WARC bands

The WARC bands are three portions of the shortwave radio spectrum used by licensed amateur radio operators. They consist of 30 meters (10.100–10.150 MHz), 17 meters (18.068–18.168 MHz) and 12 meters (24.890–24.990 MHz).[1][2] They were named after the World Administrative Radio Conference, which in 1979 created a worldwide allocation of these bands for amateur use. The bands were opened for use in the early 1980s. Due to their relatively small bandwidth of 100 kHz or less, there is a sort of gentlemen's agreement that the WARC bands may not be used for general contesting.

Throughout most of the world, the 30 meter band cannot be used for phone communications except in emergency situations. However, part of Region 1 (Africa, south of the equator, during daylight hours) is permitted to use phone.[3] The USA limits amateur radio users to 200 watts peak envelope power on this band [4].

Contents

12 meter band plan

IARU Region 1[5]

License class 24.890–24.915 24.915-24.925 24.925-24.929 24.929-24.931 24.931-24.940 24.940-24.990
Effective 1 Jan 2008

IARU Region 2[6]

License class 24.890–24.915 24.915-24.925 24.925-24.929 24.929-24.931 24.931-24.940 24.940-24.990
Effective 1 Jan 2008

IARU Region 3[7]

License class 24.890–24.920 24.920-24.9295 24.9295-24.9305 24.940-24.990
Effective as of 2009 2 kHz max BW

Canada[8]

Canada is part of region 2 and as such is subject to the IARU band plan. Radio Amateurs of Canada offers the bandplan below as a recommendation for use by radio amateurs in that country but it does not have the force of law and should only be considered a suggestion or guideline.

License class 24.890–24.920 24.920-24.925 24.925-24.9295 24.9295-24.9305 24.9305-24.940 24.940-24.990
Basic(+), Advanced

United States

License class 24.890–24.930 24.930-24.990
Extra, Advanced, General

17 meter band plan

IARU Region 1

License class 18.068-18.095 18.095-18.105 18.105-18.109 18.109-18.111 18.111-18.120 18.120-18.168
Effective 1 Jan 2008

IARU Region 2

License class 18.068-18.095 18.095-18.105 18.105-18.109 18.109-18.111 18.111-18.120 18.120-18.168
Effective 1 Jan 2008

IARU Region 3

License class 18.068-18.095 18.095-18.105 18.105-18.1095 18.1095-18.1105 18.1105-18.168
Effective as of 2009

Canada[9]

Canada is part of region 2 and as such is subject to the IARU band plan. Radio Amateurs of Canada offers the bandplan below as a recommendation for use by radio amateurs in that country but it does not have the force of law and should only be considered a suggestion or guideline.

License class 18.068-18.095 18.095-18.105 18.105-18.1095 18.1095-18.1105 18.1105-18.168
Basic(+), Advanced

United States

License class 18.068-18.110 18.110-18.168
Extra, Advanced, General

30 meter band plan

IARU Region 1

License class 10.100-10.140 10.140-10.150
Effective 1 Jan 2008

SSB may be used during emergencies involving the immediate safety of life and property and only by stations actually involved in the handling of emergency traffic.

The band segment 10.120 to 10.140 may only be used for SSB transmissions in the area of Africa south of the equator during local daylight hours.

IARU Region 2

License class 10.100-10.130 10.130-10.140 10.140-10.150
Effective 1 Jan 2008

IARU Region 3

License class 10.100-10.140 10.140-10.150
Effective 2009

Canada[10]

Canada is part of region 2 and as such is subject to the IARU band plan. Radio Amateurs of Canada offers the bandplan below as a recommendation for use by radio amateurs in that country but it does not have the force of law and should only be considered a suggestion or guideline.

