This aircraft radio frequency list separates aviation communications from amateur-radio emergency use and business radio operations. The services may occupy nearby parts of the radio spectrum, but their channel plans, equipment, and transmission rules are different.

Use the references below as identification aids, not as permission to transmit. A frequency may be allocated to a service, commonly monitored, or assigned to one licensee; those are three different situations.

How to read an aircraft radio frequency list

Every entry should be read with four questions: What service owns the frequency? Is it a range or a single channel? What mode and channel spacing does the receiver need? Who is authorized to transmit?

• Band allocation: A range such as 118.000–136.975 MHz identifies spectrum available for a service. It does not mean every frequency is open or usable at every location.
• Calling or emergency channel: A frequency such as 121.500 MHz or 146.520 MHz is widely recognized for a particular purpose. Monitoring practices and local plans still determine how it is used.
• Assigned channel: A business license may specify one simplex frequency or a repeater pair for a particular company, site, emission type, and power level.

For aircraft, use an aviation-band receiver or transceiver configured for AM and the applicable 25 kHz or 8.33 kHz channel spacing. For amateur radio, the radio must support the relevant band and operating mode. Business systems may require narrowband FM, DMR, P25, or another programmed mode. A receiver can identify or monitor a signal, but receiving a signal does not authorize transmission.

Aircraft communication frequency ranges and common channels

Civil aircraft voice communications normally use the VHF COM band. Frequencies are assigned to air-traffic-control sectors, airport services, and other aviation users, so pilots obtain the applicable channel from charts, procedures, or air-traffic services.

• VHF COM allocation | 118.000–136.975 MHz: The principal civil aviation voice range, including ground, tower, approach, departure, center, and flight-service assignments. The exact usable channel spacing depends on the region.
• Guard and distress | 121.500 MHz: The international aviation emergency frequency, commonly monitored by air-traffic facilities and many aircraft. It is for distress, urgency, and related safety communication—not routine conversation.
• Air-to-air | 122.750 MHz: A commonly recognized US air-to-air channel for aircraft coordination where appropriate. It is not a substitute for an airport’s published advisory or CTAF frequency.
• Local CTAF or UNICOM | individually assigned within the COM range: An uncontrolled airport may publish a dedicated advisory channel. The airport’s current chart or operating information controls; do not assume 122.800 MHz or another familiar channel applies.

Aviation channels are generally received in AM, while amateur and business handhelds commonly use FM or digital modes. An airband scanner may hear aircraft and controllers but cannot replace an approved aviation transmitter, antenna installation, operating qualification, or applicable authorization.

Ham radio emergency frequency and calling channels

Amateur radio has broad regional allocations rather than one worldwide emergency channel. In the United States, these representative band ranges are useful for identifying where amateur operation may occur; exact privileges, mode segments, and band plans vary by country and license class.

• 80 meters | 3.500–4.000 MHz: A lower-frequency amateur band used for regional and nighttime voice, digital, and emergency nets.
• 40 meters | 7.000–7.300 MHz: A versatile regional and long-distance band with frequent emergency-net activity.
• 20 meters | 14.000–14.350 MHz: A long-distance band often used for wide-area emergency communication when propagation permits.
• 2 meters | 144–148 MHz: A common VHF allocation for local FM simplex, repeaters, packet, and public-service support.
• 70 centimeters | 420–450 MHz: A UHF allocation used for local repeaters, simplex, and digital emergency networks.
• 2-meter calling | 146.520 MHz: A widely recognized US FM simplex calling frequency. It is not a guaranteed emergency watch and may not be the frequency selected by a local emergency organization.
• 70-centimeter calling | 446.000 MHz: A commonly used US FM simplex calling channel. Regional band plans may recommend another channel or a different tone arrangement.

During an emergency, use the frequency published by the local ARES, RACES, emergency-management, repeater, or event plan. Repeaters normally require an input offset and sometimes a CTCSS or DCS access tone; a frequency list showing only the repeater output is incomplete for transmission. Amateur allocations also require an appropriate amateur license, except where a specific emergency rule permits otherwise.

Business radio frequency chart: allocations and assigned channels

A business radio frequency chart is most useful when it distinguishes shared pools from channels licensed to a specific organization. In the United States, commercial land-mobile business systems commonly appear in portions of the VHF 150–174 MHz and UHF 450–470 MHz ranges, but those ranges are not blanket business permissions.

• VHF business and industrial pool | approximately 150–174 MHz: A planning range containing many business, industrial, public-safety, and itinerant assignments. The license determines the actual channel and technical limits.
• UHF business and industrial pool | approximately 450–470 MHz: A commonly used range for buildings, campuses, retail operations, transportation, and repeater systems. Frequencies may be simplex or paired for repeater input and output.
• Itinerant business example | 151.625 MHz: A frequency that may appear in US itinerant-radio references. Its appearance on a chart does not make it available at every site; licensing, sharing conditions, and equipment limits apply.
• MURS channels | 151.820, 151.880, 151.940, 154.570, and 154.600 MHz: Five US VHF channels available under the Multi-Use Radio Service rules with approved equipment and defined power and operating restrictions. MURS is not a general license for other business-pool frequencies.

Before transmitting on a business channel, verify the regulator’s database or the organization’s license and radio programming. Check frequency, bandwidth, power, location, repeater pairing, and analog or digital mode. A scanner can receive a business signal, but only the assigned licensee—or an authorized user operating within that license—may use the channel.