2.1 General Class Band Privileges & ITU Regions
Key Takeaways
- General Class operators gain extensive HF operating privileges across all amateur bands from 160 meters through 10 meters, unlocking phone (SSB), CW, and digital/RTTY modes.
- Phone privileges for Generals on key HF DX bands begin at 3.800 MHz (75m), 7.175 MHz (40m), 14.225 MHz (20m), 21.275 MHz (15m), and 28.300 MHz (10m).
- The WARC bands at 30m (10.100–10.150 MHz), 17m (18.068–18.168 MHz), and 12m (24.890–24.990 MHz) prohibit competitive contesting by international convention, and 30m is strictly CW/data only with a 200 W PEP limit.
- The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) divides the globe into three regions; Region 2 covers the Americas, while Region 1 (Europe/Africa) and Region 3 (Asia/Pacific) feature different amateur allocations, notably a narrower 40-meter band (7.000–7.200 MHz).
- General class operators share 60 meters with federal primary stations across five specific discrete channels in upper sideband (USB), CW, and digital modes.
General Class Band Privileges & ITU Regions
Upgrading from the Technician Class to the General Class amateur radio license represents the single most significant expansion of operating privileges in amateur radio. While Technician licensees are largely confined to VHF and UHF repeaters—with only modest CW allocations on 80, 40, and 15 meters and a small single-sideband (SSB) voice segment on 10 meters—General Class operators unlock the vast expanse of the high-frequency (HF, 3 to 30 MHz) spectrum.
Operating on HF allows worldwide, long-distance (DX) ionospheric skywave communication without reliance on internet links or terrestrial infrastructure. However, operating on these bands requires an exact understanding of FCC Part 97 frequency allocations, emission mode boundaries, and international radio regulations established by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
1. The Structure of HF Band Allocations
Under Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Part 97 rules, frequency bands are partitioned by license class and by emission type (mode). In general, the lower-frequency end of every HF band is reserved for telegraphy (CW) and narrow-band data/telemetry/RTTY emissions, while the upper portion is allocated for telephony (phone / SSB / AM) and image (SSTV / facsimile).
Furthermore, within these mode segments, the FCC uses incentive licensing: the lowest subbands on 80m, 40m, 20m, and 15m are reserved exclusively for Amateur Extra (and grandfathered Advanced) licensees to encourage operators to advance their technical and regulatory skills. General Class operators share substantial segments of both the data and phone portions of each band.
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| GENERAL CLASS HF BAND PRIVILEGES OVERVIEW |
| |
| Band CW / RTTY / Data Privileges Phone / Image Privileges |
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| 160m 1.800 – 2.000 MHz (All Modes) 1.800 – 2.000 MHz (All Modes) |
| 80m/75m 3.525 – 3.600 MHz 3.800 – 4.000 MHz |
| 60m 5 Channels (5.332, 5.348, 5.3585, 5.373, 5.405 MHz Center) (USB/CW/Data) |
| 40m 7.025 – 7.125 MHz 7.175 – 7.300 MHz |
| 30m 10.100 – 10.150 MHz (CW/Data Only) [NO PHONE PERMITTED - 200W MAX] |
| 20m 14.025 – 14.150 MHz 14.225 – 14.350 MHz |
| 17m 18.068 – 18.110 MHz 18.110 – 18.168 MHz |
| 15m 21.025 – 21.200 MHz 21.275 – 21.450 MHz |
| 12m 24.890 – 24.930 MHz 24.930 – 24.990 MHz |
| 10m 28.000 – 28.300 MHz 28.300 – 29.700 MHz |
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2. Band-by-Band General Class Privileges
160-Meter Band (1.800 – 2.000 MHz)
- General Allocation: 1.800 to 2.000 MHz.
- Modes Permitted: All amateur modes (CW, RTTY/Data, Phone, Image).
- Notes: Often called the "Top Band." Propagation behaves like medium-wave AM broadcast radio, requiring large wire antennas and excelling at nighttime regional and DX propagation via groundwave and skywave.
80-Meter / 75-Meter Band (3.500 – 4.000 MHz)
- CW / RTTY / Data: 3.525 to 3.600 MHz.
- Phone / Image (75m): 3.800 to 4.000 MHz.
