# Radio frequency bands **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 24, 2006, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radio-frequency-bands/369986 "2006-08-24T02:28:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2006, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radio-frequency-bands/369986/1 "2006-08-24T02:28:37Z")
I have a mid-'60s vintage Blaupunkt Frankfurt radio that has AM, FM, Longwave and Shortwave bands. I can’t play with it until it is installed in the car, and that won’t be for a couple/few months yet. Of what use are the LW and SW bands? I’ve heard that LW can be used for listening to aircraft. True? And do stations still broadcast on SW frequencies that would be within the band range of my radio? ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2006, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radio-frequency-bands/369986/2 "2006-08-24T03:28:35Z")
The aircraft frequencies in the U.S. are 135-154 Mhz (between FM and the upper band of VHF-TV) Without knowing what frequencies your radio is set for, I can’t answer what you’ll find, but the last time I had a shortwave radio, I had no problem pulling in stations from all over the world. Of course, since they weren’t broadcasting in English, I couldn’t understand what I was listening to. If your Spanish is good, you’ll have fun. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2006, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radio-frequency-bands/369986/3 "2006-08-24T03:47:45Z")
Listen to the “numbers” stations on SW and let us all know what is going on. It is truly one of the last great terrestrial mysteries of the world. I have a scanner for aviation bands. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2006, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radio-frequency-bands/369986/4 "2006-08-24T04:21:49Z")
[QUOTE=kunilou] The aircraft frequencies in the U.S. are 135-154 Mhz (between FM and the upper band of VHF-TV) [/QUOTE] Nope. Aircraft operate between ~118 and 136.995 MHz for voice. 108 to 118 MHz are assigned to navigation and landing beacons and such. 137 to 143.995 is military land mobile. This is just below the 2-meter Amateur band from 144 to 148 MHz. 73 de KB2YYR, amateur operator. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2006, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radio-frequency-bands/369986/5 "2006-08-24T05:20:45Z")
[QUOTE=kunilou] Of course, since they weren’t broadcasting in English, I couldn’t understand what I was listening to. If your Spanish is good, you’ll have fun. [/QUOTE] This varies quite a bit based on where you are and what kind of radio you have. I can get English-language shortwave here at night. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2006, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radio-frequency-bands/369986/6 "2006-08-24T05:34:16Z")
Here are a couple good Wikipedia articles on the [longwave](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longwave) and [shortwave](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shortwave) bands, and the kinds of things you can find. Each article has some good links to external sites with more information. ---
**Author:** ![mks57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@mks57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mks57)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2006, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radio-frequency-bands/369986/7 "2006-08-24T05:34:43Z")
[QUOTE=Q.E.D.] 137 to 143.995 is military land mobile. [/QUOTE] 136 to 144 MHz is used for many purposes by the federal government. VHF spacecraft telemetry downlinks use this band. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2006, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radio-frequency-bands/369986/8 "2006-08-24T12:12:16Z")
> [@Q.E.D](#): > > Aircraft operate between ~118 and 136.995 MHz for voice. :smack: I knew that. I was rushing to post, since I had a last-minute offer to meet for dinner and didn’t stop to consider. FWIW, I have a handheld tranceiver for listening (and talking to, though I wouldn’t unless I was actually flying) aircraft. [QUOTE=kunilou] Without knowing what frequencies your radio is set for, I can’t answer what you’ll find… [/QUOTE] The L-band appears to be marked from 1.5 - 2.9, with space on either end of the scale. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2006, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radio-frequency-bands/369986/9 "2006-08-24T14:09:21Z")
Non Directionial Beacons (NDBs) typically broadcast on the longwave band, so that is an aircraft connection. Brian ---
**Author:** ![fortytwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f9ae1b/32.png) [@fortytwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fortytwo)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2006, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radio-frequency-bands/369986/10 "2006-08-24T14:40:41Z")
[QUOTE=Johnny L.A.] Of what use are the LW and SW bands? I’ve heard that LW can be used for listening to aircraft. True? And do stations still broadcast on SW frequencies that would be within the band range of my radio? [/QUOTE] The next time you find yourself driving with your new radio installed just pop over to the UK, there you’ll be able to listen to the cricket on BBC Radio 4 long wave. What a treat for you! There’s also a French station broadcasting on long wave too. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2006, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radio-frequency-bands/369986/11 "2006-08-24T15:15:12Z")
I actually prefer listening to Radio 4 long wave in the car because FM’s superior dynamic range means that at comfortable volumes, quieter things like softly spoken voices are lost beneath the engine and tyre noise. Also, the Shipping Forecast sounds better in long wave. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2006, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radio-frequency-bands/369986/12 "2006-08-24T15:40:22Z")
[QUOTE=Q.E.D.] Nope. Aircraft operate between ~118 and 136.995 MHz for voice. 108 to 118 MHz are assigned to navigation and landing beacons and such. 137 to 143.995 is military land mobile. This is just below the 2-meter Amateur band from 144 to 148 MHz. 73 de KB2YYR, amateur operator. [/QUOTE] My mistake. :smack: I meant to type 108-154. . . which would still have been wrong :smack: :smack: :smack: ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2006, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radio-frequency-bands/369986/13 "2006-08-24T22:42:06Z")
[QUOTE=Q.E.D.] 73 de KB2YYR, amateur operator. [/QUOTE] Congrats to YYR, a new ham! May our geeky ranks swell to new recods levels! ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2006, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radio-frequency-bands/369986/14 "2006-08-25T04:04:39Z")
[QUOTE=jnglmassiv] Congrats to YYR, a new ham! May our geeky ranks swell to new recods levels! [/QUOTE] Depends on how you define “new”. I’ve been licensed since '96; renewed just this year, in fact. ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2006, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radio-frequency-bands/369986/15 "2006-08-25T05:36:20Z")
Nope. I’m the old-timer ham around here, I think. Licensed 1983. ---
**Author:** ![mks57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@mks57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mks57)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2006, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radio-frequency-bands/369986/16 "2006-08-25T07:25:00Z")
[QUOTE=Rico] Nope. I’m the old-timer ham around here, I think. Licensed 1983. [/QUOTE] Licensed 1976.