G4NSJ – The Amateur Bands, 160 Metres to 70cms

The amateur bands:

Every amateur band has its own character. Some are best for local chats, some come alive after dark, and some only open up when the sun is active. On these pages I describe the bands from top band at 1.8MHz up to 70cms, with frequencies, band plans, propagation and a little history.

Where I use a band myself, here in Worthing on the Sussex coast, I describe the radios and aerials I use and how I get on. Pick a band below, or see the Site Directory for everything on the site.

Top band and the lower HF bands

The lower bands are good for contacts around Britain during the day and can reach much further at night. Sadly, they also suffer most from local electrical noise.

160 metres, top band. One of the oldest amateur bands, just above medium wave. It was the greatest band ever until cheap switch mode power supplies wiped it out. My transmitting and receiving set-up. Includes an audio message.
80 metres. The history of the band in the valve era, and my 132 foot doublet, which brings 9 plus reports from UK stations. Includes an audio message.
5MHz, 60 metres. I have been on these frequencies since the 5MHz experiment began in 2002. Who may use them, and where to listen. Includes an audio message.
40 metres. A dependable band in good times and bad, and my favourite at the moment because it suffers least from noise here. The band plan and my aerials.

The HF DX bands

These bands are the ones for long distance contacts, when the sun and the ionosphere allow.

30 metres. A narrow band for Morse, low power and digital modes such as FT8, with no voice. The band plan and propagation.
20 metres. For decades the premier worldwide DX band, mainly in daylight. Its history, propagation and aerials.
17 metres. One of the WARC bands, and a quieter alternative to busy 20 metres, free of contests.
15 metres. A younger band, first used by amateurs in the early 1950s, which comes into its own when solar activity is high.

10 and 12 metres

10 and 12 metres. A cheap CB aerial and a low cost radio can bring amazing results. My Sigma Venom is only six feet off the ground and I have worked Indonesia and Australia. Includes a video.
29MHz AM on 10 metres. There is AM activity around the 29.000MHz calling frequency, and where to listen.

VHF and UHF

6 metres, the magic band. My station, the frequencies I monitor, RTTY on 50.600MHz and the band plan. Includes an audio message.
4 metres, the friendly band. Back on the band after twelve years, my radios, and weatherproofing my Sirio vertical. Includes a video.
2 metres. Quieter than in the good old days, but there are still regular chats, beacons and repeaters. A list of beacons to listen for.
70cms. Mostly used for our local repeater, GB3BR. My radio, my aerial and the simplex FM frequencies, including our local chat frequency.

When the bands go quiet

The HF bands are dead! In the summer of 2025, at the sunspot maximum, the HF bands went very quiet. What happened, with a month by month guide to the best bands.