- Restrictions: The segment from 3.500 to 3.525 MHz is reserved exclusively for Extra Class CW/data. The phone segment from 3.600 to 3.800 MHz is reserved for Extra (3.600–3.800 MHz) and Advanced (3.700–3.800 MHz) operators. Lower Sideband (LSB) is standard for voice on 75 meters.
60-Meter Band (5.3 MHz)
- General Allocation: Five discrete channel center frequencies: 5332.0 kHz, 5348.0 kHz, 5358.5 kHz, 5373.0 kHz, and 5405.0 kHz.
- Modes: USB voice, CW, and digital data.
- Rules: Secondary allocation; 100 Watts Maximum Effective Radiated Power (ERP) relative to a half-wave dipole.
40-Meter Band (7.000 – 7.300 MHz)
- CW / RTTY / Data: 7.025 to 7.125 MHz.
- Phone / Image: 7.175 to 7.300 MHz.
- Restrictions: The segment 7.000–7.025 MHz (CW/data) and 7.125–7.175 MHz (phone) are reserved for Extra and Advanced licensees. Lower Sideband (LSB) is standard for voice.
30-Meter Band (10.100 – 10.150 MHz – WARC Band)
- General Allocation: 10.100 to 10.150 MHz.
- Modes Permitted: CW and Data/RTTY only. Voice/Phone is strictly prohibited.
- Power Limit: 200 Watts PEP maximum.
- Status: Secondary allocation; amateur stations must not cause harmful interference to primary government and commercial fixed services.
20-Meter Band (14.000 – 14.350 MHz)
- CW / RTTY / Data: 14.025 to 14.150 MHz.
- Phone / Image: 14.225 to 14.350 MHz.
- Restrictions: 14.000–14.025 MHz (CW/data) and 14.150–14.225 MHz (phone) are reserved for Extra and Advanced licensees. Upper Sideband (USB) is standard for voice.
- Importance: The 20-meter band is universally considered the primary daylight workhorse for long-distance international DX communication.
17-Meter Band (18.068 – 18.168 MHz – WARC Band)
- CW / RTTY / Data: 18.068 to 18.110 MHz.
- Phone / Image: 18.110 to 18.168 MHz (USB).
- Privileges: General Class operators enjoy access across the entire 17-meter band with no subband reservations for Extra/Advanced.
15-Meter Band (21.000 – 21.450 MHz)
- CW / RTTY / Data: 21.025 to 21.200 MHz.
- Phone / Image: 21.275 to 21.450 MHz (USB).
- Restrictions: 21.000–21.025 MHz (CW/data) and 21.200–21.275 MHz (phone) are reserved for Extra and Advanced operators.
12-Meter Band (24.890 – 24.990 MHz – WARC Band)
- CW / RTTY / Data: 24.890 to 24.930 MHz.
- Phone / Image: 24.930 to 24.990 MHz (USB).
- Privileges: General Class operators have access to the entire 12-meter band.
10-Meter Band (28.000 – 29.700 MHz)
- CW / RTTY / Data: 28.000 to 28.300 MHz.
- Phone / Image: 28.300 to 29.700 MHz (USB from 28.300 to 29.000 MHz; FM and repeaters operate between 29.500 and 29.700 MHz).
- Privileges: General Class operators have access to the entire 10-meter band.
