Making Sense of Amateur Radio Bands T1B

Eric Marquette

Hey everyone, welcome back to Amateur Radio for Teens. I’m Eric Marquette, and today we’re gonna make sense of amateur radio bands—specifically, what you can actually do with a Technician license. I know, the rules can feel like alphabet soup at first, but I promise, it gets easier. So, let’s start with the basics: what bands can you use as a Technician? Well, the big one everyone talks about is the 10-meter band. That’s 28.000 to 28.500 MHz. But here’s the catch—if you want to use your voice, or “phone” operation, you’re limited to 28.300 to 28.500 MHz. Below that, it’s mostly Morse code and digital stuff. I always used to mix that up, honestly. I’d get excited, tune to 28.150, and then wonder why no one was talking back. Turns out, I was in the wrong part of the band for voice. Oops.

Eric Marquette

Now, let’s talk about the 6-meter band. That’s 50.0 to 54.0 MHz. A lot of people, including me when I started, think 49 MHz is part of it—probably because it sounds close, right? But nope, 49 MHz is not in the amateur allocation. The correct answer is 52.525 MHz, which is smack in the middle of the 6-meter band. So, if you’re ever in doubt, just remember: 6 meters starts at 50 MHz, not 49. I wish someone had drilled that into my head early on.

Eric Marquette

And, just to round things out, Technician licensees have phone privileges only on the 10-meter band when it comes to HF. That’s it. If you want more, you gotta upgrade. I know, it’s a little limiting, but it’s also a great way to get your feet wet. I remember the first time I realized I’d been calling CQ just outside the allowed range—embarrassing, but hey, that’s how you learn.

Eric Marquette

Alright, so you know where you can operate, but what about the rules once you’re on the air? This is where things get interesting. First off, sometimes we’re not the only ones using a frequency. In some segments, amateur radio is “secondary.” That means if there’s a primary user—like, say, a government service—you have to avoid interfering with them. It’s not just polite, it’s required. I mean, imagine you’re jamming out on your favorite frequency and suddenly you hear a weather balloon or some government station. You gotta move. No arguments.

Eric Marquette

Power limits are another biggie. On HF, as a Technician, you’re capped at 200 watts peak envelope power. But above 30 MHz—so, VHF and UHF—you can go up to 1500 watts. That’s a huge jump, but, and this is important, you should always use the minimum power needed to make the contact. I remember a story about a young operator who cranked their radio up to full power on 2 meters, thinking more was better. They ended up causing interference, and a local mentor had to step in and explain why that’s not cool—and, honestly, not safe. It’s easy to get excited, but a little guidance goes a long way.

Eric Marquette

Oh, and one more thing—some band segments are reserved for specific uses. Like, on 219 to 220 MHz, it’s only for fixed digital message forwarding systems, and you can’t go over 50 watts there. It’s a lot to keep track of, but once you get the hang of it, it becomes second nature.

Eric Marquette

Now, let’s talk about staying out of trouble—operating safely and legally. One thing I see a lot of new hams do is set their transmit frequency right at the edge of a band. Sounds efficient, but it’s actually risky. Why? Well, transmitters aren’t always perfectly calibrated, and your signal can drift a little, especially as the radio heats up. Plus, your voice or digital signal can spill over the edge, and suddenly you’re transmitting out of bounds. Not good. So, always leave a little buffer. I learned that the hard way—my first radio had a bit of drift, and I didn’t realize I was creeping out of the legal range until someone pointed it out.

Eric Marquette

Here’s something cool, though: as a Technician, you can actually try to contact the International Space Station. Seriously! If you’re on the 2-meter or 70-centimeter bands, you’re good to go. No special permission needed, just the right frequency and a little luck. I’ll never forget my first attempt—I was in my backyard, antenna pointed up, heart pounding. I didn’t make contact that time, but just hearing the ISS come over the horizon was wild. It’s one of those moments that makes all the studying worth it.

Eric Marquette

So, to wrap up, remember: know your band privileges, respect the rules, and always operate safely. There’s a lot to learn, but every mistake is just another step toward becoming a better operator. Next time, we’ll dig into more hands-on tips for getting on the air. Until then, keep experimenting, stay curious, and I’ll catch you on the next episode.