PRO-2042  1000-Channel Programmable Home Scanner
(200-0464)          Guide to the Action Bands         Faxback Doc. # 31530

United States Broadcast Band

In the United States, there are several broadcast bands.  The standard AM
and FM bands are probably the most well known, and you can monitor the FM
band on your scanner.  There are also four television audio broadcast bands
- the lower three transmit on the VHF band and the fourth transmits on the
UHF band.  You can use the scanner to monitor all three of the VHF bands
and the UHF band.

    Frequency Range (MHz)     Allocation

    54.0 - 72.00              VHF Television
    76.0 - 88.00              VHF Television
    88.0 - 108.00             Standard FM
   174.0 - 216.00             VHF Television
   470.0 - 805.75             UHF Television

International Broadcast Bands

Several shortwave bands are allocated for international broadcasting
because of the nature of propagation of high frequencies.  The bands are
sometimes identified according to the approximate wavelength of the
signals in meters.  You can use the scanner to monitor the 11-meter band.

    Frequency Range (MHz)     Band (Meters)

    25.60 - 26.10             11

Typical Band Usage

HF Band (3.00-30.0 MHz)

    Mid Range, Citizen's Band..............................25.00-28.00 MHz
    10-Meter Amateur.......................................28.00-29.70 MHz

VHF Band (30.00-300.0 MHz)

    Low Range..............................................29.70-50.00 MHz
    6-Meter Amateur........................................50.00-54.00 MHz
    FM-TV Audio Broadcast, Wide Band.......................54.00-72.00 MHz
    Land Mobile Service....................................72.00-76.00 MHz
    FM-TV Audio Broadcast, Wide Band.......................76.00-88.00 MHz
    FM Radio Broadcast, Wide Band.........................88.00-108.00 MHz
    Aircraft.............................................108.00-136.98 MHz
    U.S Government.......................................137.00-144.00 MHz
    2-Meter Amateur......................................144.00-148.00 MHz
    High Range............................................148.00-17400 MHz
    FM-TV Audio Broadcast, Wide Band.....................174.00-216.00 MHz
    New Mobile Narrow Band...............................220.00-222.00 MHz
    1 1/4-Meter Amateur..................................222.00-225.00 MHz
    Military Aircraft....................................225.00-287.80 MHz

UHF Band (300.00 MHz-3.0 GHz)

    Military Aircraft....................................311.00-384.00 MHz
    U.S Government.......................................406.00-450.00 MHz
    70-Centimeter Amateur................................420.00-450.00 MHz
    Low Range............................................450.00-470.00 MHz
    FM-TV Audio Broadcast, Wide Band.....................470.00-806.00 MHz
    Public Service.......................................806.00-823.98 MHz
    Conventional Systems.................................851.00-856.00 MHz
    Conventional/Trunked Systems.........................856.00-861.00 MHz
    Trunked Systems......................................861.00-866.00 MHz
    Public Safety........................................866.00-869.00 MHz
    High Range..........................................894..01-902.00 MHz
    33-Centimeter Amateur................................902.00-928.00 MHz
    Private Trunked......................................935.00-940.00 MHz
    General Trunked......................................940.00-941.00 MHz
    Fixed Services.......................................941.00-944.00 MHz
    Studio-to-Transmitter Broadcast Links................944.00-952.00 MHz
    Private Fixed Services, Paging.......................952.00-960.00 MHz
    Aeronautical Navigation.............................960.00-1240.00 MHz
    23-Centimeter Amateur..............................1240.00-1300.00 MHz

As a general rule, most radio activity is concentrated on the following
frequencies:

VHF Band

                 Activities                              Frequencies (MHz)

Government, Police, and Fire...............................153.785-155.980
Emergency Services.........................................158.730-159.460
Railroad...................................................160.000-161.900

UHF Band

                 Activities                              Frequencies (MHz)

Land-Mobile Paired.........................................450.000-470.000
Base Stations..............................................451.025-454.950
Mobile Units...............................................456.025-459.950
Relay Repeater Units.......................................460.025-464.975
Remote Control Stations....................................465.025-469.975

NOTE:  Remote control stations and mobile units operate at 5 Mhz higher
       than their associated base stations and relay repeater units.

