
207Experiment 13: Going Further with Radio
FREQUENCY BANDS
Several frequency ranges, or bands, are
allocated for amateur use. The exact
ranges, power limits, and regulations
vary by country, but fortunately, the
bands overlap reasonably well, making
international communication possible.
Broadly speaking, the bands are divided
into shortwave (3MHz to 30MHz) and
higher frequencies (VHF and UHF).
Radio signals in the shortwave bands
can be reflected back to Earth by certain
layers of the atmosphere. This makes
communication far beyond the horizon
possible. However, solar radiation
affects the atmosphere’s properties
throughout the day, so precisel ...