Foundation Frequency Allocations
Bands You Can Use
As a Foundation licensee, you have access to segments of the following bands:
| Band | Frequency | Type | What It's Good For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 80 m | 3.500–3.700 MHz | HF | Night-time contacts across Australia |
| 40 m | 7.000–7.300 MHz | HF | Day and night, reliable Australia-wide |
| 15 m | 21.000–21.450 MHz | HF | Worldwide DX when conditions are good |
| 10 m | 28.000–29.700 MHz | HF | Worldwide when solar activity is high |
| 2 m | 144–148 MHz | VHF | Local/regional, repeaters — most popular! |
| 70 cm | 420–450 MHz | UHF | Local, repeaters, digital |
The 2 metre band is where most Foundation activity happens. It's the easiest to get started with — a handheld radio and your local repeater will get you talking to other amateurs straight away.
Power Limits
Foundation licensees are limited to 10 watts PEP on all bands. PEP stands for Peak Envelope Power — the power at the peak of your signal.
10 watts is enough to:
- Access repeaters easily (most handhelds do 5W — more than enough)
- Make HF contacts across Australia on 40m and 80m
- Work worldwide on 15m and 10m when conditions are good
- Use digital modes like FT8, which work brilliantly at low power
Modes You Can Use
- FM — on VHF/UHF repeaters
- SSB — on HF bands (LSB below 10 MHz, USB above)
- CW — Morse code (you don't have to, but you can)
- Digital — FT8, PSK31, and other computer-based modes