Ham Radio Band Plan and Frequency Allocations
The US amateur radio band plan defines which frequencies amateur radio operators may use, which modes are permitted in each segment, and which licence class is required. This reference covers all HF, VHF, and UHF allocations from 160 metres through 70 centimetres, including calling frequencies, digital sub-bands, and repeater offsets.
To see the frequency allocations for any license class see our interactive U.S. Band Plan page.
160 Metres — Top Band
1.800 — 2.000 MHz| Segment (MHz) | Modes / Notes |
|---|---|
| 1.800 - 1.838 | CW only |
| 1.838 - 1.840 | CW and narrow digital modes |
| 1.840 - 2.000 | CW, phone (SSB), image modes |
160m is a challenging band requiring large antennas. Best propagation at night. Technician class has no HF privileges on this band.
80 Metres
3.500 — 4.000 MHz| Segment (MHz) | Modes / Notes |
|---|---|
| 3.500 - 3.525 | CW only (Extra only) |
| 3.525 - 3.600 | CW and RTTY/data |
| 3.600 - 3.700 | CW, RTTY, phone (General+) |
| 3.700 - 4.000 | CW, phone, image (General+) |
| 3.790 - 3.800 | DX window -- phone |
Reliable regional and inter-continental coverage at night. Popular for nets and ragchewing evenings.
40 Metres
7.000 — 7.300 MHz| Segment (MHz) | Modes / Notes |
|---|---|
| 7.000 - 7.025 | CW only (Extra only) |
| 7.025 - 7.125 | CW and RTTY/data (General+) |
| 7.075 - 7.100 | RTTY / digital sub-band |
| 7.125 - 7.300 | CW, phone, image (General+) |
| 7.074 | FT8 calling frequency |
The workhorse DX band. Reliable day and night propagation. Heavy international traffic especially evenings.
30 Metres — WARC Band
10.100 — 10.150 MHz| Segment (MHz) | Modes / Notes |
|---|---|
| 10.100 - 10.130 | CW only |
| 10.130 - 10.150 | RTTY and digital modes only |
| 10.136 | FT8 calling frequency |
| 10.140 | WSPR frequency |
No phone permitted. WARC bands may not be used for contesting. Excellent for digital modes and CW DX.
20 Metres — The DX Band
14.000 — 14.350 MHz| Segment (MHz) | Modes / Notes |
|---|---|
| 14.000 - 14.025 | CW only (Extra only) |
| 14.025 - 14.150 | CW and RTTY/data (General+) |
| 14.070 - 14.099 | Digital sub-band |
| 14.074 | FT8 calling frequency |
| 14.150 - 14.350 | CW, phone, image (General+) |
| 14.225 | SSTV calling frequency |
The premier DX band. Open most of the day during good solar conditions. The most active HF band worldwide.
17 Metres — WARC Band
18.068 — 18.168 MHz| Segment (MHz) | Modes / Notes |
|---|---|
| 18.068 - 18.100 | CW only |
| 18.100 - 18.110 | RTTY and digital modes |
| 18.100 - 18.168 | CW, phone, image |
| 18.100 | FT8 calling frequency |
No contesting permitted. Often less crowded than 20m with similar propagation. Good DX band.
15 Metres
21.000 — 21.450 MHz| Segment (MHz) | Modes / Notes |
|---|---|
| 21.000 - 21.025 | CW only (Extra only) |
| 21.025 - 21.200 | CW and RTTY/data (General+) |
| 21.074 | FT8 calling frequency |
| 21.200 - 21.450 | CW, phone, image (General+) |
Excellent DX when solar cycle is high. Can be dead during solar minimum. Very active during contests.
12 Metres — WARC Band
24.890 — 24.990 MHz| Segment (MHz) | Modes / Notes |
|---|---|
| 24.890 - 24.920 | CW only |
| 24.920 - 24.990 | CW, RTTY, phone, image |
| 24.915 | FT8 calling frequency |
No contesting. Good solar cycle dependent propagation. Often open when 10m is marginal.
