6-meter Band - Frequency Allocations

Frequency Allocations

6-meter frequency allocations for amateur radio are not universal worldwide. In the United States and Canada, the band ranges from 50 MHz to 54 MHz. In some other countries, the band is restricted to military communications. Further, in some nations, the frequency range is used for television transmissions, although most countries have assigned those television channels to higher frequencies (see channel 1).

Although the International Telecommunication Union does not allocate 6-meter frequencies to amateurs in Europe, the decline of VHF television broadcasts and commercial pressure on the lower VHF spectrum has allowed most European countries to provide a 6-meter amateur allocation.

In the United Kingdom, it is legal to use the 6-meter band between frequencies 50 MHz to 52 MHz, with some limitations at some frequencies. In the UK, 50 MHz to 51 MHz is primary usage and the rest is secondary with power limitations. A detailed bandplan can be obtained from the Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB) website

Many organizations promote regular competitions in this frequency to promote its use and to familiarize operators to its quirks. For example RSGB VHF Contest Committee has a large number of contests on 6 meters every year.

Because of its peculiarity, there are a number of 6-meter band operator groups. These people monitor the status of the band between different paths and promote 6-meter band operations.

For a full list of countries using 6-meters refer to the bandplan of the International Amateur Radio Union.