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.[1] 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.[2] 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 DX operation even in unfavorable propagation conditions.[3]
History
The Third National Radio Conference was responsible for opening up the 20-meter band to amateur radio operators in the US[4] on October 10, 1924. The band was allocated on a worldwide basis by the International Radiotelegraph Conference[5] 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.[6]
Band plans
IARU Region 1
Europe, Africa, Middle East and Northern Asia[7]
20 meters | 14000–14070 | 14070–14099 | 14099–14101 | 14101–14350 |
---|---|---|---|---|
IARU Region 1 | ||||
IARU Region 2
The Americas[7]
20 meters | 14000–14070 | 14070–14099 | 14099–14101 | 14101–14350 |
---|---|---|---|---|
IARU Region 2 | ||||
IARU Region 3
Asia-Pacific[7]
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 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
United States | 14000–14025 | 14025–14150 | 14150–14175 | 14175–14225 | 14225–14350 |
General | |||||
Advanced | |||||
Extra |
Canada
Canada[8] 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 2nd | narrow-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
- ↑ "Frequency Allocations". Arrl.org. 5 March 2012. Archived from the original on 14 March 2010. Retrieved 29 October 2012.
- ↑ Ford, Steve (ed.). "Picking a band". The ARRL Operating Manual (8th ed.). Newington, CT: American Radio Relay League. p. 1-15.
- ↑ "Propagation of RF Signals". The ARRL Handbook For Radio Communications (82nd ed.). Newington, CT: American Radio Relay League. 2005. p. 20.4. ISBN 0-87259-928-0.
- ↑ "Frequency or wave band allocations". Recommendations for Regulation of Radio Adopted by the Third National Radio Conference. Govt. Print. Off. October 6–10, 1924. p. 15.
- ↑ "INTERNATIONAL RADIOTELEGRAPH CONVENTION AND GENERAL AND SUPPLEMENTARY REGULATIONS" (PDF). INTERNATIONAL RADIOTELEGRAPH CONVENTION OF WASHINGTON, 1927. 25 November 1927. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 March 2014. Retrieved 6 July 2014.
- ↑ "RADIO REGULATIONS ANNEXED TO THE INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION CONVENTION (ATLANTIC CITY, 1947)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 July 2014. Retrieved 6 July 2014.
- 1 2 3 "IARU Regions". www.iaru.org. International Amateur Radio Union (IARU). Archived from the original on 30 December 2013. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
- ↑ "RAC MF/HF Band Plan" (PDF). rac.ca. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 November 2010. Retrieved 8 July 2008.