THE

OPERATING
FREQUENCY
HANDBOOK
12 November 2008
An Engineer’s Guide to Operating
Frequencies of common systems and devices

Omar Mohamed Anwar

4102950
Antenna Engineering – Class 3 (C)
 The Operating Frequency Handbook

The Operating Frequency

Handbook
AN ENGINEER’S GUIDE TO OPERATING FREQUENCIES OF COMMON
SYSTEMS AND DEVICES

THE FREQUENCY GUIDE 2

AVIATION (AIR BAND) 2

BLUETOOTH 2
BROADCASTING 2
AM 2
FM 3
TELEVISION 3
MARINE/MARITIME 3
RADAR 4
RADAR FREQUENCY BANDS 4
SATELLITE COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS 5
GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM 5
SATELLITE INTERNET 5
SATELLITE PHONE 6
SATELLITE TELEVISION 6
TELEPHONE 7
CELLULAR 7
CORDLESS 7
WLAN (WIRELESS LAN) 8

INFORMATION YOU MAY NEED TO KNOW 9

THE ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM 9

THE RADIO FREQUENCY SPECTRUM 10
IEEE BANDS 11

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THE FREQUENCY GUIDE

Aviation (Air Band)

VHF
108 ~ 137 MHz
Used for:
Commercial and General Aviation
Radio Navigational Aids
Air Traffic Control

ABSTRACT: In common use among aviation professionals, the band of frequencies is sometimes referred to as
VHF or Victor. Military aircraft also operate using additional frequencies (225 - 400 MHz) which are not part
of the air band. The lower part of the band, from 108 to 117.975 MHz, is reserved for navigational aids
such as VOR beacons, Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS) and Automated Surface Observing
System (ASOS) messages, and precision approach systems such as ILS or LAAS. Channel spacing on the air
band has been 25 kHz. However, increasing congestion has led to further subdivision into 8.33 kHz channels in
the ICAO European region; all aircraft flying above 19,500 feet are required to be capable of handling this
reduced spacing.

Bluetooth

UHF
2.4 ~ 2.4835 GHz

ABSTRACT: Bluetooth is a wireless protocol utilizing short-range communications technology facilitating data
transmission over short distances from fixed and mobile devices, creating wireless personal area networks
(PANs). Bluetooth uses a radio technology called frequency hopping spread spectrum (FHSS). It chops up the
data being sent and transmits chunks of it on up to 79 different frequencies. In its basic mode, the modulation
is Gaussian frequency shift keying (GFSK). It can achieve a gross data rate of 1 Mb/s. Bluetooth connects and
exchanges information between devices through a secure, globally unlicensed Industrial, Scientific, and
Medical (ISM) 2.4 GHz short-range radio frequency bandwidth.

Broadcasting
AM

MF
148.5 ~ 283.5 kHz (Long Wave)
515 ~ 1629 kHz (Medium Wave)
2.3 ~ 26.1 (Short Wave)

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ABSTRACT: Long wave is used for radio broadcasting in Europe, Africa and parts of Asia (ITU region 1), and
is not allocated in the Western Hemisphere. In the United States, Canada, Bermuda and U.S. territories this
band is mainly reserved for aeronautics navigational aids.
Medium wave is by far the most heavily used band for commercial broadcasting (this is actually the "AM
radio" that most people are familiar with). 9 kHz channel spacing is generally used (even for long wave), with
the exception of 10 kHz spacing for the Americas (ITU region 2). ITU region 2 also authorizes the Extended
AM broadcast band between 1610 kHz and 1710 kHz.
Divided into 15 broadcast bands, short wave broadcasts generally use a narrow 5 kHz channel spacing.
Short wave is used by audio services intended to be heard at great distances from the transmitting station.

FM

VHF
76 ~ 90 MHz (Japan)
87.5 ~ 108.0 MHz (everywhere else)

ABSTRACT: The frequency of an FM broadcast station (more strictly its assigned nominal centre frequency) is
usually an exact multiple of 100 kHz. In most of the Americas and the Caribbean, only odd multiples are
used. In some parts of Europe, Greenland and Africa, only even multiples are used. In Italy, multiples of 50
kHz are used. There are other unusual and obsolete standards in some countries, including 0.001, 0.01, 0.03,
0.074, 0.5, and 0.3 MHz

Television

VHF: 54 ~ 88 MHz Channels 2 to 6, 174 ~ 216 MHz Channels 7 to 13

UHF: 470 ~ 890 MHz Channels 14 to 83

ABSTRACT: The VHF and UHF signals in bands III to V are generally used. TV systems in most countries relay
the video as an AM (amplitude-modulation) signal and the sound as an FM (frequency-modulation) signal. An
exception is France, where the sound is AM.

