| Common name
|
Frequencies
|
Modulation
|
Frequency range
|
Notes
|
| longwave
|
148.5–283.5 kHz
|
amplitude modulation (AM)
|
low frequency (LF)
|
Mostly used in Europe, North Africa, and Asia
|
AM radio
(medium wave)
|
525–1606.5 kHz,
525–1705 kHz in N. America, Australia and the Philippines.
|
amplitude modulation (AM)
|
medium frequency (MF)
|
Usually speech and news, where a lower bandwidth will suffice; long range at night due to the ionosphere increasing in altitude
|
| Shortwave
|
Multiple; see Shortwave bands
|
Mostly AM and single-sideband (SSB) modes
|
high frequency (HF)
|
Very long range through "skipping". Standard time frequencies can be heard here.
|
| VHF low (TV)
|
54–88 MHz
|
vestigial sideband modulation for analog video, and FM for analog audio; 8-VSB or OFDM for digital broadcast
|
very high frequency (VHF) band I
|
Channels 2 through 6 are from 54–88 MHz (except 72–76 MHz).
|
| FM radio
|
87.5–108 MHz,
76–90 MHz in Japan
|
Frequency Modulation (FM)
|
VHF band II
|
Usually music, due to the clarity and high bandwidth of FM. Relatively short range
|
| VHF high (TV)
|
174–216 MHz
|
vestigial sideband modulation for analog video, and FM for analog audio; 8-VSB or OFDM for digital broadcast
|
VHF band III
|
Channels 7–13 use 174–216 MHz.
|
| UHF (TV)
|
470–806 MHz
|
vestigial sideband modulation for analog video, and FM for analog audio; 8-VSB or OFDM for digital broadcast
|
ultra high frequency (UHF)
|
Channels 14–69 use 470–806 MHz, except for the radio astronomy band at 608–614 MHz where channel 37 would be
|
