MAJOR USES OF THE FREQUENCY SPECTRUM

Frequency Designation Propagation Characteristics Uses

Bands
30-300Hz ELF Communications with submarines; seismic studies to
understand natural phenomena in Earth’s atmosphere;
includes AC power line frequencies (50-60Hz) as well as
those frequency in the low end of the human voice
300-3000Hz VF Transmission of speech
3-30kHz VLF Groundwave; low attenuation day Government or military communications e.g. navy to
and night; high atmospheric noise communicate with submarines;
level Time radio station which synchronizes clock signals
between two remote locations;
Includes higher end of human hearing range up to about
15 or 20kHz. Used in musical instrument together with ELF
ranges.
30-300kHz LF Similar to VLF. Slightly less Long distance communication; aircraft beacon, LORAN,
reliable; absorption in daytime information and weather systems; time signal
broadcasting;
Used as “subcarriers” that is modulated by the baseband
information. Usually 2 or more subcarriers are added and
the combination is used to modulated the final high
frequency carrier.
300-3000kHz MF Groundwave and night sky wave; AM broadcasting; marine and amateur radio
attenuation low at night and high communication
in day; atmospheric noise
3-30MHz HF Ionospheric reflection varies with Simplex broadcasting and half-duplex two-way
tine of day, season and frequency; communication; amateur and CB communication
low atmospheric noise at 30MHz
30-300MHz VHF Nearly line-of-sight (LOS) Mobile radio, marine and aeronautical communication,
propagation, with scattering FM broadcasting (88 to 108MHz), and TV channels 2 to
because of temperature inversion 13; amateur radio
cosmic noise
0.3-3GHz UHF LOS propagation cosmic noise; UHF TV channels 14 through 51; land mobile
communications and services; military communication;
Rainfall attenuation above 10GHz, radar and navigation services
MAJOR USES OF THE FREQUENCY SPECTRUM

1.0-2.0GHz L atmospheric attenuation because

2.0-4.0GHz S of oxygen and water vapor, high
3.0-30.0GHz SHF water vapor absorption at
4.0-8.0GHz C 22.2GHz
8.0-12.0GHz X
12.0-18.0GHz Ku
18.0-27.0GHz K
26.50-40.0GHz R
27.0-40.0GHz Ka
3-30GHz SHF Satellite communication and radar; wireless local area
networks and cellular telephone systems
30-300Ghz EHF Same high water vapor absorption Satellite communication; telephony, computer data;
at 183 GHz and oxygen absorption short-haul cellular networks and some specialized radar
at 60 and 119GHz
Infrared 0.1mm and 700nanometer To detect stars in astronomy and other physical bodies in
the universe; detectors; missile guides; TV remote-control
units
Visible Light In communication to carry tremendous amount of
information
Ultraviolet In medical purposes

20-20kHz Human Hearing Female (350-17kHz)

Human voice Male (100-8kHz)