70-centimeter band
| 70-centimeter band | |
|---|---|
| Frequency range | 420–450 MHz (US) 430–440 MHz (ITU Region 1) |
| Wavelength | About 70 cm |
| Group | UHF |
| US license | Technician and above, full privileges |
| Operating | |
| Common modes | FM, digital voice (DMR, D-STAR, Fusion), SSB, CW, amateur television |
| Repeater offset (US) | ±5 MHz |
| Common simplex frequency (US) | 446.000 MHz FM |
| SSB/CW calling frequency | 432.100 MHz |
The 70-centimeter band is the amateur UHF allocation around 440 MHz. In the United States it runs from 420 to 450 MHz, one of the widest amateur bands available; in most of the rest of the world it is 430 to 440 MHz. Almost every dual-band handheld covers 70 centimeters alongside the 2-meter band, and the two are used in much the same way.
Character
At UHF, wavelengths are short enough that signals pass more readily through doorways and windows and reflect off buildings, so 70 centimeters often works better than 2 meters inside and among tall structures. Range outdoors is similar to 2 meters, a little less in open country, and again depends mostly on antenna height. Antennas are half the size of their 2-meter counterparts, which makes a high-gain Yagi practical even on a balcony.
The band is shared. In the US the amateur service is secondary to government radiolocation, and parts of the band are restricted near the Canadian border and near some military installations. Among those users are the US Space Force's PAVE PAWS early-warning radars at Beale Air Force Base in California and on Cape Cod in Massachusetts. Near them, amateur stations are limited to 50 watts PEP unless they get a waiver, which fixed, repeater and moonbounce stations may seek; the ARRL Lab helps by modeling the terrain around a station to work out the directions and power levels that will avoid interfering with the radar.
In April 2026 the FCC also allowed a commercial satellite operator limited use of part of the band. Over the ARRL's objections, it authorized AST SpaceMobile to make limited emergency use of five 50 kHz channels between 430 and 440 MHz, centered on 430.5, 432.3, 434.1, 435.9 and 439.5 MHz, for emergency telemetry, tracking and command of its satellites. The authorization applies only when the satellites are outside the US, through five earth stations outside the US, when no other spectrum is available, and for no more than 24 hours per emergency.
Uses
- FM repeaters, with inputs 5 MHz away from the output. Many 2-meter repeaters have a 70-centimeter twin, and some are linked together.
- Digital voice. DMR, D-STAR and Yaesu System Fusion repeaters cluster on 70 centimeters. Many are connected to the internet, so a handheld in Cape Town can talk to a repeater in Dublin.
- Satellites. The band carries uplinks and downlinks for most amateur satellites, usually paired with 2 meters.
- Weak-signal work on SSB and CW around 432.1 MHz, including contests and moonbounce.
- Amateur television and data links in the upper part of the band.
Band plan
The ARRL band plan places amateur television from 420 to 426 MHz and 438 to 444 MHz in many areas, satellite segments at 435–438 MHz, weak-signal SSB and CW near 432 MHz, and FM repeaters and simplex from 440 to 450 MHz. Repeater output frequencies and offsets vary by region, so check the plan for your area.