What each license class may transmit, band by band. Summarized from 47 CFR Part 97 as published in the eCFR on October 8, 2026. The rules themselves are authoritative.
CW is allowed everywhere a class has privileges. Hover over a segment for its limits, or open "Segment details" under any band for the same information as a table.
LF, MF and HF
Below 30 MHz: regional and worldwide contacts using the ionosphere. Read more: Operating on HF, Propagation.
2200 m
135.7 kHz to 137.8 kHz
2200 m privileges by license class
E
A
G
T
N
135.7137.8
Segment details
2200 mprivileges
Frequencies
Class
Allowed
135.7 kHz to 137.8 kHz
Amateur Extra, Advanced, General
All modes
A low-frequency band for fixed stations only, limited to 1 W EIRP. Signals cover short distances by day and longer distances at night, and weak-signal digital modes such as FST4 and FST4W are designed for it.
Power
1 W EIRP
Status
Secondary allocation: amateurs must not interfere with, and must accept interference from, primary users
Fixed stations only, at least 1 km from power lines carrying power line carrier signals on the band (97.303(g)).
Notify the Utilities Technology Council of your call sign and antenna location, then wait 30 days before transmitting.
RTTY and data limited to 300 baud with a frequency shift of no more than 1 kHz (97.307(f)(3)).
A narrow medium-frequency band for fixed stations only, limited to 5 W EIRP in most places. Signals cover short distances by day and longer distances at night, when D-layer absorption weakens.
Power
5 W EIRP (1 W EIRP in Alaska within 800 km of Russia)
Status
Secondary allocation: amateurs must not interfere with, and must accept interference from, primary users
Same conditions as 2200 m: fixed stations only, Utilities Technology Council notification and a 30-day wait (97.303(g)).
Transmitter output may not exceed 500 W PEP (97.313(l)).
Gives short-range contacts by day and medium and long-range contacts at night. It is particularly useful near sunspot minimum, when the maximum usable frequency can fall below the 80 m band.
Power
1,500 W PEP
Status
Primary allocation
The ARRL band chart advises avoiding interference to radiolocation operations from 1.900 to 2.000 MHz.
Band plan conventions (voluntary): 1.810 MHz CW QRP calling; 1.910 MHz SSB QRP calling.
Covers up to about 500 km (310 miles) by day and 2,000 km (1,240 miles) or more at night, and is heavily used during emergencies. Part 97 calls the phone portion, 3.600 to 4.000 MHz, the 75 m band.
A secondary band of four channels and a 15 kHz segment, open to General class and above. It supports near vertical incidence skywave (NVIS) propagation, and the FCC considers it useful for disaster communications when ionospheric conditions make the 80 m and 40 m bands unusable.
Power
100 W ERP on the four channels; 9.15 W ERP in 5351.5 to 5366.5 kHz
Status
Secondary allocation: amateurs must not interfere with, and must accept interference from, primary users
Restructured effective February 13, 2026 (91 FR 1405): the 5358.5 kHz channel was replaced by the 5351.5 to 5366.5 kHz segment. Study material written before 2026 may describe five channels.
Channels are listed by center frequency. For USB phone and data, set the dial (carrier) 1.5 kHz below center: 5330.5, 5346.5, 5371.5 and 5403.5 kHz. Center CW on the channel center (97.303(h)(3)).
No emission may exceed 2.8 kHz bandwidth. Only one signal at a time on each channel.
ERP is transmitter power times antenna gain relative to a half-wave dipole (97.313(i)).
Heavily used around the clock, and in daylight it carries most amateur skywave contacts under about 1,300 km (800 miles). Technicians may use CW from 7.025 to 7.125 MHz.
Power
1,500 W PEP
Status
Primary allocation
Phone from 7.075 to 7.100 MHz is allowed only for stations outside the continental US region described in 97.307(f)(11).
7.200 to 7.300 MHz is shared with broadcasting in other regions; amateurs must accept that interference (97.303(i)).
A narrow CW and data band with no phone and a 200 W PEP limit, used around the clock as a bridge between 40 m and 20 m. The IARU Region 2 band plan keeps contests off this band.
Power
200 W PEP for all classes
Status
Primary allocation
Amateurs must not cause interference to the fixed service outside the US (97.303(j)).
Used as an alternative to 20 m, which is often congested. It is one of the three WARC bands (30, 17 and 12 m), which the IARU Region 2 band plan keeps free of contests.
CW, Phone; 200 W PEP; Phone limited to single sideband (97.307(f)(10)).