Specified Intervals

Frequencies in different bands are accessible only at specific intervals.
For example:

                 Band Type                        Specified Interval (KHz)

VHF, HAM, and Government...............................................5.0
Aircraft..............................................................25.0
All Others............................................................12.5

NOTE:  Your scanner automatically rounds the entered frequency down to the
       closest valid frequency.  For example, if you try to enter a
       frequency of 151.473, your scanner accepts it as 151.470.

BAND ALLOCATION

To help decide which frequency ranges to scan, use the following listing
of the typical services that use the frequencies your scanner receives.
These frequencies are subject to change, and might vary from area to area.
For a more complete listing, refer to the "Police Call Radio Guide
including Fire and Emergency Services," available at your local Radio Shack
store.

Abbreviations

AIR ...............................................................Aircraft
BIFC .....................................Boise (ID) Interagency Fire Cache
BUS ...............................................................Business
CAP .......................................................Civil Air Patrol
CB ...........................................................Citizens Band
CCA .........................................................Common Carrier
CSB ...................................................Conventional Systems
CTSB ..........................................Conventional/Trunked Systems
FIRE .......................................................Fire Department
HAM ....................................................Amateur (Ham) Radio
GOVT ....................................................Federal Government
GMR ...................................................General Mobile Radio
GTR ...................................................General Mobile Radio
IND ....................................................Industrial Services
                   (Manufacturing, Construction, Farming, Forest Products)
MAR .................................................Military Amateur Radio
MARI ................................................Maritime Limited Coast
        (Coast Guard, Marine telephone, Shipboard Radio, Private stations)
MARS .......................................Military Affiliate Radio System
MED .............................................Emergency/Medical Services
MIL ..........................................................U.S. Military
MOV ..........................................Motion Picture/Video Industry
NEW ......................................................New Mobile Narrow
NEWS ...........................................................Relay Press
                                                      (Newspaper reporters)
OIL .................................................Oil/Petroleum Industry
PFSP .........................................Private Fixed Services/Paging
POL ......................................................Police Department
PUB ........................................................Public Services
                  (Public Safety, Local Government, Forestry Conservation)
PSB ..........................................................Public Safety
PTR ........................................................Private Trunked
ROAD ............................................Road & Highway Maintenance
RTV .......................................Radio/TV Remote Broadcast Pickup
TAXI .........................................................Taxi Services
TELB ......................................................Mobile Telephone
                      (Aircraft, Radio Common Carrier, Landline companies)
TELC .......................................................Cordless Phones
TELM .................................................Telephone Maintenance
TOW .............................................................Tow Trucks
TRAN ...............................................Transportation Services
                              (Trucks, Tow Trucks, Buses, Railroad, Other)
TSB ........................................................Trunked Systems
Tvn ................................................FM-TV (Audio Broadcast)
USXX .................................................Government Classified
UTIL ...............................................Power & Water Utilities
WTHR ...............................................................Weather

High Frequency (HF) - (3 MHz-30 MHz)

High Band-(25.00-27.63 MHz)

25.020-25.320 ..........................................................IND
25.870-26.470 ..........................................................RTV
26.62 ..................................................................CAP
26.965-27.405 ...........................................................CB
27.430-27.630 ..........................................................BUS
10-Meter Amateur Band - (28.0-29.7 MHz)
28.000-29.700 ..........................................................HAM

Very High Frequency (VHF)-(30 MHz-300 MHz)

Low Band-(29.7-50 MHz-in 5 kHz steps

29.700-29.790..........................................................IND
29.900-30.550....................................................GOVT, MIL
30.580-31.980.....................................................IND, PUB
32.000-32.990....................................................GOVT, MIL
33.020-33.980.................................................US, IND, PUB
34.010-34.990....................................................GOVT, MIL
35.020-35.980..........................................BUS, PUB, IND, TELM
36.000-36.230....................................................GOVT, MIL
36.250..................................................Oil Spill Clean up
36.270-36.990....................................................GOVT, MIL
37.020-37.980.....................................................PUB, IND
38.000-39.000....................................................GOVT, MIL
39.020-39.980..........................................................PUB
40.000-42.000..............................................GOVT, MIL, MARI
42.020-42.940..........................................................POL
42.960-43.180..........................................................IND
43.220-43.680...............................................TELM, IND, PUB
43.700-44.600.........................................................TRAN
44.620-46.580.....................................................POL, PUB
46.600-46.990...................................................GOVT, TELC
47.020-47.400..........................................................PUB
47.420..................................................American Red Cross
47.440-49.580.....................................................IND, PUB
49.610-49.990....................................................MIL, TELC

