Broadcast band
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A broadcast band is a segment of the radio spectrum used for broadcasting.
| Common name | Frequencies | Modulation | Frequency range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Longwave | 148.5 and 283.5 kHz | Amplitude Modulation (AM) | Low frequency (LF) | Mostly used by Europe, North Africa and Asia |
| AM radio | 535 to 1700 kHz | Amplitude Modulation (AM) | Medium Frequency (MF) | Usually speech and news, where a lower bandwidth will suffice; long range at night due to the ionosphere increasing in altitude |
| Shortwave | 5.9 to 26.1 MHz | Mostly AM and single-sideband (SSB) modes. | High Frequency (HF) | Very long range through "skipping". Standard time frequencies can be heard here. |
| VHF low (TV) | 54 to 88 MHz | vestigial sideband modulation for analog video, and FM for analog audio; 8-VSB or OFDM for digital broadcast | Very High Frequency (VHF) band I | Channels 2 through 6 are from 54 to 88 MHz (except 72–76 MHz). |
| FM radio | 87.5 to 108 MHz, 76 to 90 in Japan | Frequency Modulation (FM) | VHF band II | Usually music, due to the clarity and high bandwidth of FM. Relatively short range |
| VHF high (TV) | 174 to 216 MHz | vestigial sideband modulation for analog video, and FM for analog audio; 8-VSB or OFDM for digital broadcast | VHF band III | Channels 7 through 13 are from 174 to 216 MHz. |
| UHF (TV) | 470 to 806 MHz | vestigial sideband modulation for analog video, and FM for analog audio; 8-VSB or OFDM for digital broadcast | Ultra High Frequency (UHF) | Channels 14 through 69 are from 470 to 806 MHz, except 608 to 614 (radio astronomy in place of channel 37). |