5-meter band
A VHF band bridging 6-meter propagation with unique sporadic E and tropospheric paths.
The 5-meter band sits at 60 MHz, in the middle of the VHF spectrum, and is available to amateur radio operators in certain countries. It behaves much like the nearby 6-meter band and marks a transitional zone for signal propagation, though at temperate latitudes it rarely benefits from the F2 ionospheric skip that sometimes occurs on 6 meters.
Amateurs in the United States first gained access to the 5-meter band (56–64 MHz) on October 10, 1924, following the Third National Radio Conference. A worldwide allocation for amateur and experimental use from 56 to 60 MHz came on October 4, 1927, at the International Radiotelegraph Conference in Washington, D.C. At the 1938 International Radiocommunication Conference in Cairo, European authorities gave television broadcasting priority in part of the 5- and 6-meter bands: television and low-power stations (under 1 kW) got 56–58.5 MHz, while amateurs, experimenters, and low-power stations shared 58.5–60 MHz. Other regions kept the full 56–60 MHz allocation, and European administrations could let amateurs continue using 56–58.5 MHz. In 1940, TV channel 2 moved to 60 MHz and channel 1 shifted to 50–56 MHz, leaving a gap for the 5-meter amateur band. U.S. amateur transmissions stopped during World War II and briefly resumed on 56–60 MHz after the war until March 1, 1946. British and some European amateurs held the 5-meter band (58.5–60 MHz) until 1949–1951, when it was reassigned to television broadcasting.
From 1955 to 1962, Australia and New Zealand (for a shorter period) allocated 56–60 MHz to amateurs instead of 50 MHz, but during the International Geophysical Year the 50–54 MHz range was also returned. Around that time, permission for 5-meter use was granted to station YA1AA in Afghanistan. In September 1957, Romania allocated 56.5–58 MHz for local experiments, and some UK stations were heard there. A 1995 CEPT Phase II report noted that a beacon at 60 MHz might need reassessment once TV broadcasting below 68 MHz in VHF Band I ended. Since 2007, IARU Region 1 has encouraged member societies to seek small allocations for a cluster of beacons at 60 MHz. The 2019 Vienna Interim Conference added the 40 MHz and 60 MHz band plans (used in some countries) as a separate section in the VHF Handbook, serving as examples for future use elsewhere in Region 1.
- Frequency range
- 56–64 MHz (originally); later 56–60 MHz in many allocations
- First allocated us
- October 10, 1924
- Worldwide allocation
- October 4, 1927
- Removed from amateur service
- January 1949 (with transitional period to 1951 in some countries)
- Australian allocation
- 1955-11-01 to 1962-06-01 (56–60 MHz)
- New zealand allocation
- 1956-06-01 to 1959-01-31 (56–60 MHz)
- Irish allocation
- April 2018
Lore & Background
On October 10, 1924, the 5-meter band (56–64 MHz) was first made available to amateurs in the United States by the Third National Radio Conference. On October 4, 1927, the band was allocated on a worldwide basis by the International Radiotelegraph Conference in Washington, D.C., with 56–60 MHz for amateur and experimental use. At the 1938 International Radiocommunication Conference in Cairo, television broadcasting was given priority in a portion of the 5- and 6-meter band in Europe, allocating 56–58.5 MHz to television and low power stations and 58.5–60 MHz to amateurs, experimenters, and low power stations in the European region, while maintaining the 56–60 MHz allocation for other regions.
After World War II, the 5-meter band was briefly reopened to amateurs from 56 to 60 MHz until March 1, 1946. British and some European amateurs were allocated 58.5–60 MHz until 1949–1951, when the band was given for television broadcasting. From 1955 to 1962, Australian and New Zealand authorities allocated 56–60 MHz instead of 50 MHz, but for the International Geophysical Year the 50–54 MHz range was again returned. In September 1957, 56.5–58 MHz was allocated for local experiments in Romania. A DSI report (CEPT Phase II) of 1995 noted the possibility that a beacon's allocation at 60 MHz should be reassessed when TV broadcasting is no longer operating below 68 MHz of VHF Band I.
Propagation on the 5-meter band includes sporadic E common in summer, tropospheric propagation marginally more successful than on 6 meters, and highly effective aurora borealis and meteor scatter. Around 1949, at least 18 countries worked in Europe on this band including Iceland and some overseas territories. From 1956, 5-meter cross band and interstate sporadic E activities took place in Australia, New Zealand, and its overseas territories.
Reader's Guide
The 5-meter band's significance lies in its historical role as a transitional VHF allocation that bridged early television and amateur radio interests. Its allocation history reflects the shifting priorities of international radio conferences, from the 1924 US allocation to the 1938 Cairo conference's television prioritization in Europe, and the post-war removal of the band from amateur service in many countries by 1951. The band's legacy includes brief reallocations for amateurs in Australia and New Zealand during the 1950s and 1960s, and more recent allocations such as Ireland's in April 2018. The IARU Region 1 has encouraged member societies to obtain small allocations for beacon clusters at 60 MHz since 2007, and the Vienna Interim Conference 2019 accepted adding the 60 MHz bandplan to the VHF Handbook as a separate section, serving as an example for future use. Propagation characteristics—sporadic E, tropospheric ducting, aurora, and meteor scatter—make the band a unique experimental space for VHF operators, as demonstrated by contacts like the 2,036.3 km sporadic E path between EI4GNB and LY2YR in 2019.
Did You Know?
- The 5-meter band was first made available to US amateurs on October 10, 1924, by the Third National Radio Conference.
- At the 1938 Cairo conference, television broadcasting was given priority in 56–58.5 MHz in Europe, while amateurs retained 58.5–60 MHz.
- The band was removed from amateur service in January 1949, with a transitional period up to 1951 in some countries.
- In August 2007, the UK approved a beacon at 60.050 MHz, which became inactive from 2017.
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