Ham Radio Bands and Emergency Frequencies in IARU Region 1

Ham Radio Bands and Emergency Frequencies in IARU Region 1

If you are hiking, driving across Europe, activating a summit, working portable from a park, or preparing a small emergency radio plan, you do not need to memorise the entire IARU Region 1 band plan.

What you really need is a mental map.

You need to know which bands are useful for local, regional, and long-distance communication. You need to know which calling frequencies are likely to be monitored. You need to know which emergency centres of activity should be kept clear. And, just as importantly, you need to know which frequencies are not amateur radio at all, even if they are useful to recognise in an emergency context.

This guide is written with that practical view in mind.

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Your licence beats every frequency list

The IARU Region 1 band plan is not a licence. It is an operating agreement: a way for radio amateurs across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and parts of northern Asia to share spectrum without constantly getting in each other’s way.

That means the band plan tells you where CW, SSB, FT8, repeaters, APRS, satellites, and emergency activity normally belong. It does not automatically give you permission to transmit.

Permission comes from your national licence and the regulator in the country where your station is transmitting. This is especially important when travelling.

Most of the ordinary HF amateur bands are fairly predictable across Region 1. The bands that deserve extra caution are:

• 60 metres, because national access differs dramatically
• 6 metres, because access, power limits, and sub-bands vary
• 4 metres, because it is not available everywhere
• 70 centimetres, because repeaters, digital segments, LoRa, satellites, and SRD/ISM sharing make it nationally complex

A good rule is: national law first, IARU band plan second, software defaults third, local habits last.

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The bands that usually matter

For practical operating, it helps to think in layers rather than in long frequency tables.

HF is your regional and long-distance tool. The lower HF bands, especially 80 m and 40 m, are useful for regional communication, evening nets, emergency traffic, and portable work. The higher HF bands, such as 20 m, 17 m, 15 m, 12 m, and 10 m, are more dependent on propagation and are often better for long-distance contacts.

VHF is your local and line-of-sight layer. Two metres is the classic band for local FM calling, mountain contacts, repeaters, APRS, and emergency coordination. Six metres sits somewhere between HF and VHF: it can behave locally one moment and suddenly open across Europe the next.

UHF is your local, repeater, digital voice, satellite, and experiment layer. Seventy centimetres is extremely useful, but it is also one of the bands where national planning matters most.

So instead of memorising every band segment, start with this:

• 80 m and 40 m: regional HF, nets, emergency centres, portable work
• 20 m and above: DX, international contacts, higher-band portable work
• 2 m: local FM, SSB weak-signal, APRS, SOTA/POTA, repeaters
• 70 cm: local FM, repeaters, digital voice, satellites, data experiments
• 60 m, 6 m, and 4 m: useful but always check national rules

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Frequencies worth knowing by heart

A few frequencies are worth memorising because they are common calling points or emergency centres of activity.

For amateur radio in Region 1, the most useful VHF/UHF calling references are 145.500 MHz FM on 2 m, 144.300 MHz SSB/CW on 2 m, and 433.500 MHz FM on 70 cm. On HF, the main emergency centres of activity are 3.760 MHz, 7.110 MHz, 14.300 MHz, 18.160 MHz, and 21.360 MHz.

Europe’s classic VHF APRS frequency is 144.800 MHz.

If you remember only one paragraph from this whole article, remember this one:

145.500 MHz FM for local 2 m calling, 433.500 MHz FM for 70 cm calling, 144.300 MHz for 2 m SSB/CW, 144.800 MHz for APRS in Europe, and keep 3.760, 7.110, 14.300, 18.160, and 21.360 MHz clear for HF emergency activity.

These are not magic channels. They are simply places where activity is expected and where your transmission is more likely to be noticed.

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Emergency frequencies are not normal chat channels

The IARU emergency centres of activity are not exclusive emergency channels, and they are not guaranteed to be staffed. They are coordination points: places where emergency-related traffic may appear and where casual traffic should avoid causing interference.

The most important ones in Region 1 are:

• 3.760 MHz on 80 m
• 7.110 MHz on 40 m
• 14.300 MHz on 20 m
• 18.160 MHz on 17 m
• 21.360 MHz on 15 m

The best-known of these is 14.300 MHz, the global emergency centre of activity on 20 m. It is tempting for portable operators because it sits near common SSB activity, but it should not be used casually. If you are doing SOTA or POTA, find another clear frequency.

In German-speaking emergency-radio practice, you may also see a DACH advisory list: 1.873 MHz LSB, 3.643 MHz LSB, 7.085 MHz LSB, 10.138 MHz USB, and 14.180 MHz USB, plus 145.500 MHz FM and 433.500 MHz FM. These are useful regional references, but they do not replace the IARU centres of activity.

