Federal VHF/UHF Channel Plans

Federal Frequency Ranges

From the NTIA Manual of Regulations and Procedures for Federal Radio Frequency Management (Redbook).

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29.89-50 MHz

NTIA Manual Chapter 4 Section 4.3.6

• Government land mobile channels are normally on odd 20 kHz steps (30.01, 30.03, 30.05 ...) in FM mode.
• No standard offset or channel pairs.
• Military SINCGARS FM radios operate in the 30.0000-87.9750 MHz range in 25 kHz steps (30.0, 30.025, 30.05 ...) using up to 15 kHz deviation (36 kHz bandwidth) and 150.0 Hz CTCSS tone.

29.8900-30.5500
32.0000-33.0000
34.0000-35.0000
36.0000-37.0000
38.2600-39.0000
40.0000-42.0000
46.6000-47.0000
49.6000-50.0000

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138-150.8 MHz

NITA Manual Capter 4 Federal Government Footnote G30

• Limited primarily to operations by the military services.
• Government land mobile channels are normally on 12.5 kHz steps (138.0125, 138.025, 138.0375 ...) in NFM, P25, or other digital voice modes.
• Military aviation frequencies are normally on 25 kHz steps (138.025, 138.05, 138.075 ...) in AM mode.
• No standard offset or channel pairs.

138.0125-143.9875
148.0125-149.8875
150.0625-150.7875
(Note: 149.9000-150.0500 is a satellite band. No federal land mobile use.)

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162-174 MHz

NTIA Manual Chapter 4 Section 4.3.7

• Government land mobile channels are normally on 12.5 kHz steps (162.05, 162.0625, 162.075 ...) in NFM, P25, or other digital voice modes.
• No standard offset.
  
• There are other unpaired single frequencies in other parts of the band that are not specified in the manual.
• Use of the band 162-174 MHz by the military agencies is limited to non-tactical or intra-base radio operations.

162.0500-166.4875  Mobile/repeater input
166.5000-169.5000  Unpaired single frequency systems
169.5125-173.2000  Base/repeater output
173.4000-173.9875  Base/repeater output
(Note: 173.20375-173.39625 is a non-federal band)

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225-380 MHz

Not in Manual. Citation needed.

• Military aviation frequencies are normally on 25 kHz steps (225.0, 225.025, 225.075 ...) in AM mode.

225.0250-379.9750

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380-400 MHz

Not in Manual. Citation needed.

• Government land mobile channels are normally on 12.5 kHz steps (380.0, 380.0125, 380.025 ...) in NFM, P25, or other digital voice modes with standard +10.0 MHz offset.
• Military aviation frequencies are normally on 25 kHz steps (380.0, 380.025, 380.05 ...) in AM mode.

380.0000-389.9875 Base/repeater output
390.0000-399.9875 Mobile/repeater input

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406.1-420 MHz

NTIA Manual Chapter 4 Section 4.3.9

• Government land mobile channels are normally on 12.5 kHz steps (406.1125, 406.125, 406.1375 ...) in NFM, P25, or other digital voice modes.
• Standard +9.0 MHz offset.
• The manual contains a table of all channel pairs.

406.1125-410.9875  Base/repeater output
411.0000-415.1000  Unpaired single frequency systems
415.1125-419.9875  Mobile/repeater input

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All Government Agencies (AGA)

NTIA Manual Chapter 4 Sections 4.2.1, 4.2.3 and 4.4.2 contain the frequencies available to all government agencies.

• See: Federal Government Itinerant

Hydrological/Meterological Channels

NTIA Manual Chapter 4 Section 4.3.3

• See: Hydrological/Meterological Channels

VHF/UHF Aeronautical Radionavigation

NTIA Manual Chapter 4 Section 4.3.5 contains a table of all channels for:

• VOR 108-118 MHz
• DME and TACAN 962-1213 MHz
• ILS Localizer 108.1-111.95 MHz
• ILS Glide Slope 329.15-334.85 MHz
• See: Instrument Landing System (ILS) Frequencies

Additional Information

The federal government can operate on almost any frequency on a secondary non-interference basis. Refer to NTIA Manual Chapter 7.

• 7.5.8 Federal government entities are authorized to purchase and operate radios certified by the FCC in the Family Radio Service (FRS), pursuant to Part 95 Subpart B of the FCC Rules and Regulations (Title 47, Code of Federal Regulations)...
• 7.8 Federal Government agencies may, without further authority from the Assistant Secretary, purchase “off-the-shelf” non-licensed devices that conform to the applicable edition of Part 15 of the Federal Communication Commission's (FCC) Rules and Regulations (47 CFR 15) or non-licensed devices for which the FCC has granted a waiver of specific requirements of Part 15...
• 7.12 A Federal radio station may utilize any frequency authorized to a non-Federal radio station under Part 90 of the Rules of the Federal Communications Commission where such utilization is necessary for intercommunication with non-Federal stations or required for coordination with non-Federal activities, provided a mutually approved arrangement has been concluded between the Federal agency concerned, the Federal Communications Commission, and the non-Federal licensee involved...
• 7.13 Stations in the mobile service (including portable-type operations) of the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, and Navy, when engaged in exercises or tactical operations, may employ any frequencies, in accordance with Appendix 13 (Part A2) of the International Telecommunication Convention provided they cause no interference with the authorized services operating on the frequencies selected.
• 7.15.1 To meet local military peacetime tactical and training requirements within the United States and Possessions, the military services may employ frequencies in the bands 3500-4000, 20010-22000, and 22855-24990 kHz on a secondary basis to the services of stations authorized on frequencies within these bands...
• 7.15.2 The military services may employ frequencies in the bands as indicated in paragraph 1 below and specified frequencies in paragraph 2 below in order to meet local peacetime tactical and training requirements within the United States and Possessions (or as indicated below). Such use of frequencies shall be on a secondary basis and subject to the avoidance of harmful interference a) to all operations established in accordance with the international allocations applicable to those bands and b) to all other operations regularly authorized within the United States and Possessions on specific frequencies within those bands or on the specified frequencies...
• 7.15.3 The military services may employ frequencies in certain non-Federal bands above 25 MHz, after coordination between FCC field personnel and military field personnel, for tactical and training operations in the U.S. and Possessions in accordance with the arrangement between the FCC and the Military entitled “Field Coordination of Military Tactical and Training Assignments 25-2400 MHz.”...

Links

• NTIA Manual of Regulations and Procedures for Federal Radio Frequency Management (Redbook)