The 20-meter or 14-MHz amateur radio band is a portion of the shortwave radio spectrum, comprising frequencies stretching from 14.000 MHz to 14.350 MHz. The 20-meter band is widely considered among the best for long-distance communication (DXing), and is one of the most popular—and crowded—during contests. Several factors contribute to this, including the band's large size, the relatively small size of antennas tuned to it (especially as compared to antennas for the 40-meter band or the 80-meter band) and its good potential for daytime international operation even in unfavorable propagation conditions.
History
The Third National Radio Conference was responsible for opening up the 20-meter band to amateur radio operators in the US on October 10, 1924. The band was allocated on a worldwide basis by the International Radiotelegraph Conference in Washington, D.C., on October 4, 1927. Its frequency allocation was then 14–14.4 MHz. The allocation was reduced to 14–14.35 MHz by the International Radio Conference of Atlantic City, New Jersey 1947.
Band plans IARU Region 1 Europe, Africa, Middle East and Northern Asia 20 meters 14000–14070 14070–14099 14099–14101 14101–14350 IARU Region 1
IARU Region 2 The Americas 20 meters 14000–14070 14070–14099 14099–14101 14101–14350 IARU Region 2
IARU Region 3 Asia-Pacific 20 meters 14000–14070 14070–14099 14099–14101 14101–14112 14112–14350 IARU Region 3
United States Effective 12:01 a.m. EST, February 23, 2007
20 meters 14000–14350 14000–14025 14025–14150 14150–14175 14175–14225 14225–14350 General Advanced Extra
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 but it does not have the force of law and should only be considered a suggestion or guideline. License class 14.000–14.070 14.070–14.095 14.095–14.0995 14.0995–14.1005 14.1005–14.112 14.112–14.350 Basic(+), Advanced
Japan Changed on September 25, 2023.
License class 14000–14070 14070–14100 14100–14350 1st and 2ndnarrow-band All modes
Key = CW only = CW, narrow band digital (<= 500 Hz) = CW, narrow band digital (<= 500 Hz), wide band digital = CW, RTTY and data (US: < 1 kHz Bandwidth) = Beacons = CW, phone = CW, narrow band digital (<= 500 Hz), phone = CW, phone and image
References