6-Meter Amateur Band-50-54 MHz)

50.00-54.00............................................................HAM

FM-TV Audio Broadcast, Wide Band-(54-72 MHz)

59.750.................................................................TV2
65.750.................................................................TV3
71.750.................................................................TV4

Land Mobile Service Band (72-76 MHz)

FM-TV Audio Broadcast, Wide band (76-88 MHz)

81.750.................................................................TV5
87.750.................................................................TV6

FM Radio Broadcast, Wide Band (88-108 MHz

Aircraft Band (108-136 MHz)

108.000-121.490........................................................AIR
121.500......................................................AIR Emergency
121.510-136.000........................................................AIR

U.S. Government Band (138-144 MHz)

137.000-144.000..................................................GOVT, MIL

2-Meter Amateur Band (144-148 MHz)

144.000-148.000........................................................HAM

VHF-Hi BAND (148-174 MHz)

148.050-150.345..............................................CAP, MAR, MIL
150.775-150.790........................................................MED
150.815-150.965........................................................TOW
150.980.................................................Oil Spill Clean Up
150.995-151.130.......................................................ROAD
151.145-151.475........................................................POL
151.490-151.955...................................................IND, BUS
151.985...............................................................TELM
152.0075...............................................................MED
152.030-152.240.......................................................TELB
152.270-152.465..................................................IND, TAXI
152.480................................................................BUS
152.510-152.840.......................................................TELB
152.870-153.020...................................................IND, MOV
153.035-153.725.............................................IND, OIL, UTIL
153.740-154.445..................................................PUB, FIRE
154.490-154.570...................................................IND, BUS
154.585.................................................Oil Spill Clean up
154.600-154.625........................................................BUS
154.655-156.240....................................... MED, ROAD, POL, PUB
156.255................................................................OIL
156.275-157-425.......................................................MARI
157.450................................................................MED
157.470-157.515........................................................TOW
157.530-157.725..................................................IND, TAXI
157.740................................................................BUS
157.770-158.100.......................................................TELB
158.130-158.460...................................BUS, IND OIL, TELM, UTIL
158.490-158.700.......................................................TELB
158.730-159.465.............................................POL, PUB, ROAD
159.480................................................................OIL
159.495-161.565.......................................................TRAN
161.580................................................................OIL
161.600-162.000..................................................MARI, RTV
162.0125-162.35............................................GOVT, MIL, USXX
162.400-162.550.......................................................WTHR
162.5625-162.6375..........................................GOVT, MIL, USXX
162.6625...............................................................MED
162.6875-163.225...........................................GOVT, MIL, USXX
163.250................................................................MED
163.275-166.225............................................GOVT, MIL, USXX
166.250....................................................GOVT, RTV, FIRE
166.275-169.400.................................................GOVT, BIFC
169.445.....................................................Wireless Mikes
169.500...............................................................GOVT
169.505.....................................................Wireless Mikes
169.55-169.9875............................................GOVT, MIL, USXX
170.000...............................................................BIFC
170.025-170.150............................................GOVT, RTV, FIRE
170.175-170.225.......................................................GOVT
170.245-170.305.............................................Wireless Mikes
170.350-170.400..................................................GOVT, MIL
170.425-170.450.......................................................BIFC
170.475................................................................PUB
170.4875-173.175.................................GOVT, PUB, Wireless Mikes
173.225-173.375............................................MOV, NEWS, UTIL
173.3875-173.5375......................................................MIL
173.5625-173.5875.................................MIL, Medical/Crash Crews
173.60-173.9875.......................................................GOVT