Marine/Maritime

VHF
156 ~ 174 MHz
Used for:
Summoning Rescue Services
Communicating with Harbors and Marinas

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ABSTRACT: A typical marine VHF set is a combined transmitter and receiver and only operates on standard,
international frequencies known as channels. Channel 16 (156.8 MHz) is the international calling and distress
channel. Channel 9 can also be used in some places as a secondary call and distress channel. Transmission
power ranges between 1 and 25 watts, giving a maximum range of up to about 60 nautical miles (111 km)
between aerials mounted on tall ships and hills, and 5 nautical miles (9 km) between aerials mounted on small
boats at sea-level. Frequency modulation is used. Marine VHF mostly uses "simplex" transmission, where
communication can only take place in one direction at a time. A transmit button on the set or microphone
determines whether it is operating as a transmitter or a receiver. The majority of channels, however, are set
aside for "duplex" transmissions channels where communication can take place in both directions
simultaneously.

RADAR

Radar frequency bands

Band Frequency
ABSTRACT
Name Range

HF 3 ~ 30 Coastal radar systems, over-the-horizon radar (OTH) radars.

MHz
VHF 50 ~ Very long range, ground penetrating.
330 MHz
UHF 300 ~ Very long range (e.g. ballistic missile early warning), ground
1000 MHz penetrating, foliage penetrating.
L 1 ~ 2 GHz Long range air traffic control and surveillance; 'L' for 'long'.
S 2 ~ 4 GHz Terminal air traffic control, long-range weather, marine radar; 'S' for
'short'.
C 4 ~ 8 GHz Satellite transponders; a compromise (hence 'C') between X and S
bands.
X 8 ~ 12 GHz Missile guidance, marine radar, weather, medium-resolution
mapping and ground surveillance. Named X band because the
frequency was a secret during WW2.
Ku 12 ~ High-resolution mapping, satellite altimetry; frequency just under K
18 GHz band (hence 'u').
K 18 ~ From German kurz, meaning 'short'; limited use due to absorption by
24 GHz water vapor, so Ku and Ka were used instead for surveillance. K-
band is used for detecting clouds by meteorologists, and by police for
detecting speeding motorists. K-band radar guns operate at 24.150 ±
0.100 GHz.
Ka 24 ~ Mapping, short range, airport surveillance; frequency just above K
band (hence 'a'). Photo radar, used to trigger cameras which take

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40 GHz pictures of license plates of cars running red lights, operates at

34.300 ± 0.100 GHz.
Q 40 ~ Used for Military communication.
60 GHz

V 50 ~ Very strongly absorbed by the atmosphere.

75 GHz

W 75 ~ Used as a visual sensor for experimental autonomous vehicles, high-

110 GHz resolution meteorological observation, and imaging.

UWB 1.6 ~ Used for through the wall radar and imaging systems.
10.5 GHz

Satellite Communication Systems

Global Positioning System

IEEE L-Band
L1: 1575.42 MHz
L2: 1227.6 MHz
(transmissions occur on both frequencies)

ABSTRACT: GPS uses satellite technology to enable a terrestrial terminal to determine its position on the
Earth in latitude and longitude. GPS receivers do this by measuring the signals from three or more satellites
simultaneously and determining their position using the timing of these signals. Such systems operate using
trilateration. Trilateration is the process of determining the position of an unknown point by measuring the
lengths of the sides of an imaginary triangle between the unknown point and two or more known points.

Satellite Internet

C-Band: 4 ~ 6 GHz
Ka-Band: 19 ~ 29 GHz

ABSTRACT: Satellite Internet services are used in locations where terrestrial Internet access is not available
and in locations which move frequently. Internet access via satellite is available worldwide, including vessels at
sea and mobile land vehicles.

