20-meter band

The 20-meter or 14-MHz amateur radio band is a portion of the shortwave radio spectrum, comprising frequencies stretching from 14.000 MHz to 14.350 MHz.[1] The 20-meter band is widely considered among the best for long-distance communication (DXing), and is one of the most popular—and crowded—during contests.[2] Several factors contribute to this, including the band's large size, the relatively small size of antennas tuned to it (especially as compared to antennas for the 40-meter band or the 80-meter band) and its good potential for daytime DX operation even in unfavorable propagation conditions.[3]

History

The 20-meter band was first made available to amateurs in the United States by the Third National Radio Conference[4] on October 10, 1924. The band was allocated on a worldwide basis by the International Radiotelegraph Conference[5] in Washington, D.C., on October 4, 1927. Its frequency allocation was then 14000–14400 kHz. The allocation was reduced to 14000–14350 kHz. by the International Radio Conference of Atlantic City 1947.[6]

Band plans

IARU Region 1

Europe, Africa, Middle East and Northern Asia[7]

20 meters 14000-14070 14070-14099 14099-14101 14101-14350
IARU Region 1

IARU Region 2

The Americas[7]

20 meters 14000-14070 14070-14099 14099-14101 14101-14350
IARU Region 2

IARU Region 3

Asia-Pacific[7]

20 meters 14000-14070 14070-14099 14099-14101 14101-14112 14112-14350
IARU Region 3

United States

Effective 12:01 a.m. EST, February 23, 2007

20 m 14000 - 14350
 United States 14000 14025 14025 14150 14150 14175 14175 14225 14225 14350
General
Advanced
Extra

Canada

Canada[8] 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 14.000–14.070 14.070-14.095 14.095-14.0995 14.0995-14.1005 14.1005-14.112 14.112-14.350
Basic(+), Advanced

Key

= CW only
= CW, narrow band digital ( <= 500 Hz )
= CW, narrow band digital ( <= 500 Hz ), wide band digital
= CW, RTTY and data (US: < 1 kHz Bandwidth)
= Beacons
= CW, phone
= CW, narrow band digital ( <= 500 Hz ), phone
= CW, phone and image

References

  1. "Frequency Allocations". Arrl.org. 2012-03-05. Retrieved 2012-10-29.
  2. Picking a band. The ARRL Operating Manual, 8th Edition (Steve Ford, Ed.):1-15.
  3. "Propagation of RF Signals". The ARRL Handbook For Radio Communications (82nd ed.). American Radio Relay League. 2005. p. 20.4. ISBN 0-87259-928-0.
  4. "Recommendations for Regulation of Radio: October 6-10, 1924". Earlyradiohistory.us. Retrieved 2012-10-29.
  5. http://www.itu.int/dms_pub/itu-s/oth/02/01/S02010000144002PDFE.pdf
  6. http://www.itu.int/dms_pub/itu-s/oth/02/01/S020100002B4002PDFE.pdf
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 "IARU Regions". www.iaru.org. International Amateur Radio Union (IARU). Retrieved 6 January 2014.
  8. http://www.rac.ca/en/rac/services/bandplans/hf/hfplan-20080711.pdf