Frequency Chart

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USA Frequency Chart

Adapted from the ARRL Frequency Chart

Special formatting changes have been made to facilitate brailling and reading via screenreader. These changes have been made by the Courage Center Handiham System.  The date of this file is 11 April 2012 and is the latest information as of that date.  The last revisions made by the FCC took effect on 5 March 2012.

If you prefer, a DAISY version is available for download:
The 2012 Frequency Chart in DAISY format (Zip file) 

US Amateur Transmitter Power Limits

At all times, transmitter power must be the minimum necessary to carry out the desired communications. Unless otherwise noted, the maximum power output is 1500 watts PEP. Novice/Technicians are limited to 200 watts PEP on HF bands. Geographical power restrictions apply to the 70 cm, 33 cm and 23 cm bands; see The FCC Rule Book for details.

In this chart, the band is given first, followed by each license class in turn and its associated privileges on that band. License Classes having the same privileges are grouped together.  If a license class is not mentioned for a particular band, it means that the holders of that license class do not have privileges on that band. In some cases a License Class (Novice) is specifically excluded.

160 Meters

General, Advanced, Amateur Extra licensees:
1.800-2.000 MHz: CW, Phone, Image, RTTY/Data

80 Meters

Novice and Technician classes:
3.525-3.600 MHz: CW Only

General class:
3.525-3.600 MHz: CW, RTTY/Data
3.800-4.000 MHz: CW, Phone, Image

Advanced class:
3.525-3.600 MHz: CW, RTTY/Data
3.700-4.000 MHz: CW, Phone, Image

Amateur Extra class:
3.500-3.600 MHz: CW, RTTY/Data
3.600-4.000 MHz: CW, Phone, Image

60 Meters: Five Specific Channels

The FCC has granted hams secondary access on USB only to five discrete 2.8-kHz-wide channels. Amateurs cannot cause inference to and must accept interference from the Primary Government users. The NTIA says that hams planning to operate on 60 meters "must assure that their signal is transmitted on the channel center frequency." This means that amateurs should set their carrier frequency 1.5 kHz lower than the channel center frequency. We will only list the Amateur Tuning Frequencies, not the Channel Centers.

General, Advanced and Amateur Extra classes:

Amateur Tuning Frequency

5330.5 kHz

5346.5 kHz

5357.0 kHz

5371.5 kHz

5403.5 kHz (common US/UK)

Effective March 5, 2012, amateurs may use USB, CW, PSK31 or PACTOR III *only* with a maximum effective radiated power (ERP) of 100 W. Radiated power must not exceed the equivalent of 100 W PEP transmitter output power into an antenna with a gain of 0 dBd.

40 Meters

Novice and Technician classes:
7.025-7.125 MHz : CW only

General class:
7.025-7.125 MHz : CW, RTTY/Data
7.175-7.300 MHz:: CW, Phone, Image

Advanced class:
7.025-7.125 MHz : CW, RTTY/Data
7.125-7.300 MHz:: CW, Phone, Image

Amateur Extra class:
7.000-7.125 MHz : CW, RTTY/Data
7.125-7.300 MHz:: CW, Phone, Image

Note: Phone and Image modes are permitted between 7.075 and 7.100 MHz for FCC licensed stations in ITU Regions 1 and 3 and by FCC licensed stations in ITU Region 2 West of 130 degrees West longitude or South of 20 degrees North latitude. See Sections 97.305(c) and 97.307(f)(11). Novice and Technician licensees outside ITU Region 2 may use CW only between 7.025 and 7.075 MHz and between 7.100 and 7.125 MHz. 7.200 to 7.300 MHz is not available outside ITU Region 2. See Section 97.301(e). These exemptions do not apply to stations in the continental US.

30 Meters

Maximum power, 200 watts PEP. Amateurs must avoid interference to the fixed service outside the US.

