All about frequencies

Last Updated on Monday, 12 October 2009 07:13 Written by SlowSteady Thursday, 27 November 2008 01:00

It can be confusing for the rookie entering the sport/hobby when faced with choices of what radios and frequencies to use. You only to know two things; either go for crystals or go for the latest and greatest with the digital spread specturm technology which uses 2.4 GHz. For the die hard "analogues", this article is for you!

This is a listing of all officially sanctioned RC frequencies used worldwide as of September, 2004.

Note:- For Australia, check the MAAA website, under Manual of Procedures section for allowable frequencies.

40Mhz & 27Mhz UK Frequencies (as per UKRCC).

40Mhz Num Futaba Frequency 50 66 40.665 51 67 40.675 52 68 40.685 53 69 40.695 N/A 70 40.705 54 71 40.715 55 72 40.725 56 73 40.735 N/A 74 40.745 N/A 75 40.755 57 76 40.765 58 77 40.775 59 78 40.785 N/A 79 40.795 N/A 80 40.805 81 81 40.815 82 82 40.825 83 83 40.835 N/A 84 40.845 N/A 85 40.855 84 86 40.865 85 87 40.875 86 88 40.885 N/A 89 40.895 N/A 90 40.905 87 91 40.915 88 92 40.925 89 93 40.935 N/A 94 40.945 N/A 95 40.955 90 96 40.965 91 97 40.975 92 98 40.985 N/A 99 40.995

27Mhz Num Frequency Colour 1 26.965 N/A 2 26.975 Grey/Brown 3 26.985 N/A 4 26.995 Brown 5 27.005 N/A 6 27.015 N/A 7 27.025 Red/Brown 8 27.035 N/A 9 27.045 Red 10 27.055 N/A 11 27.065 N/A 12 27.075 Red/Orange 13 27.085 N/A 14 27.095 Orange 15 27.105 N/A 16 27.115 N/A 17 27.125 Orange/Yellow 18 27.135 N/A 19 27.145 Yellow 20 27.155 N/A 21 27.165 N/A 22 27.175 Yellow/Green 23 27.185 N/A 24 27.195 Green 25 27.205 N/A 26 27.215 N/A 27 27.225 Green/Blue 28 27.235 N/A 29 27.245 N/A 30 27.255 Blue 31 27.265 N/A 32 27.275 N/A

 

 

75Mhz & 27Mhz USA Frequencies

75Mhz Channel Frequency Channel Frequency 61 75.410 76 75.710 62 75.430 77 75.730 63 75.450 78 75.750 64 75.470 79 75.770 65 75.490 80 75.790 66 75.510 81 75.810 67 75.530 82 75.830 68 75.550 83 75.850 69 75.570 84 75.870 70 75.590 85 75.890 71 75.610 86 75.910 72 75.630 87 75.930 73 75.650 88 75.950 74 75.670 89 75.970 75 75.690 90 75.990

27Mhz Number Frequency Colour 1 26.995 Brown 2 27.045 Red 3 27.095 Orange 4 27.145 Yellow 5 27.195 Green 6 27.255 Blue

 

35Mhz, 36Mhz, 41Mhz, 72Mhz & 434Mhz Frequencies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some Footnotes:-

75 Mhz CAA ILS Marker Beacons

Part of an instrument landing system for commercial airports using 75 MHz transmitters emitting fan-shaped or elliptical signal patterns vertically upwards, defining specific points along the glideslope. Markers provide aural and visual indications on a cockpit marker beacon receiver.

 

1.2Ghz band - CCTV and Video (USA & Canada)

Some CCTV equipment operates in this band (USA & Canada), but most of the world uses the more popular 2.4Ghz band below. 1.2Ghz is becoming popular in the UK, though technically illegal, because it is a much quieter and probably more discreet band than the crowded 2.4Ghz.

2.4Ghz band - CCTV & Wireless Video

2.4GHz WLANs have regulatory acceptance throughout most of the world. The entire 2.4GHz band is 80MHz wide, which allows three non-overlapping channels. For CCTV equipment, you can get 3 or more usually 4-channel equipment, allowing that number of camera-transmitters to be used. It is possible to get systems that use 8-channel by transmitting without audio, and now some 8-channel audio/video equipment is becoming available.

There are some legal power constraints, so that you should not use a transmitter more powerful than a watt (1W) or two which gives a CLOS range of 1000m or more. I think most countries limit it to just a few milliwatts (10-100mW). You can buy 5W transmitters, but most people would not want their home security systems visible to all within a 10km range.

However, most wireless CCTV operates at the bare minimum required to sell a product and for it to work in the shop, 10mW to 100mW, ranges between 10m and 100m unobstructed.

2.4GHz wireless devices can experience interference from an increasing number of other devices, including next door's wireless network, bluetooth devices, cordless phones, microwaves, other WLANs, nearby electrical installations and the weather. For less interference from other equipment, the 5GHz band is sometimes used in networking, and the 1.2Ghz band in CCTV.

UPDATE!

Recently, everyone is jumping in on the 2.4Ghz bandwagon, and many home devices now use these frequencies. Most annoying are mains monitors, weather stations, and some bright spark has even started using 2.4Ghz for remote control aircraft, which makes putting 2.4Ghz cameras on them much harder. Well done that man!

RC Hobby Frequencies Many countries reserve specific frequencies for public radio control use for specific types of equipment as follows;

USA and Canada reserved frequencies

* 72 MHz: aircraft only (France also uses US/Canada channels 21 through 35).

* 75 MHz: surface vehicles.

* 27 MHz: general use, toys. UK and Spain reserved frequencies

* 35 MHz: aircraft only

* 40 MHz: surface vehicles

* 27 MHz: general use, toys, CB radio

 

In the UK, using the 75Mhz frequency is particularly frowned upon because it is used by the CAA.