60 Meter Band Guide: 5 MHz Rules, Channels and Propagation

The 60 meter band, also called the 5 MHz band, is one of the youngest amateur allocations on HF, and one of the most confusing. In some countries it is a set of fixed channels, in others a block of frequencies, and in a few it is still not available to ordinary licensees at all. Yet it is also one of the most useful bands for regional contacts, because it sits between 80 and 40 meters and keeps working when both of its neighbours struggle. This guide explains what the band is, how the rules differ, how to find a legal frequency and how to get on the air with a simple antenna.

A word of caution before we start. Of all the HF bands, 60 meters is the one where national rules differ most. Treat anything below as a map of the territory, not a licence condition, and always confirm the details with your own regulator.

A Short History of 5 MHz

The 60 meter band is a relatively new amateur radio allocation. As the overview of the 60-meter band explains, it was first introduced in 2002 and was originally available in only a few countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Norway, Finland, Denmark and Iceland. Over the following years more administrations, together with their government and military users, permitted amateur operation around 5 MHz on a short or longer-term basis, ranging from a few discrete channels to a full band.

A major step came at the end of the 2015 ITU World Radiocommunication Conference, which approved a worldwide secondary allocation to the amateur service of 5351.5 to 5366.5 kHz. The ITU rules limit most amateurs to 15 watts effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP), with some countries allowed up to 25 watts. The allocation came into effect on 1 January 2017, after which each country had to revise its own rules before amateurs could use it. Before that decision, national 5 MHz allocations were made under Article 4.4 of the ITU Radio Regulations, which requires that the amateur use not cause interference to other services.

Two practical lessons follow from this history. First, there is no single worldwide 5 MHz band, only a patchwork of national arrangements and the newer international allocation. Second, the rules for power, modes and licence classes are set by your administration, not by the ITU. If you read a power limit in an article, including this one, check it against your own licence conditions.

Why the Rules Differ by Country

Where two-way amateur communication is authorised on 60 meters, it has generally been within the range 5250 to 5450 kHz, but the whole range is not available everywhere. The ITU later gave 5250 to 5275 kHz to the radiolocation service, effectively reducing the former range to 5275 to 5450 kHz. In some countries the allocation is still channelised, which means you may only operate on specific fixed frequencies. Others use block or band allocations, or a mixture.

In the United Kingdom, for instance, the published overview notes that the band has been limited to full licensees, and that operation was developed over the years through special permissions, later extended with additional frequency blocks. In the United States, operation takes place on channels, and USB is mandatory on those channels. Other countries use the newer international allocation only, or a mix of the new and older allocations.

The lesson is simple: find your own national band plan before you tune the radio to any 5 MHz frequency. Your national society and regulator publish the details. For the shared IARU recommendations, the IARU Region 1 band plans page is a good starting point, and our own explainer on the IARU band plan regions shows how to read the documents.

How Channels and Dial Frequencies Work

Channelised operation is the part that trips up newcomers. On a channelised band the published channel frequency is the centre of the channel, not the frequency you set on your radio. Voice operation on 60 meters is generally in upper sideband (USB), so that non-amateur users of the same spectrum can communicate with amateurs in an emergency if needed. With USB, the suppressed carrier, or dial frequency, sits 1.5 kHz below the centre of the channel.

A published example makes this clear: the dial frequency 5403.5 kHz corresponds to a channel centred on 5405 kHz. The centre of the channel assumes that SSB transmissions are no wider than about 3 kHz. If your transceiver can transmit a wider SSB signal, adjust the audio bandwidth to 3 kHz or less so that your emissions stay within the channel.

This is the single most common error on the band. An operator who sets the dial to the channel centre will transmit 1.5 kHz too high and may be partly outside the channel. Always check whether a frequency in your national band plan is a dial (carrier) frequency or a centre frequency, and set the radio accordingly.

The IARU Band Plan for the New Allocation

For the 5351.5 to 5366.5 kHz allocation, the IARU has adopted a band plan that divides the segment by mode. The table summarises it. Bandwidths are the maximums listed in the plan.

The plan also strongly recommends that the new international frequencies are used only if other 5 MHz frequencies, allocated under Article 4.4, are not available. It does not require stations to use specific USB dial frequencies, but 5354, 5357, 5360 and 5363 kHz fit well. They match the American channel on 5357 kHz, and UK stations can use 5354 and 5363 kHz. Only by using those exact frequencies is there room for four simultaneous SSB conversations without mutual interference, assuming the roughly 2.8 kHz bandwidth typical of an SSB transceiver. Like every other frequency, these can be used only if your national regulator has licensed them for amateur use.

Propagation: Why 60 Meters Is So Useful

At about 5 MHz, the band lies roughly halfway between 80 meters and 40 meters. That position gives it a particular character. It is less affected by D-layer absorption in the daytime than 80 meters, and it is lower than 40 meters, which can leave a skip zone at short range. The result is that 60 meters often works as a bridge for local-to-medium distances, typically a few hundred kilometres, when both neighbouring bands are poor for short paths.

This is the territory of near vertical incidence skywave, or NVIS, in which signals are sent almost straight up and returned to earth over a wide area around the station. NVIS depends on the critical frequency of the F2 layer, which changes through the day and the solar cycle. If the critical frequency is above the operating frequency, 5 MHz signals are returned to the ground; if it falls below it, they escape. Ionograms from local ionosondes show the critical frequency (foF2) at a given time and help predict whether a 5 MHz link will work. Our article on NVIS propagation and regional HF antennas goes into the principles and the antenna choices.

