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Article: 37227 of rec.radio.shortwave
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From: g9153402@huey.csun.edu (Berton Corson)
Newsgroups: rec.radio.scanner,rec.radio.shortwave
Subject: The Radio Spectrum - 3rd Revision
Date: 1 Oct 1994 00:20:58 GMT
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OK. Here is my third revision of this list, as astute readers showed me
some more minor errors.  But remember, I intended this to be an approxi-
mate guide, maybe to just paste on the wall to refer to as you are
scanning the frequencies.  It isn't (and can't) be some extensive guide
to frequency locations, like the book Police Call.

Have fun,

Berton Corson
Northridge, California



                           THE RADIO SPECTRUM
                           ------------------

This is an approximate look, to help in searching frequencies on a
scanner or shortwave radio.  Just be aware, having the right frequency
may not be enough, in tuning to a certain frequency.  The time of
day, atmospheric conditions, location, mode you're in (AM, SSB,
Narrowband FM, Wideband FM, etc.), and your equipment, are also equally 
important.  You'll find most transmissions are broadcasted in Narrow-
band FM.  Some main exceptions are shortwave (AM & SSB), commercial AM 
radio (AM), commercial FM radio (Wideband FM), television (Wideband FM),
citizens band radio (AM & SSB), aeronautical communications (mostly AM),
and some military VHF/UHF (Wideband FM).  Most all scanners will pick a
default mode for you, depending on what frequency band you are in.  But
many scanners also let you manually switch between modes (AM, FM, etc.)
and frequency search spacing (5 khz, 12.5 khz, etc.) if the default modes
are not correct.  Happy Listening!!!

FREQUENCY                  USES/SERVICES
(in Megahertz unless
otherwise indicated)
------------------------   ----------------------------------------------

10 - 150 khz               Military/government, submarine
(.01 - .15 MHz)            communications.

150 - 535 khz              Longwave Band, beacons, foreign broadcasts,
(.15 - .535 MHz)           maritime.

535 - 1700 khz             Your standard AM radio dial.
(.535 - 1.7 MHz)

1.7 - 30                   Shortwave/High Frequency Band.  Broadcasting,
                           two-way government, military and commercial
                           communications, amateur radio, CB radio (approx.
                           27 MHz), others.
                           Shortwave - Approx. Range           Meter Band
                           1.8 - 2.0                           160*
                           2.3 - 2.495                         120
                           3.2 - 3.4                            90
                           3.5 - 4.0                            80*
                           3.9 - 4.0                            75
                           4.75 - 5.06                          60
                           5.9 - 6.2                            49
                           7.0 - 7.3                            40*
                           7.1 - 7.35                           41
                           9.4 - 9.9                            31
                           10.1 - 10.15                         30*
                           11.6 - 12.1                          25
                           13.57 - 13.87                        22
                           14.0 - 14.35                         20*
                           15.1 - 15.8                          19
                           18.068 - 18.168                      17*
                           17.48 - 17.9                         16
                           18.9 - 19.02                         15
                           21.0 - 21.45                         15*
                           21.45 - 21.75                        13
                           24.89 - 24.99                        12*
                           25.6 - 26.1                          11
                           28.0 - 29.7                          10*
                           (In general, the lower shortwave frequencies
                           <higher meter band> are received better during
                           the night, while higher frequencies are re-
                           ceived better during the day.  There are also
                           some amateur radio bands between many of these
                           shortwave bands(*).  Consult a shortwave guide
                           for more detailed information.)

30 - 50                    Very High Frequency Band.  Government, business,
                           walkie-talkies.  Also, cordless phones and
                           'baby monitors' found about 46 - 49 MHz.

50 - 54                    Amateur radio 6 meter band.

54 - 72                    TV Channels 2-4.
                           Channel 2 Audio (Wideband FM) 59.75
                           Channel 3 Audio (Wideband FM) 65.75
                           Channel 4 Audio (Wideband FM) 71.75

72 - 76                    Manufacturing, remote control, eavesdropping
                           bugs, etc.

76 - 88                    TV Channels 5-6.
                           Channel 5 Audio (Wideband FM) 81.75
                           Channel 6 Audio (Wideband FM) 87.75

88 - 108                   Your standard FM radio dial.

108 - 136                  Aeronautical communications (AM).

136 - 138                  Satellites.

138 - 144                  Military communications.

144 - 148                  Amateur radio 2 meter band.

148 - 150.8                Military use.

150.8 - 174                Business, highway, law enforcement, government,
                           weather, maritime.

174 - 216                  TV Channels 7-13.
                           Channel 7 Audio (Wideband FM) 179.75
                           Channel 8 Audio (Wideband FM) 185.75
                           Channel 9 Audio (Wideband FM) 191.75
                           Channel 10 Audio (Wideband FM) 197.75
                           Channel 11 Audio (Wideband FM) 203.75
                           Channel 12 Audio (Wideband FM) 209.75
                           Channel 13 Audio (Wideband FM) 215.75

216 - 220                  Maritime and aeronautical.

220 - 222                  Land mobile communications.

222 - 225                  Amateur radio.

225 - 400                  Military aviation and space.

400 - 406                  Military and government.

406 - 420                  U.S. Government.

420 - 450                  Amateur radio.

450 - 470                  Ultra High Frequency Band.  Business, industry,
                           military, fire, government.

470 - 512                  TV Channels 14-20, shared with law enforcement.

512 - 824                  TV Channels 21-69, others.

824 - 849                  Cellular telephones (receivers/handsets).

849 - 851                  Aeronautical telephones (ground-based towers).

851 - 866                  Business, public safety, trunked systems.

866 - 869                  Public safety, law enforcement, trunked systems.

869 - 894                  Cellular telephones (towers).
                           Note: Even though listening to cellular 
                           telephone calls is technically illegal in the
                           United States, one will usually do better
                           listening to calls on the tower frequencies,
                           as opposed to the handset frequencies.  This
                           is because most cellular phones transmit less
                           than one-watt of output.  So unless the 
                           cellular phone is very close to you, you
                           will have much more luck scanning the more
                           powerful towers, which transmit/receive for
                           each cell site.

894 - 896                  Aeronautical telephones (handsets).
                           Note: In scanning airplane telephones, you
                           will usually do better listening to the handset
                           frequencies, instead of the tower frequencies,
                           unless you are very near a ground transmitter.
                           But, in any event, call traffic heard on handset
                           frequencies is very scant.

896 - 901                  Private land mobil units.

902 - 928                  Land mobile, amateur radio, personal communi-
                           cation units, cordless telephones.

928 - 932                  Radio paging.

935 - 940                  Business radio.

941 - 944                  Government and non-government fixed services.

944 - 952                  Broadcasters' studio-to-transmitter links.

952 - 960                  Private fixed services, paging.

960 - 1240                 Aeronautical navigation.

1240 - 1300                Amateur radio.

1300 - 1350                Aeronautical navigation.

1350 - 1400                Radio location.

1400 - 1427                Radio astronomy.

1427 - 1429                Point-to-point, mobile, space.

1429 - 1660.5              Various satellite transmission uses.

1660.5 - 1668.4            Radio astronomy.

1668.4 - 1700              Meteorological aids.

1700 - 1850                Meteorological satellites, U.S. Government.

1850 - 1990                Fixed point-to-point, microwave.

1990 - 2110                Broadcast studio-to-transmitter links.


(end)





