What is the Australian Band Plan?

Amateur radio operators in Australia are part of an international collaboration. The radio spectrum is a vast resource and Amateurs are privileged to have access to around 22 different band segments from longwave through to microwave frequencies. This provides tremendous opportunities to connect like-minded people both locally and around the world and to experiment with and enhance communications technology in all of its forms.

The various segments of spectrum Amateur operators can access are defined in the legislation of each country. In Australia, this managed by the Australian Communications & Media Authority (ACMA) in a document called the Licence Conditions Determination (LCD). These are the boundaries within which we must operate.

Foundation level operators can access six of these bands. Standard level operators can access 11 bands and Advanced operators may use all 22 bands.

Apart from permissible power levels, what goes on within the band edges is not mandated by law, but by convention. These are friendly agreements that establish what parts of each band are best used for voice comms, CW, various digital modes and repeaters. Adherence to these conventions are voluntary and provide for smooth interaction between interest groups.

The Australian Band Plan is a map of these conventions. This website provides the details of this plan. As of December 2025 it represents preferred spectrum usage as agreed upon by all sector stakeholders. It does not represent the work of any one group. It is a dynamic plan that can be adjusted from time-to-time, but that can only happen through an open and transparent change process that includes all stakeholders. This plan will remain the dominant roadmap for Amateur Operator activity in Australia until a true consensus for change and adjustment has been achieved.

Brows the Australian Band Plan

Each spectrum allocation is represented here, along with the class of operator licence authorised to use each band.

  • Bands accessible by Foundation operators are shown in Blue
  • Additional bands accessible by Standard operators are shown in Yellow
  • Bands accessible by Advanced operators only are shown in Green

Click on a band segment to open full details of operator conventions for that band.

ACMA Syllabus Extract

According to the ACMA Standard Syllabus, the required knowledge on this topic is:

5.7  Transmitter Duty Cycle

Understand the implications of the different types of modulation on the rated output power of a power amplifier (PA).

Understand the term ‘duty cycle’ in relation to transmitters.