, or even in space, without the Internet or cell phones.
Amateurs Radio has a specific frequency band for their work which is called amateur radio band. The range of frequency list is also called band allocation which may be set by national regulations and international compacts.
In this article, we will look into some amateur bands and their characteristics. Let’s start.
Amateur or HAM Radio Bands: An In-depth Guide
Amateur radio band refers to amateur radio frequencies allocation which is done by the National Telecommunications Authority.
There are 26 bands for amateurs ranging from 1.8 MHz to 275 GHz! Depending on which amateur band you use, you can talk across the city, around the world, or even in space. Amateur radio can even send signals back from the moon.
Amateur Radio Band Plan
Amateur radio frequency allocation is open to radio hams around the world. Bands are generally the same worldwide although actual amateur radio bands may vary slightly depending on the country or region.
Below is a summary of the different band’s allocation in the USA.
| Amateur Radio Band (meters) | USA Allocation (MHz) |
|---|---|
| 10 | 28.000 - 29.700 |
| 12 | 24.890 - 24.990 |
| 15 | 21.000 - 21.450 |
| 17 | 18.068 -18.168 |
| 20 | 14.100 - 14.350 |
| 30 | 10.100 - 10.150 |
| 40 | 7.000 - 7.300 |
| 80 | 3.500 - 4.000 |
| 160 | 1.800 - 2.000 |
| 630 | 0.472 - 0.479 |
| 2200 | 0.1357 - 0.1378 |
Although the table above shows only the allocation of amateur radio bands in the United States, the allocation of amateur radio bands is almost the same for other countries.
There are some differences in low frequency (2200 meters) and medium frequency (630 meters) allocations by country. Some countries may have reduced ham radio allocations as a result of their use.
High-Frequency
High frequencies typically range from 3 to 30 MHz. It is also called the decimeter band because its wavelength ranges from one to ten decimeters.
Frequencies above 30 MHz are called very high frequency (VHF) regions and above 300 MHz are referred to as Ultra High Frequency (UHF). It is by far the most popular band in the amateur radio service.
Medium Frequency
Medium frequency (MF) ranges from 300 kHz (kHz) to 3 MHz. Medium frequencies include 600 meters and 160 meters band allocation. 160 meters is also known as Top band which allocation can vary widely from country to country.
Low-Frequency
Low frequency is known as a kilometer band which is suitable for long-distance communication. Low frequency includes 2200 meters, radio band.
Which Ham Radio Band Is Best For Beginners
Most beginners use ultra-high frequencies which range from 6 meters to 13 centimeters. In ultra-high frequency, using the 2-meter amateur radio band can be best for you as a beginner.
As a beginner, you may face transmission problems as well as some other problems. So you should consider a ham base transceiver. Radio transceivers are very powerful tools that can help you to transmit signals over very long distances.
Verdict
There are several ham radio bands or radiofrequency allocations you can use. But if you choose the right amateur band or allocation, you can increase the chances of creating communication as you desire.
I hope you have learned a lot about amateur radio bands by reading this article. You can talk to a ham directly to know more about ham bands in details.
Resources:
http://www.arrl.org/what-is-ham-radio
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