IARU Region 1 HF Band Plan

A recommendation for all radio amateurs how to use the bands, as revised at the Interim Meeting Vienna 2016, effective 01 June 2016.

2 200 m Band: 

 630 m Band:

(**) If a frequency is to be selected, particular attention must be paid to still existing Non Directional   Beacons (NDB) of the radio navigation service! (#) maximum bandwidth not specified, 500 Hz suggested.

160 m Band: 

Radio Amateurs in countries that have a SSB allocation ONLY below 1840 kHz, may continue to use it, but the National Societies in those countries are requested to take all necessary steps with their licence administrations to adjust the phone allocations in accordance with the Region 1 Band plan. (Davos 2005)

80 m Band: 

60 m Band: 

It is strongly recommended that frequencies within the WRC-15 allocation only be used if there are no other frequencies available at 5 MHz under domestic (ITU-R article 4.4) permissions.

Local nets and long rag chew QSOs should not use the WRC-15 allocation at 5 MHz but should instead make use of the 3,5 MHz, 5 MHz domestic or 7 MHz bands where there is more spectrum available.

40 m Band: 

30 m Band: 

SSB may be used during emergencies involving the immediate safety of life and property and only by stations actually  involved in the handling of emergency traffic.

The band segment 10 120 kHz to 10 140 kHz may be used for SSB transmissions in the area of Africa south of the equator during local daylight hours. News bulletins on any mode should not be transmitted on the 10 MHz band.

20 m Band: 

17 m Band: 

15 m Band:

12 m Band: 

10 m Band: 

DEFINITIONS

All modes: CW, SSB and those modes listed as Centres of Activity, plus AM. (Consideration should be given to adjacent channel users).

Image modes: Any analogue or digital image modes within the appropriate bandwidth, for example SSTV and FAX.

Narrow band modes: All modes using up to 500 Hz bandwidth, including CW, RTTY, PSK, etc.

Digimodes: Any digital mode used within the appropriate bandwidth, for example RTTY, PSK, MT63, etc.

NOTES

The frequencies in the band plan are understood as “transmitted frequencies” (not those of the suppressed carrier!)

To prevent any out of band transmission the maximum dial setting for USB Voice mode should be 3 kHz below upper band edge on bands 20 m to 10 m.

(*) Lowest dial setting for LSB Voice mode: 1 843, 3 603 and 7 053 kHz

(##) Highest dial setting for USB Voice mode on the 60 m band: 5363 kHz

CW QSOs are accepted across all bands, except within beacon segments. (Recommendation DV05_C4_Rec_13)

Amplitude modulation (AM) may be used in the telephony sub-bands providing consideration is given to adjacent channel users. (NRRL Davos 05).

Sideband Usage

Below 10 MHz lower sideband (LSB) is recommended, and above 10 MHz use upper sideband (USB).

The exception to this is on the 5 MHz band where USB is recommended.

630 m band:

Details shown in the band plan above should be understood as “proposed usage.” (VA14_C4_Rec_02)

60 m band:

Details shown in the band plan above should be understood as “proposed usage.” (VIE14_C4_Rec_02)

Contests

Where no DX traffic is involved, the contest segments should not include 3 500 – 3 510 kHz or 3 775-3 800 kHz.

Non-contesting radio amateurs are recommended to use the contest-free HF bands (30, 17 and 12 m) during the largest international contests. (DV05_C4_Rec_07)

Contests should be restricted to 160, 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10 m. That is 60, 30, 17, and 12 m bands shall not be used for contests. (VIE16_C4_Rec_06 *)

(* to be ratified at General Conference 2017)

For more recommendations about contest segments, see the IARU Region 1 HF Manager Handbook.

Unmanned transmitting stations:

The term “automatically controlled data stations” includes Store and Forward stations.

IARU member societies are requested to limit this activity on the HF bands.

It is recommended that any unmanned transmitting stations on HF shall only be activated under operator control except for beacons agreed with the IARU Region 1 beacon coordinator, or specially licensed experimental stations. 

