LowFER
LowFER is license-free experimental radio below 300 kHz.
LowFER, short for Low-Frequency Experimental Radio, is a hobbyist activity involving radio communication on frequencies below 300 kHz, which falls within the low-frequency portion of the radio spectrum. People who take part are called LowFERs (pronounced "loafers").
In the United States and Canada, LowFER operation takes place between 160 kHz and 190 kHz, a range sometimes called the 1750-meter band (previously the 1875-meter band). Elsewhere in the world, including the U.S., there is an adjacent amateur radio band at 136–138 kHz, where licensed operators may transmit after notifying power utilities and receiving no objection. Many LowFERs are also licensed amateur radio operators, though a license is not required for LowFER communication in Region 2 countries as long as the transmitter power stays below a national limit, often 1 watt.
Because practical antennas at these frequencies are much shorter than the wavelength, radiating useful power is difficult. In the U.S. and Canada, regulations limit LowFER transmitters to antennas and feed lines no longer than 15 meters (49 feet) and final RF stage input power to no more than 1 watt. Telegraphy and digital modes are most common, but amplitude modulation (AM) and single-sideband modulation (SSB) voice transmissions are also allowed. Despite short antennas and low power, LowFER stations have been heard up to about 1,000 miles away by listeners using sensitive receiving setups.
In Europe and ITU Region 1, the 160–190 kHz range is used for broadcasting and is not available for two-way communications. The United Kingdom had an amateur allocation at 73 kHz from 1998 to 2002. At the 2007 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-07), the International Telecommunication Union agreed to a secondary amateur allocation at 135.7–137.8 kHz (the 2200-meter band), the first amateur band below the medium wave broadcast band. Transmitter power here is limited to 1 watt ERP, meaning an inefficient antenna can be fed higher power.
In the U.S., license-free operation is also allowed on the medium frequency band (the AM broadcast band). Known as MedFER, this medium-frequency experimental radio operates under FCC Part 15 rules with 0.1 watt and a three-meter antenna between 510 kHz and 1705 kHz, overlapping the U.S. AM radio band.
- Frequency range
- 160–190 kHz (1750-meter band, formerly 1875-meter band)
- Region
- United States and Canada (Region 2)
- Power limit
- 1 watt final RF stage input power
- Antenna limit
- 15 meters (49 ft) total antenna and feed line length
- Modes
- Telegraphy, digital modes, AM, SSB
- Maximum reported range
- Approximately 1,000 miles
Lore & Background
LowFER operation is practiced in the United States and Canada on frequencies between 160 kHz and 190 kHz, sometimes called the 1750-meter band. In much of the world, including the U.S., there is an adjacent amateur radio band at 136–138 kHz, where licensed amateurs may transmit after notification and lack of objection from power utilities. Many LowFERs are also licensed radio amateurs, though an amateur license is not required for LowFER communications in Region 2 countries as long as power is below a nationally prescribed limit, often 1 W. Practical antennas at these frequencies are much shorter than the wavelength, making efficient radiation difficult. By U.S. and Canadian regulations, LowFER transmitters may not have antenna and feed line lengths longer than 15 meters or final RF stage input powers exceeding 1 watt. Telegraphy and digital modes are most common, but speech via AM or SSB is also allowed. Despite short antennas and low power, LowFER stations have been heard at distances approaching 1,000 miles by listeners using sophisticated receiving setups.
Reader's Guide
LowFER represents a niche but persistent form of experimental radio that operates in the low-frequency spectrum below 300 kHz, a region historically dominated by commercial and military services. Its significance lies in providing a license-free avenue for hobbyists to explore propagation and antenna challenges at very long wavelengths, where even modest power can achieve surprising distances under favorable conditions. The activity is governed by specific national regulations, such as the U.S. and Canadian limits on antenna length and transmitter power, which force operators to innovate with efficient antenna designs and sensitive receivers. LowFER also connects to broader amateur and experimental radio traditions, including the adjacent 136–138 kHz amateur band and similar license-free activities like MedFER and HiFER. Its legacy is one of persistence: despite the technical difficulties of radiating at low frequencies with short antennas, LowFERs have demonstrated that meaningful two-way communication and DX (long-distance) contacts are possible, contributing to the ongoing exploration of the radio spectrum below the AM broadcast band.
Did You Know?
- LowFER is practiced on frequencies between 160 kHz and 190 kHz, known as the 1750-meter band.
- In the U.S. and Canada, LowFER transmitters are limited to 1 watt final RF stage input power and antenna lengths of 15 meters.
- An amateur radio license is not required for LowFER communications in Region 2 countries, provided power is below the national limit.
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