Frequency Allocations — Where You Can Operate
HF Band Allocations
As an Advanced licensee, you have access to all amateur HF bands:
| Band | Frequency | Character |
|---|---|---|
| 160 m | 1.800–1.875 MHz | Night-only DX, challenging — "top band" |
| 80 m | 3.500–3.700 MHz | Regional at night, local by day. Aussie ragchew band |
| 40 m | 7.000–7.300 MHz | The workhorse — reliable day and night |
| 30 m | 10.100–10.150 MHz | CW and digital ONLY — no voice! |
| 20 m | 14.000–14.350 MHz | THE DX band — worldwide by day |
| 17 m | 18.068–18.168 MHz | WARC band — DX, no contests |
| 15 m | 21.000–21.450 MHz | Great during solar highs |
| 12 m | 24.890–24.990 MHz | WARC band — DX, no contests |
| 10 m | 28.000–29.700 MHz | Wide open during solar max, FM repeaters at top |
VHF/UHF Allocations
| Band | Frequency | Primary Use |
|---|---|---|
| 6 m | 50–54 MHz | "The Magic Band" — sporadic E DX |
| 2 m | 144–148 MHz | FM repeaters, SSB, satellites |
| 70 cm | 420–450 MHz | FM, digital, satellites, ATV |
| 23 cm | 1240–1300 MHz | Microwave experiments |
Exam favourites:
- 30m is CW/digital only — no voice permitted
- WARC bands (30m, 17m, 12m) are not used for contests
- The Australian 2m band extends to 148 MHz (wider than Europe's 144-146 MHz)
Band Plans
Within each band, the WIA publishes recommended band plans showing where different modes should be used:
- CW occupies the lower portion of each band
- Digital modes have designated segments
- SSB phone occupies the upper portion
- Specific frequencies are designated for beacons, calling frequencies, and satellite operations
Band plans are voluntary but following them is good operating practice and avoids conflicts between modes.