Broadcast band

A broadcast band is a segment of the radio spectrum used for broadcasting.

{| class="wikitable"

! Common name

! Frequencies

! Modulation

! Frequency range

! Notes

| longwave

| 148.5–283.5 kHz

| amplitude modulation (AM)

| low frequency (LF)

| Mostly used in Europe, North Africa, and Asia

| AM radio<br/>(medium wave)

| 525–1606.5 kHz,<br/>525–1705 kHz in N. America, Australia and the Philippines.

| amplitude modulation (AM)

| medium frequency (MF)

| Usually speech and news, where a lower bandwidth will suffice; long range at night due to the ionosphere increasing in altitude

| Shortwave

| Multiple; see Shortwave bands

| Mostly AM and single-sideband (SSB) modes

| high frequency (HF)

| Very long range through "skipping". Standard time frequencies can be heard here.

| VHF low (TV)

| 54–88 MHz

| vestigial sideband modulation for analog video, and FM for analog audio; 8-VSB or OFDM for digital broadcast

| very high frequency (VHF) band I

| Channels 2 through 6 are from 54–88 MHz (except 72–76 MHz).

| FM radio

| 87.5–108 MHz,<br/>76–90 MHz in Japan

| Frequency Modulation (FM)

| VHF band II

| Usually music, due to the clarity and high bandwidth of FM. Relatively short range

| VHF high (TV)

| 174–216 MHz

| vestigial sideband modulation for analog video, and FM for analog audio; 8-VSB or OFDM for digital broadcast

| VHF band III

| Channels 7–13 use 174–216 MHz.

| UHF (TV)

| 470–806 MHz

| vestigial sideband modulation for analog video, and FM for analog audio; 8-VSB or OFDM for digital broadcast

| ultra high frequency (UHF)

| Channels 14–69 use 470–806 MHz, except for the radio astronomy band at 608–614 MHz where channel 37 would be

See also