20-meter band
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
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The 20-meter band was first made available to amateurs in the United States by the Third National Radio Conference[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 14000–14400 kHz. The allocation was reduced to 14000–14350 kHz. 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 m | 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 |
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. 2012-03-05. Retrieved 2012-10-29.
- ^ Picking a band. The ARRL Operating Manual, 8th Edition (Steve Ford, Ed.):1-15.
- ^ "Propagation of RF Signals". The ARRL Handbook For Radio Communications (82nd ed.). American Radio Relay League. 2005. p. 20.4. ISBN 0-87259-928-0.
- ^ "Recommendations for Regulation of Radio: October 6-10, 1924". Earlyradiohistory.us. Retrieved 2012-10-29.
- ^ http://www.itu.int/dms_pub/itu-s/oth/02/01/S02010000144002PDFE.pdf
- ^ http://www.itu.int/dms_pub/itu-s/oth/02/01/S020100002B4002PDFE.pdf
- ^ a b c "IARU Regions". www.iaru.org. International Amateur Radio Union (IARU). Retrieved 6 January 2014.
- ^ http://www.rac.ca/en/rac/services/bandplans/hf/hfplan-20080711.pdf