For DMR in Germany, BrandMeister Talkgroup 265112 is commonly associated with “Notfunk-Deutschland”. Treat it as an amateur-radio coordination resource, not as a public-safety dispatch system.

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What to do in a real emergency

In a real emergency, the best radio procedure is simple and calm.

Say who you are. Say where you are. Say what happened. Say what help is needed. Say which frequency and mode you are using. Then listen.

You may hear or use the terms MAYDAY and PAN-PAN. MAYDAY is for grave and imminent danger to life. PAN-PAN is for urgent situations that are serious but not immediately life-threatening. In amateur radio, plain language is often just as effective.

A useful format is:

MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY. This is [callsign]. My position is [location]. We have [emergency]. We need [assistance]. I am transmitting on [frequency and mode]. Over.

Keep it short. Do not turn the emergency frequency into a conversation. Once contact is established and the situation allows it, move away from the calling or emergency centre of activity to keep the channel clear.

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The tricky bands

Some bands deserve more explanation because they cause the most confusion.

60 metres

Sixty metres is the band where copying a frequency list can get you into trouble fastest.

The IARU Region 1 band plan gives a proposed structure around 5.3515–5.3665 MHz, with USB recommended for voice. FT8 activity is commonly found around 5.357 MHz, and JS8Call has moved toward 5.363 MHz for the newer 60 m segment.

But that does not mean you may use those frequencies everywhere.

Germany, the UK, and other countries have different 5 MHz rules, power limits, bandwidth limits, and sometimes channelized arrangements. Some countries have no general 60 m access. Always check the national rules before transmitting on 60 m.

6 metres

Six metres is often called the “magic band” because it can suddenly open over long distances. In Region 1, common references include 50.150 MHz for SSB activity, 50.313 MHz for FT8, 50.318 MHz for FT4, and 51.510 MHz for FM calling.

But 6 m access is still national. Some countries allow broad use, some impose restrictions, and some have special rules for power, modes, or contests.

4 metres

Four metres, around 70 MHz, is not a universal Region 1 band.

Where it is available, common references include 70.154 MHz for FT8, 70.200 MHz for CW/SSB activity, and 70.450 MHz for FM calling. The UK and Ireland have long-standing 4 m activity, but other countries may have no general access or only temporary permission.

When travelling, never assume 70 MHz is available.

70 centimetres

Seventy centimetres looks simple on paper and becomes complicated in practice.

The FM calling frequency 433.500 MHz is a useful Region 1 reference. Weak-signal activity is often around 432.200 MHz. Some current planning material also references 432.500 MHz for APRS in a sub-regional or national context, and parts of the 433 MHz area are used for data and LoRa-style experimentation.

At the same time, 433 MHz overlaps with licence-exempt short-range devices in many places. Repeater systems and digital voice plans also vary heavily by country.

So the practical version is: use 433.500 MHz as a calling reference, but check the national plan before relying on repeater, digital, APRS, or LoRa frequencies.

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Digital modes without overthinking it

FT8, FT4, and JS8Call frequencies are dial frequencies. The actual transmitted tones appear in the audio passband above the dial frequency. These are software and community conventions, not legal assignments.

For most operators, the important common dials are:

FT8: 1.840, 3.573, 5.357, 7.074, 10.136, 14.074, 18.100, 21.074, 24.915, 28.074, 50.313, and 144.174 MHz.

FT4: 1.838, 3.575, 7.0475, 10.140, 14.080, 18.104, 21.140, 24.919, 28.180, 50.318, and 144.170 MHz.

JS8Call: 1.8435, 3.578, 7.078, 10.130, 14.078, 18.104, 21.078, 24.922, 28.078, 50.318, and 144.178 MHz.

On 60 m and 4 m, be extra careful. Those bands are not globally uniform, and a software default does not override your licence.

For voice, the usual convention is LSB below 10 MHz and USB above 10 MHz. On 5 MHz, USB is recommended for voice.

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SOTA and POTA are not channel plans

SOTA and POTA do not assign universal official frequencies.

That is worth saying clearly because many operators talk about “the SOTA frequency” or “the POTA frequency”. In reality, these are habits, not rules.

A SOTA activator may call on 145.500 MHz FM from a summit, then move if needed. On HF, activators are often found in familiar parts of 40 m, 20 m, 17 m, and 15 m. For example, 7.118 MHz, 14.285 MHz, 18.145 MHz, and 21.285 MHzare commonly mentioned reference points.

But none of those is protected for SOTA.

POTA works the same way. The spot is the important part. Find a clear legal frequency, call CQ, and spot yourself accurately.

The best portable operating advice is:

• listen first
• avoid emergency centres of activity
• avoid beacon and weak-signal segments
• keep the full signal inside the legal allocation
• self-spot correctly
• move if you cause QRM

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APRS and LoRa-APRS

Classic APRS in Europe is easy to remember: 144.800 MHz.