Member Societies are reminded of the recommendation in the IARU Region 1 HF Band Plan ‘that any unmanned transmitting stations on HF shall only be activated under operator control, except for beacons agreed with the IARU Region 1 Beacon Coordinator’.

Unmanned transmitting stations, and operation involving unmanned transmitting stations, must adhere to the frequency and bandwidth limits of the band plan.

The operator connecting to an automatically controlled unmanned transmitting station is responsible for not causing interference. This is particularly important in the 30 meter band where the amateur service only has secondary status.

Amateur radio operators may transmit messages via unmanned transmitting stations during coordinated emergency, and disaster preparedness exercises, limited to the duration of such exercises, using a bandwidth not exceeding 2 700 Hz.

Such communication should be announced regularly on the frequency, and radio amateurs not participating in the communication should cooperate by not transmitting on the frequency. (VA14_C4_Rec_06).

Beacons

For information about IARU Region 1 beacon policy, see the IARU Region 1 HF Manager Handbook.

Remote controlled operation on HF

Remote controlled operation is defined to mean operation where a licensed operator controls an amateur radio station from a remote control terminal.

Where a station is operated remotely, the following conditions shall apply:

Remote operation must be permitted, or not objected to, by the Regulatory Authority of the country where the station is located.

1. The call sign to be used should be the call sign issued by the Regulatory Authority of the country in which the station is located. This applies irrespective of the location of the operator.

2. It should be noted that the CEPT T/R 61-01 agreement only applies to people using their own call sign, with the appropriate country prefix, when the operator is actually visiting that country, not for remote operation.

3. Any further requirements regarding the participation of remotely controlled stations in contests or award programs are a matter for the various contest or award program organisers. (SC11_C4_REC_07) and (VA14_C4_REC_04)

History

2005 Davos

Introduction of band plan by bandwidth

Effective 1 January 2006

2008 Cavtat      

Several modifications

Effective 29 March 2009

CW segment extended from 7 000 – 7 035 kHz to 7 000 - 7 040 kHz.

            Narrow band modes, digimodes segment moved and extended from 7 035 – 7 038 kHz to 7 040 -7 047 kHz.

            Narrow band modes, digimodes, segment for automatically controlled stations (unattended) moved and extended from 7 038 – 7 040 kHz to 7 047 - 7 050 kHz.

            All modes, digimodes, segment for automatically controlled stations (unattended) moved from 7 040 – 7 043 kHz to 7 050 - 7 053 kHz.

Introduction of SSB preferred contest segments 7060 -7100 kHz and 7130 -7200 kHz

Introduction of Digital Voice Activity Centres

2011 Sun City

Several modifications

Effective 17 August 2011

            CW contest preferred segment 7 000 – 7 025 kHz withdrawn.

            Segment 29 100 – 29 200 kHz changed from maximum bandwidth of 2 700 Hz to maximum 6 000 Hz.

            Introduction of new segment 29 100 – 29 200 kHz for FM simplex operation (10 kHz channels).

            Removal of FM simplex channels 29 520 – 29 550 kHz and 29 610 – 29 650 kHz.

            Number of FM Repeater channels increased to eight, former FM simplex channels became new repeater input, respectively repeater output channels.

            FM repeater channels renumbered, RH1 = 29 520 / 29 620 kHz, RH8 = 29 590 / 29 690 kHz

            Introduction of FM Simplex Repeater 29 610 kHz (parrot, input + output)

2014 Varna

Several modifications

Effective 26 September 2014

            Segment 29 000 – 29 100 kHz: Change from maximum bandwidth of 2 700 Hz to maximum 6 000 Hz.

            Satellite segment 29 300 – 29 510 kHz: Removal of downlink restriction

2016 Vienna

            Several modifications (to be ratified by General Conference 2017)

Effective 01 June 2016

Introduction of narrow bandwidth segment with maximum bandwidth of 200 Hz from 3 570 kHz to 3 580 kHz

            Narrow bandwidth mode segment with maximum bandwidth of 500 Hz extended by 10 kHz now from 10 130 kHz to 10 150 kHz.