Radio frequencies are divided in different categories: Citizens Band, Marine Band, Air Band, Commercial Band and Amateur Band. I believe there is also a Military Band but I dont have much information about it. Citizens Band can be used by any tom, dick and harry although some Japanese fishermen use this. In the US on the other hand, it is being used by truckers (remember the movie, Smokie and the Bandit?). Marine Band on the other hand is used by ships, yachts and other watercrafts. Meanwhile, Air Band is being used by aircrafts and traffic air controllers. Some of our portable radios may be able to monitor this band but are restricted from transmitting to this frequencies for obvious reasons. Now this is more interesting. As for the Commercial Band, such is used by commercial establishments for their business operations. Apparently, its only in the Philippines where this band is shared with civic action groups are given frequency allocations for their volunteerism activities that support the local police communities and fire and rescue volunteers, such as Kabalikat, Pugad Lawin, REACT. Thus, falls under the sub-category CIVICOM or Civic Communications. Unfortunately, unlike the Amateur Band, civic groups are restricted to operate with only 1 base station while the rest are on portable, with a minimum of 25 members and only one frequency is designated for their use. That is why commercial radios that they use (normally its Motorola) would not have frequency display and a keypad for self-programming. Radio dealers are the ones who program their commercial radios to a specific frequency that is assigned to them by the NTC. The Amateur Band on the other hand, gives the privilege to Ham Radio Operators to operate in a range of frequencies (not just one) freely, but according to the operators license class, and be acquainted with other fellow hams from other Ham clubs locally and abroad. Individual Ham radio operators are allowed to operate transceivers (radios) whether it may be on portable (handheld), mobile (automotive) or base (fixed station/house). Hams are also allowed and encouraged to innovate and experiment on different instruments to improve its stations transmission like building antennas, and attaching other electronic devices or connecting it to repeater stations (repeaters). Licensed Ham radio operators are given a unique call sign that is identified to your station, meaning you and only you would have such call sign all over the world. Even before cellphones were discovered and even before data or pictures are sent from one computer to another via internet, there was Packet Radio wherein a computer is hooked-up to a ham radio, that serves as a a modem in sending data to another computer which is also hooked up to a ham radio. Thus, the General Packet Radio Service has evolved. Thanks to Ham Radio Operators. Please bear with me as I have limited time to even edit this post as my internet service is performing so slowly but I hope that I have given you some insights on how radio frequencies are used and should be used. 73 DW1MEF
Posted on: Mon, 24 Mar 2014 13:52:41 +0000
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