28.5 MHz to 29.7 MHz
Amateur Extra, Advanced, General
CW, Phone, Image
A 1.7 MHz wide band, used mainly in daytime and when sunspot activity is high, with segments for CW, data, SSB, FM repeaters and satellites. Technicians may use CW and data from 28.0 to 28.3 MHz and SSB phone from 28.3 to 28.5 MHz.
Power
1,500 W PEP
Status
Primary allocation
FM phone is permitted from 29.0 to 29.7 MHz, where the modulation index limit for HF phone does not apply.
Band plan conventions (voluntary): 29.6 MHz FM simplex.
Often called the "Magic Band": usually local, but sporadic E openings, most common in summer, can carry signals from a few hundred to more than a thousand miles. Technicians have full privileges here and on every higher band.
Power
1,500 W PEP
Status
Primary allocation
Band plan conventions (voluntary): 50.125 MHz SSB calling; 52.525 MHz FM simplex (primary).
RTTY and data; 50 W PEP; Fixed point-to-point digital message forwarding only, with advance written notification (97.303(l)).
222 MHz to 225 MHz
Amateur Extra, Advanced, General, Technician
All modes
222 MHz to 225 MHz
Novice
All modes; 25 W PEP
An alternative to 2 m for short-range contacts, with FM repeaters, simplex and weak-signal work from 222 to 225 MHz. The 219 to 220 MHz segment is only for fixed point-to-point digital message forwarding.
Power
1,500 W PEP (219 to 220 MHz: 50 W PEP; Novice: 25 W PEP)
Used for repeaters, simplex, amateur television, weak-signal work and satellites, which use 435 to 438 MHz. Amateurs are secondary here and must accept interference from US government radiolocation.
Power
1,500 W PEP
Status
Secondary allocation: amateurs must not interfere with, and must accept interference from, primary users
No transmitting north of Line A (near the Canadian border) from 420 to 430 MHz (97.303(m)).
Limited to 50 W PEP in parts of several states and near certain military installations (97.313(f), 2.106 US270).
Band plan conventions (voluntary): 432.1 MHz Weak-signal calling; 446 MHz FM simplex calling.
A Region 2 band shared with government radiolocation, location and monitoring systems, industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) equipment and unlicensed devices. Used for repeaters, weak-signal work, control links and broadband modes including amateur television.
Power
1,500 W PEP
Status
Secondary allocation: amateurs must not interfere with, and must accept interference from, primary users
Limited to 50 W PEP within 241 km of White Sands Missile Range, and prohibited inside the range area (97.313(g), 97.303(n)).
All modes; 5 W PEP; Novice: 1270 to 1295 MHz only.
Used for amateur television, repeaters, point-to-point links, weak-signal work, Earth-Moon-Earth (EME) contacts and satellite uplinks. Amateurs are secondary and must accept interference from government radiolocation.
Power
1,500 W PEP
Status
Secondary allocation: amateurs must not interfere with, and must accept interference from, primary users
Two segments, 2300 to 2310 and 2390 to 2450 MHz, used for weak-signal work, Earth-Moon-Earth (EME) contacts, satellites and broadband modes such as high-speed data. The 2400 to 2450 MHz part is shared with ISM equipment.
No longer listed in Part 97. Amateurs may continue to use 3300 to 3450 MHz on a secondary basis while the band’s future uses are finalized, but must stop if they cause harmful interference to flexible-use operations (47 CFR 2.106, footnote US103).
Power
Secondary use only
Status
Not a Part 97 band; secondary use only while permitted
The 3450 to 3500 MHz portion was closed to amateurs after the 3.45 GHz auction.
Used for narrowband communications, data links and Earth-Moon-Earth (EME) contacts, with satellite segments at 5650 to 5670 MHz (uplink) and 5830 to 5850 MHz (downlink).
Power
1,500 W PEP
Status
Secondary allocation: amateurs must not interfere with, and must accept interference from, primary users
Used for narrowband and short-range wideband communications, television, Earth-Moon-Earth (EME) contacts and satellites. Tropospheric propagation or rain scatter can sometimes extend contacts beyond 1,000 km (620 miles).
Power
1,500 W PEP
Status
Secondary allocation: amateurs must not interfere with, and must accept interference from, primary users
Used for narrowband communications, short-range wideband links, experimentation and Earth-Moon-Earth (EME) contacts. Satellites may use 24.00 to 24.05 GHz, and the band is shared with ISM equipment.