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20-meter band

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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. 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. 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.

History

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (January 2011)

The Third National Radio Conference was responsible for opening up the 20-meter band to amateur radio operators in the US on October 10, 1924. The band was allocated on a worldwide basis by the International Radiotelegraph Conference 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.

Band plans

IARU Region 1

Europe, Africa, Middle East and Northern Asia

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

IARU Region 2

The Americas

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

IARU Region 3

Asia-Pacific

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 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. ^ "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.
International amateur radio frequency allocations
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 10.100–10.150 MHz
20 m 14.000–14.350 MHz
17 m 18.068–18.168 MHz
15 m 21.000–21.450 MHz
12 m 24.890–24.990 MHz
10 m 28.000–29.700 MHz
VHF 8 m 40.000–40.700 MHz —
6 m 50.000–52.000 MHz
(50.000–54.000 MHz) 		50.000–54.000 MHz
5 m 58.000–60.100 MHz —
4 m 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)
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 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 75.500 GHz – 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.

All allocations are subject to variation by country. For simplicity, only common allocations found internationally are listed. See a band's article for specifics.
HF allocation created at the 1979 World Administrative Radio Conference. These are commonly called the "WARC bands".
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".
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
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