International Frequency Allocation Chart

February 21, 2013, Submitted by: Ken

You can download a higher resolution chart here, and maybe print it to be nearby your shortwave receiver.

I was reading through a new book that I received today, the 2013 WRTH Directory of Global Broadcasting… and one of the many things that I found helpful is this simple and easy quick reference visual chart of International Frequency Allocation. For broadcast shortwave and Ham radio listeners, it is a quick way to correlate frequency versus broadcast bands or Ham radio bands.

So if you’re tuning around the bands on your receiver – turning your shortwave dial (or digital up/down arrows), and you’re interested to listen in on commercial broadcasts that may be transmitting, these are represented by the green section bands on the chart. The Ham radio (personal) communications are occurring within the blue bands on the chart. If you don’t have all of the frequency ranges memorized, this handy chart will help you quickly find those bands.

The chart is from the WRTH (World Radio TV Handbook) Directory of Global Broadcasting, which I recommend that you get a copy if you are at all interested to know who is broadcasting, on what frequencies, where they are, as well as lots of other useful information.

From a preparedness standpoint, becoming involved in shortwave radio listening and Ham radio communications (or listening) will provide a valuable backup (or supplemental primary) method of gathering information from around the country and the world, from private individuals or from commercial radio stations of many different affiliations. It can become an enjoyable hobby, a means of diversifying the information that you collect, and a method of transmitting and communicating with others over the airways – an often used method during emergencies since these radios will typically power on 12 volts DC (batteries or power supply).

MSB