Band plans

Rules and plans

Every amateur band has two layers. The FCC's rules are mandatory: they fix the band edges, power limits and which emissions each part of the band may carry. On top of that, operators agree a band plan: a voluntary guideline for using different modes or activities within a band. Breaking a band plan is not an FCC violation, but following it keeps SSB out of the digital segment and weak CW signals from being drowned out, so everybody gets more contacts.

Why the plans look the way they do

• Narrow modes go low. CW and most digital modes are only a few hundred hertz wide or less, so they cluster together, away from wide voice signals that would otherwise swamp them.
• Weak-signal work needs quiet. The DX windows and weak-signal segments exist so that faint signals are not covered by repeaters or nearby stations.
• Repeaters need coordination. FM repeaters are paired inputs and outputs, so their channels are laid out in blocks. Local volunteer groups called frequency coordinators assign them. See Repeaters and how to use them.
• Calling frequencies bring people together. Everyone agrees where to meet, then moves off to talk. The national FM simplex calling frequency on 2 m is 146.520 MHz.
• Digital modes cluster on shared frequencies. Weak-signal modes such as FT8 use agreed dial frequencies on each band so that stations can find each other. See FT8 and FT4.

Real examples

Where	What it is	Rule or plan?
6 m, 50.0 to 50.1 MHz	CW only	FCC rule
6 m, 50.1 to 50.125 MHz	DX window: contacts with stations outside the contiguous 48 states	Voluntary plan
2 m, 144.0 to 144.1 MHz	CW only	FCC rule
2 m, 146.52 MHz	National FM simplex calling frequency	Voluntary plan
2 m repeaters	Commonly offset by plus or minus 600 kHz	Local coordination
70 cm repeaters	Commonly offset by plus or minus 5 MHz	Local coordination
30 m	No phone, no images	FCC rule
HF, below 10 MHz	Lower sideband for voice (60 m uses upper)	Convention
HF, above 10 MHz	Upper sideband for voice	Convention

These examples are only illustrative: band plans vary with region and change over time. Look for your national society's plan (the ARRL publishes one for the US) and your local repeater coordinator's listings.

Related

• Amateur band chartThe bands and their ranges.
• On-air etiquetteListening first, calling CQ, taking turns, and being a good neighbour on the band.
• Repeaters and how to use themOffsets, tones and etiquette.
• Simplex operationDirect radio-to-radio contacts.
• Digital modes overviewThe landscape of data modes and what each is for.
• DX etiquette and split operationWorking a pile-up.