License class 10.100-10.130 10.130-10.140 10.140-10.150
Basic(+), Advanced

United States

License class 10.100-10.150
Ext., Adv., Gen. (200 watts)

Key for Band Plans

= CW only
= CW, narrow band digital ( <= 500 Hz )
= CW, narrow band digital ( <= 500 Hz ), unattended stations
= CW, narrow band digital ( <= 500 Hz ), wide band digital
= Beacons
= CW, phone
= All modes, unattended stations
= All modes except phone
= All modes

References

  1. ^ U.S. Amateur Frequency Allocations http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/regulations/allocate.html Accessed 9 September 2008
  2. ^ ITU Frequency Allocations http://life.itu.int/radioclub/rr/hfband.htm Accessed 9 September 2008
  3. ^ IARU Region 1 Band Plan http://www.iaru.org/Chapter-5.1.pdf accessed 5 April, 2010
  4. ^ US Amateur Radio Bands http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/regulations/Hambands_color.pdf accessed 5 April, 2010
  5. ^ IARU Region 1 band plan http://www.iaru-r1.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=175&Itemid=127 accessed 12 January, 2011
  6. ^ IARU Region 2 band plan http://www.iaru-r2.org/wp-content/uploads/region-2-mf-hf-bandplan-e.pdf accessed 12 January, 2011
  7. ^ IARU Region 3 band plan http://www.iaru-r3.org/r3bandplan.doc accessed 12 January, 2011
  8. ^ Radio Amateurs of Canada HF/MF band plan http://www.rac.ca/en/rac/services/bandplans/hf/hfplan-20080711.pdf accessed 12 January, 2011
  9. ^ Radio Amateurs of Canada HF/MF band plan http://www.rac.ca/en/rac/services/bandplans/hf/hfplan-20080711.pdf accessed 12 January, 2011
  10. ^ Radio Amateurs of Canada HF/MF band plan http://www.rac.ca/en/rac/services/bandplans/hf/hfplan-20080711.pdf accessed 12 January, 2011

See also

Range Band ITU Region 1 ITU Region 2 ITU Region 3
LF 2200 m 135.7 kHz - 137.8 kHz
MF 160 m 1.810 MHz - 1.850 MHz 1.800 MHz - 2.000 MHz 1.800 MHz - 2.000 MHz
HF 80 / 75 m 3.500 MHz - 3.800 MHz 3.500 MHz - 4.000 MHz 3.500 MHz - 3.900 MHz
60 m1 5.250 MHz - 5.450 MHz
40 m 7.000 MHz - 7.200 MHz 7.000 MHz - 7.300 MHz 7.000 MHz - 7.200 MHz
30 m2 10.100 MHz - 10.150 MHz
20 m 14.000 MHz - 14.350 MHz
17 m2 18.068 MHz - 18.168 MHz
15 m 21.000 MHz - 21.450 MHz
12 m2 24.890 MHz - 24.990 MHz
10 m 28.000 MHz - 29.700 MHz
VHF 6 m 50.000 MHz - 52.000 MHz1 50.000 MHz - 54.000 MHz 50.000 MHz - 54.000 MHz
4 m1 70.000 MHz - 70.500 MHz
2 m 144.000 MHz - 146.000 MHz 144.000 MHz - 148.000 MHz 144.000 MHz - 148.000 MHz
1.25 m 220.000 MHz - 225.000 MHz
UHF 70 cm 430.000 MHz - 440.000 MHz 420.000 MHz - 450.000 MHz3 420.000 MHz - 450.000 MHz3
33 cm 902.000 MHz - 928.000 MHz
23 cm 1.240 GHz - 1.300 GHz
13 cm 2.300 GHz - 2.450 GHz
SHF 9 cm 3.400 GHz - 3.475 GHz3 3.300 GHz - 3.500 GHz 3.300 GHz - 3.500 GHz
5 cm 5.650 GHz - 5.850 GHz 5.650 GHz - 5.925 GHz 5.650 GHz - 5.850 GHz
3 cm 10.000 GHz - 10.500 GHz
1.2 cm 24.000 GHz - 24.250 GHz
EHF 6 mm 47.000 GHz - 47.200 GHz
4 mm3 75.500 GHz1 - 81.500 GHz 76.000 GHz - 81.500 GHz 76.000 GHz - 81.500 GHz
2.5 mm 122.250 GHz - 123.000 GHz
2 mm 134.000 GHz - 141.000 GHz
1 mm 241.000 GHz - 250.000 GHz
THF Sub-mm Some administrations have authorized spectrum for amateur use in this region.

1 This is not mentioned in the ITU's Table of Frequency Allocations, but it is a de facto international amateur radio allocation.
2 HF allocation created at the 1979 World Administrative Radio Conference. These are commonly called the "WARC bands".
3 This includes a currently active footnote allocation mentioned in the ITU's Table of Frequency Allocations.
See also: Radio spectrum · Electromagnetic spectrum