FM-TV Audio Broadcast, VHF Wide Band (174-216 MHz)

179.750................................................................TV7
185.750................................................................TV8
191.750................................................................TV9
197.750...............................................................TV10
203.750...............................................................TV11
209.750...............................................................TV12
215.750...............................................................TV13

New Mobile Narrow Band (220-222 MHz)

220.000-222.000........................................................NEW

1 1/4-Meter Amateur Band (222-225 MHz)

222.000-225.000........................................................HAM

Military Aircraft Band (237.9-287.8 MHz)

237.900........................................Coast Guard Search & Rescue
239.800........................................................FAA Weather
241.000...............................................................Army
243.000..........................................................Emergency
255.400.................................................FAA Flight Service
257.800....................................................Civilian Towers
287.800.........................................Coast Guard Air/Sea Rescue

Ultra High Frequency (UHF) - (300 MHz - 3 GHz)

Military Aircraft Band (319.1-383.9 MHz)

319.100............................................FAA Air Traffic Control
321.000-336.600..................................................Air Force
342.500-344.600................................................FAA Weather
346.400-364.200..............................Air Force Air Traffic Control
381.800-383.900................................................Coast Guard

U.S. Government Band (406-450 MHz)

406.125-419.975.................................................GOVT, USXX

70-Centimeter Amateur Band (420-450 MHz)

420.000-450.000....................................................... HAM

Low Band (450-470 MHz)

450-050-450.925........................................................RTV
451.025-452.025.......................................IND, OIL, TELM, UTIL
452.0375-453.00.................................IND, TAXI, TRAN, TOW, NEWS
453.0125-453.9875......................................................PUB
454.000................................................................OIL
454.025-454.975.......................................................TELB
455.050-455.925........................................................RTV
457.525-457.600........................................................BUS
458.025-458.175........................................................MED
460.0125-460.6375...........................................FIRE, POL, PUB
460.650-462.175........................................................BUS
462.1875-462.450..................................................BUS, IND
462.4625-462.525......................................IND, OIL, TELM, UTIL
462.550-462.725........................................................GMR
462.750-462.925........................................................BUS
462.9375-463.1875......................................................MED
463.200-467.925........................................................BUS

FM-TV Audio Broadcast, UHF Wide Band (470-806 MHz) (Channel 14 through 69
in 6 MHz steps)

475-750.........................................................Channel 14
481.750.........................................................Channel 15
487.750.........................................................Channel 16
805.750.........................................................Channel 69

NOTE:  Some cities use the 470-512 MHz band for land/mobile services.

Conventional Systems Band - Locally Assigned 851.0125-855.9875.........CSB

Conventional/Trunked Systems Band - Locally Assigned

856.0125-860.9875.....................................................CTSB

Trunked Systems Band - Locally Assigned

861.0125-865.9875......................................................TSB

Public Safety Band - Locally Assigned

866.0125-868.9875......................................................PSB

33-Centimeter Amateur Band (902-928 MHz)

902.000-928.000........................................................HAM

Private Trunked 935.0125-939.9875......................................PTR

General Trunked 940.0125-940.9875......................................GTR

Fixed Services 941.000-944.000........................................GOVT

Studio-to-Transmitter Broadcast Links

944.000-952.000........................................................TVn

Private Fixed Services, Paging

952.000-960.000.......................................................PFSP

Aeronautical Navigation

960.000-1240.000.......................................................AIR

23-Centimeter Amateur Band (1240-1300 MHz)

1240.000-1300.000......................................................HAM

FREQUENCY CONVERSION

The tuning location of a station can be expressed in frequency (kHz or
MHz) or in wavelength (meters).  The following information can help you
make the necessary conversions.

1 MHz (million) = 1,000 kHz (thousand)

To convert MHz to kHz, multiply by 1,000.

30.62 MHz x 1000 = 30620 kHz

To convert from kHz to MHz, divide by 1,000.

127,800 KHz = 127.8 MHz
1000

To convert MHz to meters, divide 300 by the number of megahertz.

300 = 1.75 meters
171 MHz


(EB 3/25/96)

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