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Satellite Phone

Uplink (SHF): 17.3 ~ 30 GHz

Downlink (UHF): 1.6 ~ 2.5 GHz

ABSTRACT: A satellite phone is a mobile telephone which communicates using satellites instead of using cell
towers. Three major satellite phone networks are currently in operation:

• Iridium The Iridium network uses 66 low earth orbit satellites in polar orbits 485 miles above sea level.
The Iridium network is able to provide complete global coverage. There is no spot on the Earth where
you will not be able to receive a satellite phone call through Iridium.
• Globalstar The Globalstar network utilizes 40 low earth orbit satellites orbiting at an altitude of 876
miles. This includes most of North and South America, Europe, the Middle East, Northern Asia, and
Australia.
• Thuraya The Thuraya satellite phone network provides coverage over Europe, the Middle East,
Central and Northern Africa, Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent. Thuraya offers dual-mode
GSM and satellite mobile telephone services, transmitting and receiving calls through each satellite's
12.25-meter-aperture reflector. Satellite phone calls are routed directly from one handheld unit to
another, or to a terrestrial network.

Satellite Television

Microwave
C-Band (Early Usage): Uplink|5.925 ~ 6.425 GHz, Downlink|3.7 ~ 4.2 GHz
Ku-Band: Uplink|14 ~ 14.5 GHz, Downlink|11.7 ~ 12.2 GHz

ABSTRACT: Satellite television, like other communications relayed by satellite, starts with a transmitting
antenna located at an uplink facility. Uplink satellite dishes are very large, as much as 9 to 12 meters (30 to
40 feet) in diameter. The increased diameter results in more accurate aiming and increased signal strength at
the satellite. The uplink dish is pointed toward a specific satellite and the uplinked signals are transmitted
within a specific frequency range, so as to be received by one of the transponders tuned to that frequency
range aboard that satellite. The transponder 'retransmits' the signals back to Earth but at a different
frequency band, typically in the C-band or Ku-band or both. The leg of the signal path from the satellite to
the receiving Earth station is called the downlink. A typical satellite has up to 32 transponders for Ku-band
and up to 24 for a C-band only satellite, or more for hybrid satellites. Typical transponders each have a
bandwidth between 27 MHz and 50 MHz. Each geo-stationary C-band satellite needs to be spaced 2
degrees from the next satellite (to avoid interference). For Ku-band the spacing can be 1 degree. C-band
transmission is susceptible to terrestrial interference while Ku-band transmission is affected by rain (as water is
an excellent absorber of microwaves at this particular frequency).

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Telephone
Cellular

UHF
824 ~ 896 MHz
1850 ~ 1990 MHz

ABSTRACT: All cellular phone networks worldwide utilize a portion of the radio frequency spectrum
designated as Ultra High Frequency, or "UHF", for the transmission and reception of their signals. The UHF
band is also shared with television, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth transmission. The cellular frequencies are the sets of
frequency ranges within the UHF band that have been allocated for cellular phone use. As mobile phones
became more popular and affordable, mobile providers encountered a problem because they couldn't
provide service to the increasing number of customers. They had to develop their existing networks and
eventually introduce new standards, often based on other frequencies.
Cellular Standards:

1G 2G 3G Pre-4G

• NMT • iDEN • W-CDMA • iBurst

• Hicap • PDC (UMTS) • HiperMAN
• CDPD • CSD • HSPA • WiMAX
• Mobitex • PHS • HSDPA • WiBro
• DataTAC • WiDEN • HSUPA • GAN (UMA)
• HSPA+
• UMTS-TDD
• TD-CDMA
• TD-SCDMA
• FOMA

Cordless

First Generation: 46 ~ 50 MHz

Second Generation: 902 ~ 928 MHz
Third Generation: 2.4 ~ 2.4835 GHz
Fourth Generation: 5.725 ~ 5.850 GHz

ABSTRACT: Second generation 900MHz cordless phones have channel spacing between 30-100 KHz. While
third generation 2.4 GHz cordless phones have a channel spacing of 5 MHz. The 2.4 GHz cordless phone
frequencies are shared with 802.11b and 802.11g wireless networks. For fourth generation 5.8GHz cordless
phones it is important to note that some phones use the 5.8 GHz frequencies only for base-to-handset
transmissions, while still using the 2.4 GHz frequencies for handset-to-base transmissions. This split-frequency

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technique saves battery life on the cordless phone handset, because it requires more power to transmit at the
higher 5.8 GHz frequency than at the lower 2.4 GHz frequency. The 5.8 GHz cordless phone frequencies are
shared with 802.11a wireless networks.

