| Definition: | continuous set of frequencies lying between two specified limiting frequencies
NOTE 1 – A frequency band is characterized by two values which define its position in the frequency spectrum, for instance its lower and upper limiting frequencies, as opposed to the bandwidth which is characterized by one value.
NOTE 2 – The nomenclature of the frequency and wavelength bands used in telecommunications are given in Table I and its Notes a, b, c and d.
NOTE 3 – Certain frequency ranges are sometimes designated by letter symbols consisting of capital letters which may be accompanied by a small letter as subscript. These symbols do not designate well defined bands, but are used by some radiocommunication services to designate the frequency bands allocated to them which are approximately located in the corresponding ranges. Table II gives for information the nominal limits of the ranges and the usual bands for radar and space radiocommunications. Reference should be made to the corresponding band limits, which may be approximate, or at least to a nominal frequency in the band, the first time the symbol appears in a text.
713-06-01: Table I – Nomenclature of the frequency and wavelength bands
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BAND
NUMBER
(note a)
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ABBREVIATION
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FREQUENCY RANGE
(lower limit exclusive,
upper limit inclusive)
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METRIC QUALIFIER
(note d)
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METRIC
ABBREVIATION
of the band
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WAVELENGTH
RANGE
(lower limit inclusive,
upper limit exclusive)
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–1
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(note b)
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0,03 to 0,3 Hz
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gigametric
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B.Gm
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1 to 10 Gm
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0
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(note b)
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0,3 to 3 Hz
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hectomegametric
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B.hMm
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100 to 1000 Mm
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1
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(note b)
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3 to 30 Hz
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decamegametric
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B.daMm
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10 to 100 Mm
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2
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(note b)
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30 to 300 Hz
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megametric
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B.Mm
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1 to 10 Mm
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3
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ULF
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300 to 3000 Hz
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hectokilometric
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B.hkm
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100 to 1000 km
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4
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VLF
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3 to 30 kHz
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myriametric
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B.Mam
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10 to 100 km
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5
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LF
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30 to 300 kHz
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kilometric
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B.km
|
1 to 10 km
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6
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MF
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300 to 3000 kHz
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hectometric
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B.hm
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100 to 1000 m
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7
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HF
|
3 to 30 MHz
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decametric
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B.dam
|
10 to 100 m
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8
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VHF
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30 to 300 MHz
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metric
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B.m
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1 to 10 m
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9
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UHF
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300 to 3000 MHz
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decimetric
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B.dm
|
100 to 1000 mm
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10
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SHF
|
3 to 30 GHz
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centimetric
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B.cm
|
10 to 100 mm
|
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11
|
EHF
|
30 to 300 GHz
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millimetric
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B.mm
|
1 to 10 mm
|
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12
|
|
300 to 3000 GHz
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decimillimetric
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B.dmm
|
100 to 1000 µm
|
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13
|
|
3 to 30 THz
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centimillimetric
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B.cmm
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10 to 100 µm
|
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14
|
|
30 to 300 THz
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micrometric
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B.µm
|
1 to 10 µm
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15
|
|
300 to 3000 THz
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decimicrometric
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B.dµm
|
0,1 to 1 µm
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Notes
(a) “Band number N” extends from 0,3 × 10N to 3 × 10N Hz.
(b) The abbreviation ELF designates the set of bands –1 to 2.
(c) In French, abbreviations with letter O (“Ondes”) are sometimes used (e.g. O.km: “Ondes kilométriques”) instead of abbreviations with letter B (“Bande”) indicated in the column “metric abbreviation” of the table.
(d) Metric qualifiers and abbreviations are not names or symbols of unit, and so may use the combination of prefixes in some cases.
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713-06-01: Table II (informative) – Designation of frequency bands by letter symbols
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Letter
symbol
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Use for radar (in GHz)
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Use for space radiocommunications
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Spectrum ranges
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Usual limits
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Nominal designation
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Usual limits (in GHz)
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L
|
1 - 2
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1,215 - 1,4
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1,5 GHz band
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1,525 - 1,710
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S
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2 - 4
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2,3 - 2,5
2,7 - 3,4
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2,5 GHz band
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2,5 - 2,690
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C
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4 - 8
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5,25 - 5,55
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4/6 GHz band
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3,4 - 4,2
4,5 - 4,8
5,85 - 7,075
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X
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8 - 12
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8,5 - 10,5
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–
|
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Ku
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12 - 18
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13,4 - 14,0
15,3 - 17,3
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11/14 GHz band
12/14 GHz band
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10,7 - 13,25
14,0 - 14,5
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K
|
18 - 27
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24,05 - 24,25
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20 GHz band
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17,7 - 20,2
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Ka
|
27 - 40
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33,4 - 36,0
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30 GHz band
|
27,5 - 30,0
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Note. – For space radiocommunications K and Ka bands are often designated by the single symbol Ka.
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