10 Metres
28.000 — 29.700 MHz| Segment (MHz) | Modes / Notes |
|---|---|
| 28.000 - 28.070 | CW only |
| 28.070 - 28.150 | RTTY and digital modes |
| 28.074 | FT8 calling frequency |
| 28.150 - 28.300 | CW and SSB |
| 28.300 - 29.700 | CW, phone, image, FM |
| 29.000 - 29.200 | AM phone |
| 29.600 | FM simplex calling frequency |
Technician class has significant phone and digital privileges here. Best worldwide DX when solar flux is high.
6 Metres — Magic Band
50.000 — 54.000 MHz| Segment (MHz) | Modes / Notes |
|---|---|
| 50.000 - 50.100 | CW only |
| 50.100 - 50.300 | CW and SSB -- DX window |
| 50.313 | FT8 calling frequency |
| 50.125 | SSB calling frequency |
| 50.300 - 51.000 | All modes including FM |
| 52.525 | FM simplex calling frequency |
Called the Magic Band for its unpredictable but spectacular propagation. Es, sporadic-E, aurora, and transequatorial propagation make surprising DX contacts possible.
2 Metres
144.000 — 148.000 MHz| Segment (MHz) | Modes / Notes |
|---|---|
| 144.000 - 144.100 | CW only |
| 144.100 - 144.300 | CW and SSB -- weak signal |
| 144.174 | FT8 calling frequency |
| 144.200 | SSB calling frequency |
| 144.300 - 148.000 | All modes including FM |
| 146.520 | FM national simplex calling frequency |
| 144.300 - 144.500 | OSCAR / satellite |
The most popular VHF band. Repeaters, simplex, weak signal SSB/CW, satellite, EME. Repeater output 144.600-147.400, standard offset +600 kHz.
70 Centimetres
420.000 — 450.000 MHz| Segment (MHz) | Modes / Notes |
|---|---|
| 420.000 - 426.000 | All modes -- ATV, weak signal, CW, SSB |
| 432.100 | SSB calling frequency |
| 432.300 - 432.400 | Satellite |
| 435.000 - 438.000 | Satellite uplink |
| 446.000 | FM national simplex calling frequency |
| 447.000 - 450.000 | Repeater outputs |
Heavily used for repeaters, linking systems, satellite, and ATV. Standard repeater offset -5 MHz.
| Band | Output range | Standard offset | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6m | 51.620 - 51.980 MHz | -500 kHz | Less common |
| 2m | 144.600 - 147.400 MHz | +600 kHz | Most common VHF repeaters |
| 1.25m | 224.120 - 225.980 MHz | -1.6 MHz | Less common in most areas |
| 70cm | 442.000 - 445.000 MHz | +5 MHz | Most common UHF repeaters |
| 33cm | 927.000 - 928.000 MHz | -12 MHz | Rare |
Technician class has full privileges on all amateur bands above 30 MHz (6m, 2m, 70cm and above). On HF, Technicians have limited privileges on 10m (28.000–28.500 MHz for CW, RTTY, and up to 200W PEP), and a small phone segment on 10m (28.300–28.500 MHz).
General class adds significant HF privileges. On each HF band, Generals may operate in the upper portion of each band segment. The lower CW-only segments on 80m, 40m, 20m, 15m, and 10m are reserved for Extra class.
Extra class has full privileges on all amateur frequencies including the narrow CW-only DX windows at the bottom of each HF band. These extra segments — typically 25 kHz wide — are quieter and highly prized for CW DX work.
WARC Bands and ContestingThe WARC bands — 30 metres (10.100–10.150 MHz), 17 metres (18.068–18.168 MHz), and 12 metres (24.890–24.990 MHz) — were allocated to amateur radio at the 1979 World Administrative Radio Conference. By international agreement these bands may not be used for contest operation, making them quieter refuges during major contest weekends. Phone is not permitted on 30 metres.
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