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United States · License exam

US ham radio bands and what each license class can use

The US ham radio bands are set by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in Part 97 of its rules, and your license class decides which parts you can use. Technicians get every amateur band above 30 MHz, the very high frequency (VHF) and ultra high frequency (UHF) bands, and a few slices of high frequency (HF). General adds part or all of every HF band, and Amateur Extra gets everything. No station may run more than 1,500 watts peak envelope power (PEP), and every station must use the least power that does the job.

  • 200 W PEPTechnician limit on its HF segments
  • 1,500 W PEPMaximum power for any station
  • Every band above 30 MHzTechnician VHF and UHF privileges
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Updated October 2026 · Written from official sources, listed at the bottom of this page

Which US ham radio bands can a Technician use?

Above 30 MHz, Technicians share every amateur band with General and Extra licensees, from 6 meters up. Below 30 MHz they have these segments, with a 200 watt PEP limit:

BandMHzModes
80 meters3.525‑3.600Morse code only
40 meters7.025‑7.125Morse code only
15 meters21.025‑21.200Morse code only
10 meters, lower part28.000‑28.300Morse, radioteletype and data
10 meters, upper part28.300‑28.500Morse and single sideband voice

The modes come from the American Radio Relay League’s (ARRL) frequency chart; the ranges are from Part 97.301. The 2 meter band, 144 to 148 MHz, and the 70 centimeter band, 420 to 450 MHz, are open to Technicians on the same terms as every other class, though Part 97.303 limits 420 to 430 MHz in some areas, such as north of Line A.

ARRL: US Amateur Radio Frequency Allocations ↗The Technician exam →

General and Amateur Extra frequencies on HF

Both classes have every HF band. On 160, 30, 17, 12 and 10 meters their ranges are the same; Extra gets more of 80, 40, 20 and 15 meters. Ranges in MHz:

BandGeneralAmateur Extra
160 meters1.800‑2.0001.800‑2.000
80 and 75 meters3.525‑3.600, 3.800‑4.0003.500‑4.000
40 meters7.025‑7.125, 7.175‑7.3007.000‑7.300
30 meters10.100‑10.15010.100‑10.150
20 meters14.025‑14.150, 14.225‑14.35014.000‑14.350
17 meters18.068‑18.16818.068‑18.168
15 meters21.025‑21.200, 21.275‑21.45021.000‑21.450
12 meters24.890‑24.99024.890‑24.990
10 meters28.000‑29.70028.000‑29.700

These are the ranges for the 50 states, which sit in International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Region 2. The 30 meter band has a 200 watt PEP limit for everyone. General and Extra licensees also have the 2200 meter, 630 meter and 60 meter bands, where Part 97 adds limits on radiated power.

eCFR: 47 CFR Part 97, § 97.301 and § 97.313 ↗

Voice, Morse and data: where each mode goes

Morse code is allowed on any frequency your class can use. Part 97.305 splits the 80, 40, 20, 17, 15, 12 and 10 meter bands into a lower part for radioteletype (RTTY) and data and an upper part for voice and image. On 20 meters, for example, data runs from 14.00 to 14.15 MHz and voice from 14.15 to 14.35 MHz, though a General licensee’s voice segment starts at 14.225.

The 60 meter band works differently. It has four single channels, 5.332, 5.348, 5.373 and 5.405 MHz, with a 100 watt effective radiated power (ERP) limit, and a 5.3515 to 5.3665 MHz segment limited to 9.15 watts ERP.

ARRL: Band Plan ↗

Getting more of the bands

You get more of the bands by passing the exam for a higher class. If you already hold a license, your Certificate of Successful Completion of Examination (CSCE) lets you use the new frequencies from the day you pass. A first license has to appear in the FCC database before you transmit at all. The license levels page explains how upgrades work.

The General exam →Ham radio license levels and upgrading →
Sources: eCFR · ARRL and 1 more. Checked October 2026.

Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.

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