In amateur radio, the amateur radio spectrum is a valuable and shared resource, and the bands allocated to radio operators are relatively narrow, usually only a few hundred kilohertz. To allow millions of operators around the world to use them in an orderly manner without causing mutual interference, some form of organization is necessary. Therefore, to ensure harmonious coexistence among different modes, interests, and operating cultures, the concept of the band plan was created.
The Band Plan
The band plan (band plan) is a technical document that divides each band assigned to the service into sub-bands and establishes how these should be used. It does not define who may use them (that is the role of national laws and regulations), but rather what types and modes of emission, traffic, and experimentation may take place.
It is therefore a technical good-practice guideline, not a law: it carries no binding legal value, but represents a widely shared and globally recognized rule.
In serious amateur radio practice, adhering to it is considered an act of correctness and operational discipline – just like identifying with one’s callsign or respecting authorized power limits.
The international band plan is developed by the IARU (International Amateur Radio Union), which coordinates worldwide activities, organized individually across the three regions defined by the ITU:
- Region 1: Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and part of Asia (including Italy);
- Region 2: The Americas;
- Region 3: East Asia and Oceania.
Each IARU region adapts the band plan based on local allocations, operating habits, and regulatory constraints.
Individual countries may then publish their own national band plan (for example, from associations such as ARI, RSGB, DARC, REF, etc.) that incorporates and details regional recommendations, taking into account licenses and frequencies effectively available at the national level.
Thus, each band is divided into functional segments, each intended for a specific type of emission or activity.
To Be Respected
The radio spectrum is neither silent nor unlimited: interference is always lurking.
Without a band plan, CW, voice, and digital modes would overlap, beacons would interfere with QSOs, and experimental activities would lack stable spaces.
The band plan therefore arises from both technical needs (avoiding interference between modes with different bandwidths) and ethical/organizational ones:
- promoting coexistence between experienced operators and newcomers,
- preserving space for experimentation,
- ensuring clear emergency channels,
- standardizing frequency use worldwide to facilitate DX contacts.
It is important to distinguish the band plan from the frequency allocation table, which is instead defined by law through governments and international bodies (ITU, CEPT, MIMIT, etc.). The band plan is not a legal regulation, but a technical convention – and yet, in serious amateur radio practice, compliance with it is taken for granted. Those who operate outside the band plan without reason interfere with others and demonstrate poor knowledge or respect for shared amateur-radio rules.
If an operator decides to transmit SSB in the portion reserved for digital modes, they are not directly breaking the law, but they create unnecessary disturbance for those operating correctly. Similarly, someone transmitting FT8 on frequencies used for CW or beacons may compromise measurements or technical tests. Following the band plan means contributing to the proper collective functioning of the amateur radio spectrum – and ultimately, to its reputation.
A Dynamic Tool
It should be understood that the band plan is not a static document, but evolves with technical progress and new operating modes: new technologies gradually emerge, requiring ongoing updates. Each revision results from discussions among associations, operator groups, and the scientific community, maintaining a balance between innovation and tradition.
In Summary
The band plan is the backbone of orderly amateur radio: an unwritten pact among operators who share the same electromagnetic space. It respects technique, physics, and the ethics of communication. It is what allows amateur radio to be a global scientific community, rather than just a collection of voices on the air.
Below is the Region 1 band plan, version 2024: frequencies are indicative and vary slightly by country. For Italy, the ARI Milan section has published three PDF documents with HF–SHF band plans available here.
HF
| Band | Range (kHz) | Main Use | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 80 m | 3500–3560 | CW, contest, DX | Narrow-band modes |
| 3560–3580 | CW, digital (RTTY, PSK) | Mixed section | |
| 3580–3620 | Modern digital modes (FT8, JS8, Olivia) | Worldwide traffic | |
| 3620–3700 | SSB voice (regional) | Local QSOs | |
| 3700–3800 | SSB voice DX, contest | International segment | |
| 60 m | 5351.5–5366.5 | CW, FT8, USB | Secondary band, max 15 W EIRP |
| 40 m | 7000–7040 | CW, beacons | Historic CW zone |
| 7040–7070 | Digital (FT8, RTTY, PSK31) | Narrow-band modes | |
| 7070–7100 | SSB voice | Regional QSOs | |
| 7100–7200 | SSB voice DX | International use | |
| 30 m | 10100–10130 | CW | |
| 10130–10150 | Digital modes (FT8, JS8, PSK) | No voice allowed | |
| 20 m | 14000–14070 | CW, beacons | Historic CW portion |
| 14070–14112 | Digital (PSK, FT8, RTTY) | International use | |
| 14112–14350 | SSB voice | Contest and DX | |
| 17 m | 18068–18095 | CW | Lower segment |
| 18095–18109 | Digital (FT8, PSK) | ||
| 18109–18168 | SSB voice | ||
| 15 m | 21000–21070 | CW, beacons | |
| 21070–21150 | Digital (PSK, FT8, RTTY) | ||
| 21150–21450 | SSB voice | ||
| 12 m | 24890–24915 | CW | |
| 24915–24930 | Digital (FT8, PSK) | ||
| 24930–24990 | SSB voice | ||
| 10 m | 28000–28070 | CW, beacons | Beacons 28190–28199 |
| 28070–28150 | Digital (FT8, PSK31, RTTY) | ||
| 28150–28300 | SSB voice (international) | ||
| 28300–29100 | FM simplex and repeaters | ||
| 29100–29200 | FM, AM, satellites |
VHF
| Band | Range (MHz) | Main Use | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 m | 50.000–50.100 | Beacons and CW | “Magic band” |
| 50.100–50.300 | SSB, DX, sporadic-E | Long-distance traffic | |
| 50.300–50.500 | Digital (FT8, MSK144) | Meteor scatter | |
| 50.500–51.000 | FM voice, simplex | Local QSOs | |
| 51.000–52.000 | FM repeaters | ||
| 4 m | 70.000–70.090 | CW, beacons | Experimental use |
| 70.090–70.250 | SSB, digital | ||
| 70.250–70.450 | FM simplex and repeaters | ||
| 2 m | 144.000–144.100 | Beacons, CW | |
| 144.100–144.400 | SSB, DX, EME | ||
| 144.400–144.490 | Beacons | ||
| 144.490–144.800 | Digital (APRS, packet) | ||
| 144.800 | APRS (European frequency) | ||
| 144.900–145.575 | FM simplex, repeaters | ||
| 145.600–145.7875 | FM repeaters (uplink/downlink) | ||
| 145.800–146.000 | Satellites (ISS uplink/downlink) |
UHF
| Band | Range (MHz) | Main Use | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 70 cm | 430.000–431.000 | Beacons, experimental links | |
| 431.000–432.000 | Repeaters (uplink) | ||
| 432.000–432.500 | CW, SSB, EME, DX | “Premium” segment | |
| 432.500–433.000 | Digital (FT8, MSK144) | ||
| 433.000–434.000 | FM simplex | Local QSOs | |
| 434.000–435.000 | Repeaters (downlink) | ||
| 435.000–438.000 | Amateur satellites | ISS uplink/downlink | |
| 438.000–440.000 | FM, ATV, DMR, C4FM | Digital repeaters |