3. Comprehensive Band Privilege Matrix
| Band | Band Type | CW & Data Subband (General) | Phone & Image Subband (General) | Exclusive Extra Subbands (No General Access) | Standard Sideband |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 160m | MF / HF | 1.800 – 2.000 MHz | 1.800 – 2.000 MHz | None | LSB / AM |
| 80m/75m | HF | 3.525 – 3.600 MHz | 3.800 – 4.000 MHz | 3.500–3.525 MHz (CW), 3.600–3.800 MHz (Phone) | LSB |
| 60m | HF Channelized | 5 Channels (USB/CW/Data) | 5 Channels (USB) | None (Shared Secondary) | USB |
| 40m | HF | 7.025 – 7.125 MHz | 7.175 – 7.300 MHz | 7.000–7.025 MHz (CW), 7.125–7.175 MHz (Phone) | LSB |
| 30m | HF (WARC) | 10.100 – 10.150 MHz | Prohibited (No Phone) | None (Max 200 W PEP) | N/A |
| 20m | HF | 14.025 – 14.150 MHz | 14.225 – 14.350 MHz | 14.000–14.025 MHz (CW), 14.150–14.225 MHz (Phone) | USB |
| 17m | HF (WARC) | 18.068 – 18.110 MHz | 18.110 – 18.168 MHz | None (Full Band for General) | USB |
| 15m | HF | 21.025 – 21.200 MHz | 21.275 – 21.450 MHz | 21.000–21.025 MHz (CW), 21.200–21.275 MHz (Phone) | USB |
| 12m | HF (WARC) | 24.890 – 24.930 MHz | 24.930 – 24.990 MHz | None (Full Band for General) | USB |
| 10m | HF | 28.000 – 28.300 MHz | 28.300 – 29.700 MHz | None (Full Band for General) | USB / FM |
[!TIP] Sideband Selection Convention: On amateur HF bands, voice communication on frequencies below 10 MHz (160m, 75m, 40m) conventionally uses Lower Sideband (LSB). On frequencies above 10 MHz (20m, 17m, 15m, 12m, 10m), Upper Sideband (USB) is used. The sole exception is 60 meters (5.3 MHz), where federal rules mandate USB despite being below 10 MHz.
4. WARC Bands & The Non-Contesting Convention
In 1979, the World Administrative Radio Conference (WARC-79) allocated three new HF bands to the amateur service:
- 30 Meters: 10.100 – 10.150 MHz (CW/Data only, 200 W PEP limit)
- 17 Meters: 18.068 – 18.168 MHz
- 12 Meters: 24.890 – 24.990 MHz
Because these bands are relatively narrow (30m is only 50 kHz wide, 12m is 100 kHz wide, and 17m is 100 kHz wide) and are shared in part with other international services, the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) established an enduring international gentleman's agreement:
[!IMPORTANT] WARC Band Contesting Rule: No amateur radio contests are ever permitted on the WARC bands (30m, 17m, and 12m). These bands are reserved as quiet refuges for ragchewing, casual DXing, experimenters, and emergency traffic free from competitive contest pileups.
5. ITU Regions & Global Frequency Variations
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), a specialized agency of the United Nations headquartered in Geneva, divides the world into three administrative regions for radio frequency spectrum management:
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| ITU GLOBAL RADIO REGIONS |
| |
| [ITU REGION 1] [ITU REGION 2] [ITU REGION 3] |
| - Europe - North America - Asia (except Russia) |
| - Africa - South America - Australia & NZ |
| - Middle East - Caribbean - Pacific Island Nations |
| - Russia (Northern Asia) - Greenland & Eastern Pacific |
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The Critical 40-Meter Regional Difference
Amateur spectrum allocations are not completely identical across all three ITU regions. The most critical divergence tested on the General Class exam occurs on the 40-meter band:
- In ITU Region 2 (the Americas), the amateur 40-meter band spans 7.000 to 7.300 MHz (300 kHz bandwidth).
- In ITU Region 1 and ITU Region 3, the amateur 40-meter band spans only 7.000 to 7.200 MHz (200 kHz bandwidth).
Practical Operational Impact for U.S. Amateurs:
When a U.S. General Class operator transmits on phone between 7.175 and 7.300 MHz, any contact with stations in Europe, Africa, or Asia (Regions 1 and 3) requires split-frequency operation. A Region 1 amateur cannot transmit above 7.200 MHz because frequencies between 7.200 and 7.300 MHz in Region 1 are allocated to high-power international shortwave broadcast stations.
To make contacts, the U.S. station transmits above 7.175 MHz while listening for DX replies down in the international band segment (e.g., between 7.050 and 7.200 MHz).
What frequency segment is available to a General Class licensee for phone (voice) operation on the 20-meter band?
On which of the following groups of amateur frequency bands is competitive contesting prohibited by international convention?
Why must a United States General Class operator exercise special operational procedures when attempting 40-meter phone contacts with stations located in ITU Region 1 (Europe and Africa)?
What is the lowest frequency on the 75/80-meter band where a General Class licensee is authorized to transmit voice (phone) emissions?