The World Administrative Radio Conference (WARC) bands are three portions of the shortwave radio spectrum used by licensed and/or certified amateur radio operators. They consist of 30 meters (10.1–10.15 MHz), 17 meters (18.068–18.168 MHz), and 12 meters (24.89–24.99 MHz).U.S. Amateur Frequency Allocations https://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/regulations/allocate.html Accessed 9 September 2008ITU Frequency Allocations http://life.itu.int/radioclub/rr/hfband.htm Accessed 9 September 2008 They were named after the World Administrative Radio Conference, which in 1979 created a worldwide allocation of these bands for amateur use. The bands were opened for use in the early 1980s. Due to their relatively small bandwidth of 100 kHz or less, there is a gentlemen's agreement that the WARC bands may not be used for general contesting. This agreement has been codified in official recommendations, such as the IARU Region 1 HF Manager's Handbook, which states: "Contest activity shall not take place on the 5, 10, 18, and 24 MHz bands."
Non-contesting radio amateurs are recommended to use the contest-free HF bands (30, 17, and 12m) during the largest international contests.
12-meter band plan IARU Region 1 License classIARU Region 1 band plan http://www.iaru-r1.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=175&Itemid=127 accessed 12 January 2011 24.89–24.915 24.915-24.925 24.925-24.929 24.929-24.931 24.931-24.94 24.94-24.99 Effective 1 January 2008 CW only CW, narrow-band digital CW, narrow-band digital, unattended stations Beacons CW, narrow-band digital, unattended stations All modes
IARU Region 2 License classIARU Region 2 band plan https://www.iaru-r2.org/wp-content/uploads/region-2-mf-hf-bandplan-e.pdf accessed 12 January 2011 24.89–24.915 24.915-24.925 24.925-24.929 24.929-24.931 24.931-24.94 24.94-24.99 Effective 1 January 2008 CW only CW, narrow-band digital CW, narrow-band digital, unattended stations Beacons CW, narrow-band digital, unattended stations All modes
Canada Canada is part of region 2 and as such is subject to the IARU band plan. Radio Amateurs of Canada offers the bandplan below as a recommendation for use by radio amateurs in that country. License class 24.89–24.92 24.920-24.925 24.925-24.94 24.94-24.975 24.975-24.978 24.978-24.99 Basic (+), Advanced CW only Digital only CW, narrow-band digital, wide band digital Phone only TV only Phone only
United States
License class 24.89–24.93 24.93-24.99 Extra, Advanced, General CW, narrow-band digital CW, phone, image
IARU Region 3 License classIARU Region 3 band plan http://www.iaru-r3.org/r3bandplan.doc accessed 12 January 2011 24.89–24.92 24.92-24.9295 24.9295-24.9305 24.94-24.99 Effective as of 2009 CW only CW, narrow-band digital Beacons All modes 2 kHz max BW
Japan License classJapan band plan https://www.jarl.org/English/6_Band_Plan/JARL%20Band%20Plan20230925(E).pdf accessed 25 September 2023 24.89–24.900 24.900-24.930 24.930-24.990 ALL Class CW only CW, narrow-band digital Narrowband all modes
17-meter band plan IARU Region 1 License class 18.068-18.095 18.095-18.105 18.105-18.109 18.109-18.111 18.111-18.120 18.12-18.168 Effective 1 January 2008 CW onlyCW, narrow-band digitalCW, narrow-band digital, unattended stationsBeaconsAll modes, unattended stationsAll modes
IARU Region 2 License class 18.068-18.095 18.095-18.105 18.105-18.109 18.109-18.111 18.111-18.120 18.120-18.168 Effective 1 January 2008CW onlyCW, narrow-band digitalCW, narrow-band digital, unattended stationsBeaconsAll modes, unattended stationsAll modes
Canada Canada is part of region 2 and as such is subject to the IARU band plan. Radio Amateurs of Canada offers the bandplan below as a recommendation for use by radio amateurs in that country. License class 18.068-18.095 18.095-18.1 18.1-18.11 18.11-18.168 Basic (+), AdvancedCW onlyCW, narrow-band digital, wide band digitalDigital onlyPhone only
United States
License class 18.068-18.11 18.11-18.168 Extra, Advanced, GeneralCW, narrow-band digitalCW, phone
IARU Region 3 License class 18.068-18.095 18.095-18.105 18.105-18.1095 18.1095-18.1105 18.1105-18.168 Effective as of 2009CW onlyCW, narrow-band digitalCW, narrow-band digital, wide band digitalBeaconsAll modes
Japan License class 18.068-18.08 18.08-18.11 18.11-18.168 ALL classCW onlyCW, narrow-band digitalNarrowband all modes
30-meter band plan IARU Region 1 License class 10.1-10.13 10.13-10.15 Effective 1 June 2016 CW onlyCW, narrow-band digital
Throughout most of the world, the 30-meter band generally cannot be used for "phone" (voice) communications. 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.
However, a part of Region 1 is permitted to use phone at certain times.IARU Region 1 Band Plan http://www.iaru.org/Chapter-5.1.pdf accessed 5 April 2010 The band segment 10.12 to 10.14 may only be used for SSB transmissions in the area of Africa south of the equator during local daylight hours.
IARU Region 2 License class 10.1-10.13 10.13-10.14 10.14-10.15 Effective 1 January 2008 CW onlyCW, narrow-band digitalAll modes except phone
Canada Source:
Canada is part of Region 2 and as such is subject to the IARU band plan. Radio Amateurs of Canada offers the bandplan below as a recommendation for use by radio amateurs in that country. License class 10.1-10.13 10.13-10.14 10.14-10.15 Basic (+), Advanced CW onlyDigital onlyCW, narrow-band digital, wide band digital
United States License class 10.1-10.15 Extra, Advanced, General (200 watts)CW, narrow-band digital
The USA limits amateur radio users to 200 watts peak envelope power on this band.US Amateur Radio Frequency Allocations https://www.arrl.org/frequency-allocationsUS Amateur Radio Band chart https://www.arrl.org/files/file/Regulatory/Band%20Chart/Hambands_color.pdf effective 5, March 2012, accessed 19 June 2012
IARU Region 3 License class 10.1-10.14 10.14-10.15 Effective 2009 CW onlyCW, narrow-band digital
Australia Australia (VK, region 3) has a unique set of privileges on 30 meters which allows voice operation on a section of the band for advanced license holders. The digital segment is 10.13-10.15 MHz. The current band plan has telephony from 10.12–10.135 MHz, with CW only below 10.12. These are WIA recommendations only as ACMA does not restrict Australian amateurs' modes within HF allocations beyond requiring less than 8 kHz occupied bandwidth per channel below 28 MHz.
Japan License class 10.1-10.12 10.12-10.15 1st and 2nd CW onlynarrow-band All modes Note: The occupied bandwidth shall be less than 2kHz.
Key for band plans = CW only = CW, narrow band digital ( <= 500 Hz ) = CW, narrow band digital ( <= 500 Hz ), unattended stations = CW, narrow band digital ( <= 500 Hz ), wide band digital = Beacons = CW, phone = All modes, unattended stations = All modes except phone = Digital only = Phone only = TV only = All modes
See also Amateur radio frequency allocations International Telecommunication Union World Radiocommunication Conference Regional Radiocommunication Conference Radio Regulations Federal Communications Commission Radio Amateurs of Canada Ofcom
References
External links US Amateur Radio Bands