General, Advanced, Amateur Extra classes:
10.100-10.150 MHz: CW, RTTY/Data

20 Meters

General class:
14.025 -14.150 MHz CW, RTTY/Data
14.225 -14.350 MHz: CW, Phone, Image

Advanced class:
14.025 -14.150 MHz CW, RTTY/Data
14.175 -14.350 MHz: CW, Phone, Image

Amateur Extra class:
14.000 - 14.150 MHz CW, RTTY/Data
14.150 -14.350 MHz: CW, Phone, Image

17 Meters

General, Advanced, Amateur Extra classes:
18.068-18.110 MHz: CW, RTTY/Data
18.110-18.168 MHz: CW, Phone, Image

15 Meters

Novice and Technician classes:
21.025-21.200 MHz: CW Only

General class:
21.025-21.200 MHz: CW, RTTY/Data
21.275-21.450 MHz: CW, Phone, Image

Advanced class:
21.025-21.200 MHz: CW, RTTY/Data
21.225-21.450 MHz: CW, Phone, Image

Amateur Extra class:
 21.000-21.200 MHz: CW, RTTY/Data
21.200-21.450 MHz: CW, Phone, Image

12 Meters

General, Advanced, Amateur Extra classes:
 24.890-24.930 MHz: CW, RTTY/Data
24.930-24.990 MHz: CW, Phone, Image

10 Meters

Novice and Technician classes:
28.000-28.300 MHz: CW, RTTY/Data--Maximum power 200 watts PEP
28.300-28.500 MHz: CW, Phone--Maximum power 200 watts PEP

General, Advanced, Amateur Extra classes:
28.000-28.300 MHz: CW, RTTY/Data
28.300-29.700 MHz: CW, Phone, Image

6 Meters

All Amateurs except Novices:
50.0-50.1 MHz: CW Only
50.1-54.0 MHz: CW, Phone, Image, MCW, RTTY/Data

2 Meters

All Amateurs except Novices:
144.0-144.1 MHz: CW Only
144.1-148.0 MHz: CW, Phone, Image, MCW, RTTY/Data

1.25 Meters

The FCC has allocated 219-220 MHz to amateur use on a secondary basis. This allocation is only for fixed digital message forwarding systems operated by all licensees except Novices. Amateur operations must not cause interference to, and must accept interference from, primary services in this and adjacent bands. Amateur stations are limited to 50 W PEP output and 100 kHz bandwidth. Automated Maritime Telecommunications Systems (AMTS) stations are the primary occupants in this band. Amateur stations within 398 miles of an AMTS station must notify the station in writing at least 30 days prior to beginning operations. Amateur stations within 50 miles of an AMTS station must get permission in writing from the AMTS station before beginning operations. ARRL Headquarters maintains a database of AMTS stations. The FCC requires that amateur operators provide written notification including the station's geographic location to the ARRL for inclusion in a database at least 30 days before beginning operations. See Section 97.303(e) of the FCC Rules.

Novice (Novices are limited to 25 watts PEP output), Technician, General, Advanced, Amateur Extra classes:
222.00-225.00 MHz: CW, Phone, Image, MCW, RTTY/Data

70 Centimeters

All Amateurs except Novices:
420.0-450.0 MHz: CW, Phone, Image, MCW, RTTY/Data

33 Centimeters

All Amateurs except Novices:
902.0-928.0 MHz: CW, Phone, Image, MCW, RTTY/Data

23 Centimeters

Novice class:
1270-1295 MHz: CW, phone, Image, MCW, RTTY/Data (maximum power, 5 watts PEP)

All Amateurs except Novices:
1240-1300 MHz: CW, Phone, Image, MCW, RTTY/Data

Higher Frequencies:

All modes and licensees (except Novices) are authorized on the following bands [FCC Rules, Part 97.301(a)]:

    2300-2310 MHz

    2390-2450 MHz

    3300-3500 MHz

    5650-5925 MHz

    10.0-10.5 GHz

    24.0-24.25 GHz

    47.0-47.2 GHz

    76.0-81.9 GHz*

    119.98-120.02 GHz

    142-149 GHz

    241-250 GHz

    All above 300 GHz

* Amateur operation at 76-77 GHz has been suspended till the FCC can determine that interference will not be caused to vehicle radar systems

End of file

This version modified by Handihams, 3915 Golden Valley Road, Golden Valley MN 55422

Courage Center Handiham System
3915 Golden Valley Road
Golden Valley, MN 55422
763-520-0512
hamradio@couragecenter.org  

©2012 Courage Center Handiham System