Radio services at a glance
Radios exist for many purposes: hiking, events, sensors, experiments. The overview shows which radio service is intended for what, which frequencies and power levels apply and what requires a licence.
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What the page does
- PMR446: licence-free voice radio
- CB radio on 27 MHz
- LoRa and other short-range devices
- Amateur radio with licence
- Comparison of range, power and licensing
Background
PMR446 uses 446.0 to 446.2 MHz with at most 0.5 W radiated power and a fixed antenna; no registration is needed. Amateur radio allows considerably more power, own antennas and home construction, but requires an exam and a licence. The detailed rules are set by each country's regulations.
In practice
How it works: first consider what the radio is for – hiking, event, sensors, experiment – then compare the matching services in the overview, above all frequency range, power and licensing. For your own experiments with home-built equipment and higher power, the way leads through the amateur radio exam.
Frequently asked questions
Which radio do I need for hiking?
For short distances within a group PMR446 radios are enough. For longer range and repeaters amateur radio is the choice.
May I use an amateur radio without a licence?
Receiving yes, transmitting no.