IARU

The IARU is the worldwide organization that represents amateur radio operators. It was founded in 1925 and, since then, the aim of IARU has been the protection and promotion of amateur radio interests, frequency coordination, and support of radio spectrum for non-commercial, experimental, and emergency communication.

The amateur radio community-regional subdivisions of IARU are:

IARU Region 1 - Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Northern Asia

IARU Region 2 - North and South Americas

IARU Region 3 - Asia-Pacific, including India, Japan, Australia, and Southeast Asia.

Policies in each region are made to be in alignment with ITU Regulations in order to have smooth operation and fair use of radio frequencies across the globe. The band plan for the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) Region 3 offers a suggested range of frequency divisions for amateur (ham) radio operators in these nations. These divisions aim to reduce interference, encourage effective spectrum use, and align amateur radio operations throughout the region.

ITU Band Plan

ITU Band	Band Name	Lower End	Upper End
LF	2200 metres	135.7 kHz	137.8 kHz
MF	630 metres	472 kHz	479 kHz
MF	160 metres	1.8 MHz	2.0 MHz
HF	80 metres	3.5 MHz	3.9 MHz
HF	60 metres	5.351.5 MHz	5.366.5 MHz
HF	40 metres	7.0 MHz	7.3 MHz
HF	30 metres	10.1 MHz	10.15 MHz
HF	20 metres	14 MHz	14.35 MHz
HF	17 metres	18.068 MHz	18.168 MHz
HF	15 metres	21 MHz	21.45 MHz
HF	12 metres	24.89 MHz	24.99 MHz
HF	10 metres	28 MHz	29.7 MHz
VHF	6 metres	50 MHz	54 MHz
VHF	2 metres	144 MHz	148 MHz
UHF	70 centimetres	434 MHz	438 MHz
UHF	23 centimetres	1240 MHz	1300 MHz

Reasons for the Frequency Allocations in Region 3

The primary purpose of having designated frequency allocations within each ITU region is to effectively manage the global radio spectrum and minimize interference among various users and services. Each region has distinct needs for broadcasting, commercial, and governmental spectrum, which can differ based on geography, population density, and current spectrum utilization.

IARU Region 3 band plans are created to:

Facilitate coordination of amateur radio activities across multiple countries, thereby reducing cross-border interference.
Encourage alignment with other ITU regions whenever feasible, while addressing local and regional specifications.
Offer direction for national regulators and amateur operators regarding preferred frequencies for various modes (CW, SSB, digital, satellite, etc.).
Enhance international collaboration in emergency communications and contests.