Band Chart Just for Technicians

[KA2ODP/7]

If you are wondering what Amateur Radio frequencies you can use with a Technician license, the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) has created a new band chart showing just the Technician class privileges. Less confusing than the regular band chart listing all the various Amateur Radio license classes and their individual privileges, this chart helps new hams zero in on the frequencies, modes, and power output restrictions that apply to the Technician class license.

The Technician band chart is dated March 5, 2012. This is the same date as the regular band chart and corresponds to the effective date of the last FCC changes to our frequency allocations.

For those looking at the 70 cm band (420-450 MHz) and wondering about the "Line A" restrictions, here's a brief explanation. “Line A” is an imaginary line within the US that approximately follows the 48th Parallel across the State of Montana, approximately 75 miles south of the U.S./Canadian border (a similar zone exists on the Canadian side, called ‘Line B’ Through international treaty, the area between “Line A” and the U.S./Canada border is called "the coordination zone."

In simple terms, this means any frequency spectrum use within this zone must be coordinated with the neighboring nation. FCC “Line A” Regulations are meant to protect Canadian and U.S. land mobile operations near the U.S./Canadian border from interference.

Montana’s 545-mile border with three provinces of Canada (Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan) creates frequency licensing challenges. Spectrum interests of both countries require frequency licenses needed above “Line A” must be coordinated with each other. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulates use of non-Federal spectrum use in the United States—including that used by tribal, state and local public safety agencies—while Industry Canada (IC) manages Canada’s national radio frequency spectrum.

The bottom line for hams in the Great Falls area is that "Line A" happens north of us. You cross "Line A" about where the town of Conrad sits. However, our 70 cm repeaters are well above the 420-430 MHz range. So for most of us there is no impact. You may continue to enjoy the use of the 444.350 MHz repeater in Great Falls and the 449.500 MHz repeater on top of Highwood Baldy mountain without concern for "Line A" restrictions. Both of these repeaters are owned and operated by the Great Falls Area Amateur Radio Club (GFAARC).


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