The most useful ham radio calling frequencies are service-specific meeting points: 52.525 MHz FM on 6 meters, 146.520 MHz FM on 2 meters, and 446.000 MHz FM on 70 centimeters. For CB monitoring, listen to CB radio channel 19 at 27.185 MHz AM. GMRS uses numbered channels in the 462 and 467 MHz ranges, with separate settings for frequency, bandwidth, and optional tones.

These references are for common U.S. channel plans. Calling frequencies and band plans can vary by region, especially on amateur bands, so confirm the plan used in your area before transmitting.

Ham Radio Calling Frequencies by Band and Mode: 52.525, 146.520, and 446.000 MHz FM

An amateur calling frequency is a commonly recognized place to listen for stations and make an initial contact. It is not an exclusive channel. After making contact, operators normally move to another clear frequency so the calling frequency remains available.

• 6 meters: 52.525 MHz FM is a common North American six-meter simplex calling frequency.
• 2 meters: 146.520 MHz FM is the widely recognized two-meter simplex calling frequency.
• 70 centimeters: 446.000 MHz FM is used as a simplex calling frequency in many regional band plans.

Program a receiver for the listed frequency and FM mode. For simplex monitoring, leave repeater offset and tone settings off unless a local group specifically publishes them. Calling frequencies vary by band and mode: an FM frequency is not automatically suitable for SSB, digital, or another emission type. The 146.520 MHz setting also is not a numbered GMRS channel.

Listening is different from transmitting. You can configure a scanner or receiver to monitor these frequencies, but transmitting requires amateur equipment that operates within the correct band and an appropriately authorized operator.

Listen to CB Radio Channel 19 at 27.185 MHz AM

CB channel 19 is the familiar highway and trucker information channel in the United States. Its assigned frequency is 27.185 MHz, and its normal mode is AM. On a CB radio, select channel 19 rather than entering the frequency manually. On a general-purpose receiver or SDR, tune to 27.185 MHz and select AM.

1. Choose the CB band or enter 27.185 MHz.
2. Set the demodulation mode to AM.
3. Adjust squelch just high enough to mute constant noise.
4. Lower the squelch or use the signal meter when checking for weak traffic.

Channel 19 can contain local traffic, long-distance skip, engine noise, or no activity at all. Receive-only monitoring does not require a transmit tone. A ham or GMRS radio is not automatically a CB radio; its frequency range, antenna system, and service authorization may be different.

How to Program GMRS Frequencies: Channel Numbers, 462/467 MHz, Bandwidth, and Tones

GMRS programming should be treated as a set of separate fields, not as one frequency copied from a chart. A typical channel entry contains a channel number, receive frequency, transmit frequency, bandwidth, and optional receive and transmit tone settings.

Common U.S. GMRS entries include:

• Channels 1–7: 462.5625, 462.5875, 462.6125, 462.6375, 462.6625, 462.6875, and 462.7125 MHz. These shared interstitial channels are commonly programmed at 12.5 kHz narrow bandwidth.
• Channels 8–14: 467.5625, 467.5875, 467.6125, 467.6375, 467.6625, 467.6875, and 467.7125 MHz. These are 12.5 kHz narrow interstitial channels with lower-power service restrictions.
• Channels 15–22: 462.5500, 462.5750, 462.6000, 462.6250, 462.6500, 462.6750, 462.7000, and 462.7250 MHz. These primary GMRS channels are commonly entered as 20 kHz wide.

For a simplex channel, set receive and transmit frequencies to the same channel frequency. For a repeater channel, the radio normally receives on a 462 MHz output and transmits on the corresponding 467 MHz input. For example, a repeater may use 462.6750 MHz receive and 467.6750 MHz transmit. Do not substitute the 467.5625–467.7125 MHz interstitial frequencies as repeater inputs.

Program a GMRS radio in this order:

1. Select the channel number or create a channel name.
2. Enter the receive frequency.
3. Enter the transmit frequency, using the same frequency for simplex or the repeater input for repeater operation.
4. Choose the channel bandwidth specified by the radio or local plan: typically 12.5 kHz narrow or 20 kHz wide.
5. Set optional CTCSS or DCS tones separately for transmit and receive.

A transmit tone, sometimes called an encode tone, lets a repeater or radio recognize your signal. A receive tone, or decode tone, keeps the speaker muted unless the matching tone is present. Tones do not change the RF frequency and do not provide privacy. For general receive-only monitoring, leave receive tone filtering off so you hear users who are not transmitting a tone. Transmitting on GMRS requires the appropriate authorization and compatible equipment; receiving and saving a channel is a separate task.

Keep the Three Channel Plans Separate

• Amateur radio: frequency and mode are the primary references. Examples include 146.520 MHz FM and 446.000 MHz FM.
• CB: channel 19 maps to 27.185 MHz AM within the CB channel plan.
• GMRS: a numbered channel maps to a specific 462 or 467 MHz frequency, bandwidth, and possibly tone or repeater settings.

Do not copy a CB frequency, ham frequency, or GMRS frequency into equipment intended for another service and describe it as the same channel. Similar-looking channel numbers do not indicate compatibility: 27.185 MHz CB, 146.520 MHz amateur radio, and 462.6750 MHz GMRS belong to different services and require different radio settings.