That makes the band especially attractive for emergency communication, for clubs that run regional nets and for anyone who wants reliable contacts within a few hundred kilometres. For longer distances at night, the lower bands remain the place to go. For a view of the low-band DX side of HF, read our 160 meter top band guide.

Antennas for 60 Meters

Because the band is used mostly for NVIS-style regional contacts, the best antennas are often low, simple and horizontal. A dipole at a modest height above the ground sends much of its energy upward, which is exactly what is needed. A very high antenna gives a lower take-off angle, which is the opposite of what NVIS wants. Our guide to antenna height and take-off angle explains the trade-off.

• Horizontal dipole. The standard choice. A half-wave dipole for 5 MHz is long, about 28 meters overall, but can be bent into an inverted-V or a sloper if space is limited.
• Multiband dipole or doublet. A fed wire with a tuner covers several bands and includes 60 meters at little extra cost.
• Loaded and shortened antennas. Loading coils or compact designs reduce size, but also efficiency, and must be tuned carefully.
• Vertical. A vertical tends to favour lower angles, and is a poorer choice for NVIS, but it can still work and is easy to deploy for portable operation.

Whichever you choose, measure it before you transmit. An antenna analyser shows where the antenna is resonant, and allows you to trim it to a frequency inside your legal channel.

Equipment and Modes

Many modern transceivers include 60 meters. Older radios, especially those made in Japan and surrounding countries before the allocation existed, often did not support the band. It is usually possible to modify such equipment, within the terms of your licence, but check the manual and the manufacturer before you do so.

Voice operation is generally in USB, while CW and digital modes are used in the narrow segments of the band plan. If you plan to use WSJT-X, be careful. The program’s documentation specifically reminds operators that anyone transmitting on 60 meters must choose a frequency that conforms with local regulations. You can read that guidance in the WSJT-X documentation. If you are new to the program, our WSJT-X and FT8 setup guide covers the basics, and the same steps apply on 5 MHz.

Beacons and Propagation Checks

Several propagation beacons operate in the 5 MHz region, some running continuously and some on a schedule. A number of WSPR beacon experiments, some with powers as low as 1 watt, have produced reports over long distances, which shows how forgiving the band can be for low-power stations. Beacons are a good first check: if you hear one, the path is open. Standard frequency and time stations near 5000 kHz are sometimes used informally as propagation indicators as well. Because beacon lists change, always check a current source before relying on a particular frequency.

Finding Contacts and Staying Alert

Activity on 60 meters is often concentrated on a handful of channels, so contacts tend to be local and regional. For DX alerts, a spot-monitoring tool helps. For example, LY4A DX Reminder watches five DX spot sources, DXScape, DXSummit, DXHeat, PSK Reporter and the Reverse Beacon Network, and raises an alarm when the call sign you set shows up on the band and mode you chose. The band list it supports includes 60 meters, so you can ask it to watch for a specific station even when you are away from the radio.

Common Mistakes on 60 Meters

• Using a frequency without checking national rules. This is the number one problem. Always verify the allocation, the power limit and the licence class required.
• Confusing dial frequency and channel centre. On USB, the dial frequency is 1.5 kHz below the channel centre. Set it correctly.
• Using lower sideband. Voice on 60 meters is generally USB, and in some countries it is mandatory.
• Overpowering the allocation. Many limits are expressed as EIRP, which includes antenna gain. A low-efficiency antenna and a high-gain antenna give different outcomes at the same transmitter power.
• Putting the antenna too high for NVIS. A low-angle antenna is poor at the close-in contacts the band does best.
• Splattering over the channel. Keep audio bandwidth within roughly 3 kHz, and avoid overdriving the transmitter.

The Bottom Line

The 60 meter band is the quiet workhorse of HF. It bridges the gap between 80 and 40 meters, favours simple low dipoles and offers reliable regional contacts, but it also demands more attention to the rules than any other HF band. Find out whether you are allowed to use it, learn whether your national plan uses channels or blocks, set your dial frequency correctly in USB and keep your power and bandwidth in check. With those basics in place, a single dipole and a modest transmitter can be enough for dependable contacts across a region.

Frequently Asked Questions

What frequency is the 60 meter band?

It is the 5 MHz region of HF. Where amateur use is authorised, it has generally been within 5250 to 5450 kHz, although exact allocations differ widely. The international secondary allocation approved in 2015 is 5351.5 to 5366.5 kHz.

Can everyone use the 60 meter band?

No. Availability depends on your country and sometimes on your licence class. In the United Kingdom, for example, access has been limited to full licensees. Check your national regulator for the current rule before transmitting.

Why is 60 meters limited to low power?

Because the amateur service shares the spectrum with other users. The international allocation limits most amateurs to 15 watts EIRP, with a few countries allowed more, and many national rules add their own limits.

Which sideband do I use on 60 meters?

Upper sideband. Voice operation on 60 meters is generally USB, and in the United States channelised USB is mandatory. Set the dial frequency 1.5 kHz below the channel centre.

Is 60 meters good for DX?

Mostly it is a regional band. Its strength is NVIS-style contacts over a few hundred kilometres. DX contacts are possible, especially with low-power modes like WSPR, but the lower and higher bands usually do better for long distances.

What antenna works best on 60 meters?

A horizontal dipole, mounted low enough to send signals steeply upward, is the standard choice. An inverted-V or sloper works if space is limited, and a multiband doublet adds 60 meters to a general-purpose station.