WLAN (Wireless LAN)

802.11 a: 5 GHz
802.11 b, g: 2.4 GHz
802.11 n: 5 and/or 2.4 GHz

ABSTRACT: A wireless LAN or WLAN or wireless local area network is the linking of two or more computers
or devices using spread-spectrum or OFDM modulation technology based to enable communication between
devices in a limited area. This gives users the mobility to move around within a broad coverage area and still
be connected to the network. IEEE 802.11 is a set of standards for wireless local area network (WLAN)
computer communication, developed by the IEEE LAN/MAN Standards Committee (IEEE 802) in the 5 GHz and
2.4 GHz public spectrum bands.

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INFORMATION YOU MAY NEED TO KNOW

The Electromagnetic Spectrum

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The Radio Frequency Spectrum

Name Symbol Frequency Wavelength Applications

Extremely ELF 3–30 Hz 10,000– Directly audible when converted to

low 100,000 km sound, communication with submarines
frequency

Super low SLF 30–300 Hz 1,000– Directly audible when converted to

frequency 10,000 km sound, AC power grids (50–60 Hz)

Ultra low ULF 300– 100– Directly audible when converted to

frequency 3000 Hz 1,000 km sound, communication with mines

Very low VLF 3–30 kHz 10–100 km Directly audible when converted to
frequency sound (below ca. 20 kHz; or
ultrasound otherwise)

Low LF 30– 1–10 km AM broadcasting, navigational

frequency 300 kHz beacons, lowFER

Medium MF 300– 100–1000 m Navigational beacons, AM

frequency 3000 kHz broadcasting, maritime and aviation
communication

High HF 3–30 MHz 10–100 m Shortwave, amateur radio, citizens'

frequency band radio

Very high VHF 30– 1–10 m FM broadcasting, amateur radio,

frequency 300 MHz broadcast television, aviation, GPR

Ultra high UHF 300– 10–100 cm Broadcast television, amateur radio,

frequency 3000 MHz mobile telephones, cordless
telephones, wireless networking,
remote keyless entry for automobiles,
microwave ovens, GPR

Super high SHF 3–30 GHz 1–10 cm Wireless networking, satellite links,
frequency microwave links, satellite television,
door openers

Extremely EHF 30– 1–10 mm Microwave data links, radio

high 300 GHz astronomy, remote sensing, advanced
frequency weapons systems, advanced security
scanning

Notes

• Above 300 GHz, the absorption of electromagnetic radiation by Earth's atmosphere is so great that
the atmosphere is effectively opaque to higher frequencies of electromagnetic radiation, until the
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atmosphere becomes transparent again in the so-called infrared and optical window frequency
ranges.
• The ELF, SLF, ULF, and VLF bands overlap the AF (audio frequency) spectrum, which is approximately
20–20,000 Hz. However, sounds are transmitted by atmospheric compression and expansion, and not
by electromagnetic energy.
• The SHF and EHF bands are sometimes not considered to be a part of the radio spectrum, forming
their own microwave spectrum.

IEEE Bands
IEEE Std 521-2002

Band Frequency range Origin of name

HF band 3 to 30 MHz High Frequency

VHF band 30 to 300 MHz Very High Frequency

UHF band 300 to 1000 MHz Ultra High Frequency

Frequencies from 216 to 450 MHz were sometimes called P-
band: Previous, since early British radar used this band but
later switched to higher frequencies.

L band 1 to 2 GHz Long wave

S band 2 to 4 GHz Short wave

C band 4 to 8 GHz Compromise between S and X

X band 8 to 12 GHz Used in WW II for fire control, X for cross (as in crosshair)

Ku band 12 to 18 GHz Kurz-under

K band 18 to 27 GHz German Kurz (short)

Ka band 27 to 40 GHz Kurz-above

V band 40 to 75 GHz

W band 75 to 110 GHz W follows V in the alphabet

COURTESY OF THE INSTITUTE OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERS

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