6M / 50MHz
In the UK the 50MHz (6M) band between 50.0-51.0MHz is allocated with Primary status, but on the basis of non-interference to other services outside of the UK. The power limit for Full Licensees is 400W (26dBW), Intermediate Licensees power limit = 50W (17dBW) and Foundation Licensees power limit = 10W (10dBW).
Between 51.0-52.0MHz it is allocated with Secondary status with a power limit of 100W (20dBW), available on the basis of non-interference to other services inside and outside of the UK.
Frequencies of Interest
51.510 Mhz – FM Calling
50.000 Mhz to 50.100 Mhz @ 500 Hz
Telegraphy Only (except for the Beacon Project)
50.050 Mhz – Future International Centre of Activity
50.090 Mhz – Intercontinental DX Centre of Activity
50.100 Mhz to 50.200 Mhz @ 2.7 kHz
SSB/Telegraphy – International Preferred
50.100 Mhz to 50.130 Mhz – Intercontinental DX Telegraphy and SSB
50.110 Mhz – Intercontinental DX Centre of Activity
50.130 Mhz to 50.200 Mhz – General International Telegraphy and SSB
50.150 Mhz – International Centre of Activity
50.200 Mhz to 50.300 Mhz @ 2.7 kHz
SSB/Telegraphy – General Usage
50.285 Mhz – Crossband Centre of Activity
50.300 Mhz to 50.400 Mhz @ 2.7 kHz
MGM/Narrowband/Telegraphy
50.305 Mhz – PSK Centre of Activity
50.310 Mhz to 50.320 Mhz – EME
50.320 Mhz to 50.380 Mhz – MS
50.400 Mhz to 50.500 Mhz
(Propagation Beacons Only)
50.500 Mhz to 52.000 Mhz @ 12.5 kHz
All Modes
50.510 Mhz – SSTV
50.520 Mhz – Internet Voice Gateway
50.530 Mhz – Internet Voice Gateway
50.540 Mhz – Internet Voice Gateway
50.550 Mhz – Image/Fax working frequency
50.620 Mhz to 50.750 Mhz – Digital Communications
50.630 Mhz – Digital Voice Calling
50.710 Mhz to 50.890 Mhz – FM/DV Repeater Outputs (10 kHz spacing)
51.210 Mhz to 51.390 Mhz – FM/DV Repeater Inputs (10 kHz spacing)
51.410 Mhz to 51.590 Mhz – FM /DV Simplex
51.510 Mhz – FM Calling
51.530 Mhz – GB2RS news and slow morse
51.650 Mhz to 51.750 Mhz – Emergency Communications & Special Events
51.770 Mhz to 51.790 Mhz – Emergency Communications & Special Events
51.810 Mhz to 51.990 Mhz – FM/DV Repeater Outputs
| RSGB Band Plan (effective from 1st January 2021) | ||||
| The following band plan is largely based on that agreed at IARU Region 1 General Conferences with some local differences on | ||||
| on frequencies above 430 MHz. | ||||
| 50 MHz (6m) | Necessary | UK Usage | ||
| Bandwidth | ||||
| 50.000-50.100 MHz | 500 Hz | Telegraphy Only (except for Beacon Project) Note-2 | ||
| 50.000-50.030 MHz reserved for Synchronised Beacon Project (Note 2) | ||||
| Region-1: 50.000-50.010; Region-2: 50.010-50.020; Region-3: 50.020-50.030 | ||||
| 50.050 MHz Future International Centre of Activity | ||||
| 50.090 MHz Intercontinental DX Centre of Activity (Note 1) | ||||
| 50.100-50.200 | 2.7 kHz | SSB/Telegraphy – International Preferred | ||
| 50.100-50.130 MHz Intercontinental DX Telegraphy & SSB (Note 1) | ||||
| 50.110 MHz Intercontinental DX Centre of Activity | ||||
| 50.130-50.200 MHz General International Telegraphy & SSB | ||||
| 50.150 MHz International Centre of Activity | ||||
| 50.200-50.300 | 2.7 kHz | SSB/Telegraphy – General Usage | ||
| 50.285 MHz Crossband Centre of Activity | ||||
| 50.300-50.400 | 2.7 kHz | MGM/Narrowband/Telegraphy | ||
| 50.305 MHz PSK Centre of Activity | ||||
| 50.310-50.320 MHz EME | ||||
| 50.320-50.380 MHz MS | ||||
| 50.400-50.500 | Propagation Beacons Only | |||
| 50.500-50.700 | – | All Modes. | ||
| 50.520 MHz FM/DV Internet voice gateway | ||||
| 50.530 MHz FM/DV Internet voice gateway | ||||
| 50.540 MHz FM/DV Internet voice gateway | ||||
| 50.600-50.700 MHz Digital communications | ||||
| 50.630 MHz Digital Voice (DV) calling | ||||
| 50.700-50.900 | 12 kHz | 50.710-50.890 MHz FM/DV Repeater Outputs (10 kHz channel spacing) | ||
| 50.900-51.200 | – | All Modes | ||
| 51.200-51.400 | 12 kHz | 51.210-51.390 MHz FM/DV Repeater Inputs (10 KHz channel spacing) (Note 4) | ||
| 51.400-52.000 | – | All Modes | ||
| 51.410-51.590 MHz FM/DV Simplex (Note 3) (Note 4) | ||||
| 51.510 MHz FM calling frequency | ||||
| 51.530 MHz GB2RS news broadcast and slow morse | ||||
| 51.650 & 51.750 MHz See Note 5 (25kHz aligned) | ||||
| 51.970 & 51.990 MHz See Note 5 | ||||
| Note 1: Only to be used between stations in different continents (not for intra-European QSOs). | ||||
| Note 2: 50.0-50.1MHz is currently shared with Propagation Beacons. These are due to be migrated | ||||
| to 50.4-50.5 MHz, to create more space for Telegraphy and a new Synchronised Beacon Project | ||||
| Note 3: 20 kHz channel spacing. Channel centre frequencies start at 51.430 MHz. | ||||
| Note 4: Embedded data traffic is allowed with digital voice (DV) | ||||
| Note 5: May be used for Emergency Communications and Community Events | ||||
| Note-6: Digital Experiments to support innovation may occur around 50.6, 51.0 or 51.7 MHz | ||||
| with maximum bandwidths of 50, 200 and 500 kHz respectively on a shared non-interference basis | ||||
| LICENCE NOTES: Amateur Service 50.0-51.0 MHz – Primary User. | ||||
| Amateur Service 51.0-52.0 MHz – Secondary User: 100W (20dBW) max | ||||
| Available on the basis on non-interference to other services (inside or outside the UK). | ||||
| Notes to the Band Plan | ||||
| ITU-R Recommendation SM.328 (extract) | ||||
| Necessary bandwidth: For a given class of emission, the width of the frequency band which is just sufficient to | ||||
| ensure the transmission of information at the rate and with the quality required under specified conditions. | ||||
| The use of Amplitude Modulation (AM) is acceptable in the all modes segments but users are asked to consider | ||||
| adjacent channel activity when selecting operating frequencies. | ||||
| Foundation and Intermediate Licence holders are advised to check their licences for the permitted power limits and | ||||
| conditions applicable to their class of licence. | ||||