That is the normal VHF APRS frequency across much of Europe. Outside Europe, even within Region 1, check local practice.

LoRa-APRS is less standardized. In many European communities, 433.775 MHz is common. You may also see other frequencies such as 434.855 MHz or 439.125 MHz, depending on local projects and firmware defaults.

The important point is that LoRa-APRS is not harmonized into one single IARU Region 1 channel. Treat it as local community practice layered on top of national rules.

A safe short version is:

Classic APRS in Europe: 144.800 MHz. LoRa-APRS in Europe: often 433.775 MHz, but check national rules and local practice.

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Not ham radio, but useful to know

Some of the most important emergency-related frequencies are not amateur radio at all. They belong to other services. You should not treat them as ham frequencies, even if your receiver or transceiver can tune them.

Marine VHF Channel 16: 156.800 MHz

This is the international maritime distress, safety, and calling channel. It is not an amateur radio channel. It belongs to the maritime service.

It is useful to know if you are near the coast, on a boat, or travelling with marine radio equipment, but it is not a ham channel for casual use.

Aeronautical emergency: 121.500 MHz

This is the international aircraft emergency frequency. It is not an amateur allocation. It is part of the aviation radio service.

PMR446

PMR446 is a European licence-exempt handheld radio service around 446.0–446.2 MHz. It is not amateur radio.

Some people describe 446.09375 MHz, PMR446 channel 8, as a calling or emergency channel. That is a community habit in some circles, not a universal official distress channel.

Use only legal PMR446 equipment under PMR446 rules.

Freenet

Freenet is a German licence-exempt handheld voice service around 149 MHz. It is not amateur radio and it is not a Europe-wide service.

Community references sometimes mention 149.0500 MHz or 149.1125 MHz for preparedness or emergency-style use. These are informal habits, not official distress channels.

CB radio

CB radio is not amateur radio. In much of Europe, the familiar 40-channel range is 26.965–27.405 MHz. Channel 9 and channel 19 have customary meanings in some places, but they are not universal amateur emergency channels.

CB can still be useful because it is widely available and licence-exempt or lightly regulated in many countries, but it must be operated under CB rules.

SRD / ISM around 433 MHz

The 433.05–434.79 MHz range is widely used by short-range devices. This includes remote controls, sensors, telemetry devices, and other low-power equipment.

This is not amateur radio when used under SRD/ISM rules. The tricky part is that parts of this range also sit inside the 70 cm amateur band in many countries. That does not make SRD devices amateur stations, and it does not exempt amateurs from amateur rules.

If you transmit as an amateur, identify with your callsign and follow your amateur licence. If a device transmits under SRD rules, it is operating as an SRD device, not as an amateur station.

Weather RTTY

German weather-service RTTY broadcasts on frequencies such as 147.3 kHz, 4583 kHz, 7646 kHz, 10100.8 kHz, 11039 kHz, and 14467.3 kHz are useful to receive, especially for maritime and weather awareness.

They are not amateur radio frequencies.

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What I would actually program into a travel radio

For a simple Region 1 travel memory plan, I would not try to program the entire band plan. I would program a small working set.

For VHF/UHF amateur use:

• 145.500 MHz FM — 2 m calling
• 144.300 MHz USB — 2 m SSB calling, if your radio supports SSB
• 144.800 MHz FM packet — APRS Europe
• 433.500 MHz FM — 70 cm calling
• Local repeaters for the country or region you are visiting

For HF awareness:

• 3.760 MHz
• 7.110 MHz
• 14.300 MHz
• 18.160 MHz
• 21.360 MHz

For portable digital work:

• FT8 and JS8Call frequencies for the bands your radio and licence actually allow
• 60 m only if legal in the country you are operating from
• 6 m and 4 m only if your licence and local rules permit them

For non-amateur awareness, receive-only unless properly authorized:

• 156.800 MHz marine VHF Channel 16
• 121.500 MHz aeronautical emergency
• PMR446 channels if you carry legal PMR446 handhelds
• CB channels if you carry legal CB equipment
• Freenet only in Germany with compliant equipment

This approach is more useful than a massive memory file full of frequencies you may not legally use.

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Final takeaway

A frequency list is helpful, but it is not the same as radio competence.

The real skill is knowing what kind of frequency you are looking at. Is it an amateur allocation? A calling frequency? A centre of activity? A software default? A SOTA/POTA habit? A local emergency net? Or a completely different radio service such as marine VHF, PMR446, CB, Freenet, or aviation?

Once you can tell those apart, the band plan becomes much less intimidating.

Use the IARU Region 1 plan as your operating map. Use your national licence as the legal boundary. Listen before transmitting. Keep emergency centres clear. And never assume that a frequency found online is legal just because it appears in a ham radio article.