20-meter band

Amateur radio frequency band
A HB9XBG-vertical-Antenna for the 20m-Band on Simplon Pass with view to Mount Galehorn

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 Third National Radio Conference was responsible for opening up the 20-meter band to amateur radio operators in the US[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 14–14.4 MHz. The allocation was reduced to 14–14.35 MHz by the International Radio Conference of Atlantic City, New Jersey 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 meters 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


Japan

Changed on September 25, 2023.

License class 14000–14070 14070–14100 14100–14350
1st and 2nd narrow-band All modes

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. 5 March 2012. Archived from the original on 14 March 2010. Retrieved 29 October 2012.
  2. ^ Ford, Steve (ed.). "Picking a band". The ARRL Operating Manual (8th ed.). Newington, CT: American Radio Relay League. p. 1-15.
  3. ^ "Propagation of RF Signals". The ARRL Handbook For Radio Communications (82nd ed.). Newington, CT: American Radio Relay League. 2005. p. 20.4. ISBN 0-87259-928-0.
  4. ^ "Frequency or wave band allocations". Recommendations for Regulation of Radio Adopted by the Third National Radio Conference. Govt. Print. Off. October 6–10, 1924. p. 15.
  5. ^ "INTERNATIONAL RADIOTELEGRAPH CONVENTION AND GENERAL AND SUPPLEMENTARY REGULATIONS" (PDF). INTERNATIONAL RADIOTELEGRAPH CONVENTION OF WASHINGTON, 1927. 25 November 1927. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 March 2014. Retrieved 6 July 2014.
  6. ^ "RADIO REGULATIONS ANNEXED TO THE INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION CONVENTION (ATLANTIC CITY, 1947)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 July 2014. Retrieved 6 July 2014.
  7. ^ a b c "IARU Regions". www.iaru.org. International Amateur Radio Union (IARU). Archived from the original on 30 December 2013. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
  8. ^ "RAC MF/HF Band Plan" (PDF). rac.ca. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 November 2010. Retrieved 8 July 2008.
  • v
  • t
  • e
Range Band ITU Region 1 ITU Region 2 ITU Region 3
LF 2200 m 135.7–137.8 kHz
MF 630 m 472–479 kHz
160 m 1.810–1.850 MHz 1.800–2.000 MHz
HF 80 / 75 m 3.500–3.800 MHz 3.500–4.000 MHz 3.500–3.900 MHz
60 m 5.3515–5.3665 MHz
40 m 7.000–7.200 MHz 7.000–7.300 MHz 7.000–7.200 MHz
30 m[w] 10.100–10.150 MHz
20 m 14.000–14.350 MHz
17 m[w] 18.068–18.168 MHz
15 m 21.000–21.450 MHz
12 m[w] 24.890–24.990 MHz
10 m 28.000–29.700 MHz
VHF 6 m 50.000–52.000 MHz
(50.000–54.000 MHz)[y] 		50.000–54.000 MHz
4 m[x] 70.000–70.500 MHz —
2 m 144.000–146.000 MHz 144.000–148.000 MHz
1.25 m — 220.000–225.000 MHz —
UHF 70 cm 430.000–440.000 MHz 430.000–440.000 MHz
(420.000–450.000 MHz)[y]
33 cm — 902.000–928.000 MHz —
23 cm 1.240–1.300 GHz
13 cm 2.300–2.450 GHz
SHF 9 cm 3.400–3.475 GHz[y] 3.300–3.500 GHz
5 cm 5.650–5.850 GHz 5.650–5.925 GHz 5.650–5.850 GHz
3 cm 10.000–10.500 GHz
1.2 cm 24.000–24.250 GHz
EHF 6 mm 47.000–47.200 GHz
4 mm[y] 75.500 GHz[x] – 81.500 GHz 76.000–81.500 GHz
2.5 mm 122.250–123.000 GHz
2 mm 134.000–141.000 GHz
1 mm 241.000–250.000 GHz
THF Sub-mm Some administrations have authorized spectrum for amateur use in this region;
others have declined to regulate frequencies above 300 GHz.

[v] All allocations are subject to variation by country. For simplicity, only common allocations found internationally are listed. See a band's article for specifics.
[w] HF allocation created at the 1979 World Administrative Radio Conference. These are commonly called the "WARC bands".
[x] This is not mentioned in the ITU's Table of Frequency Allocations, but many individual administrations have commonly adopted this allocation under "Article 4.4".
[y] This includes a currently active footnote allocation mentioned in the ITU's Table of Frequency Allocations. These allocations may only apply to a group of countries.

See also: Radio spectrum, Electromagnetic spectrum
Stub icon

This article related to amateur radio is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

  • v
  • t
  • e