Frequency plan

A bandplan or band plan is a plan for using a particular band of radio frequencies, that are a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum . Each bandplan defines the frequency range to be included, how channels are to be defined, and what will be carried on those channels. Typical definitions set forth in a bandplan are:

numbering scheme – which channel numbers or letters (if any) will be assigned
center frequencies – how far apart the carrier wave for each channel will be
bandwidth and/or deviation – how wide each channel will be
spectral mask – how extraneous signals will be attenuated by frequency
modulation – what type will be used or are permissible
content – what types of information are allowed, such as audio or video, analog or digital
licensing – what the procedure will be to obtain a broadcast license

The actual authorized frequency bands are defined by the ITU and the local regulating agencies like the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the USA. For the authorized frequency bands for amateur radio use see: Authorized frequency bands.

See also