Amateur Radio RTTY Frequencies, Bands & Channels

Radio teletype, RTTY is used on a number of the amateur radio bands on specific frequencies to comply with the bandplans and ensure operation is more effective.

Amateur Radio RTTY Includes:
RTTY basics     RTTY frequencies    

See also:     Digimodes summary     AMTOR     RTTY     PSK31     Packet radio     PACTOR     WSJT     WSPR    

In view of the fact that the amateur radio bands are planned so that different modes are restricted to particular areas to reduce interference and ensure the optimum use of each band, so RTTY can be found in particular areas of the HF amateur radio bands.

Typically the radio teletype, RTTY frequencies, i.e. the frequencies where amateur RTTY transmissions can be found are between 80 and 100 kHz above the bottom end of each band. However this is not true in all cases because the different amateur radio bands have different bandwidths and also the requirements may be slightly different. A rough summary of RTTY frequencies is given in the table below:


Amateur radio band
 
Amateur radio band Frequencies where RTTY transmissions can be found.
160 metres There is little RTTY activity on this band, but what little there is can usually be found on frequencies between 1.800 and 1.820 MHz, although in many countries the bottom end of the band is 1810 kHz. It is also necessary to avoid the CW DX window between 1.830 and 1.840 MHz.
80 metres RTTY operation is typically found on frequencies between about 3.58 and 3.65 MHz although there are variations for some countries including Japan.
40 metres RTTY allocations for 40 metres vary greatly around the world in view of the different amateur radio band allocations. In the USA, RTTY is permitted between 7000 and 7150, although most US activity is between 7080 and 7100. DX activity is often found between 7020 and 7040.
30 metres In view of the restrictions of the band, what activity there is can be found between frequencies of 10.110 and 10.150 MHz.
20 metres On the 20 metre ham radio band, RTTY activity can be found at the top end of the Morse or CW section of the band between frequencies of 14.080 and 14.099 MHz. However great care must be exercised when operating at the top end of this section to ensure that no interference is caused to the beacons on 14.100 MHz. It is wise to leave a good margin to ensure that sidebands, etc do not spread onto this frequency.
15 metres On the fifteen metre amateur radio band the RTTY activity can be found on frequencies between 21.080 and 21.100 MHz.
10 metres Although the ten metre amateur radio band is much wider than any of the other HF bands, the amount of the band in which RTTY transmissions can be found is limited to 28.080 to 28.100 MHz. However this is quite adequate in view of the level of traffic that is found.

It is found that there is comparatively little RTTY activity on what are termed the "WARC" amateur radio bands at 18 and 24 MHz. However other digimodes or data modes can be found on these bands.

Another element of RTTY operation is that of DX chasing. The 20 metre band is the most popular band for this as it is also the general DX mainstay band for most modes. Most rare stations or DXpeditions operate on or near 14.080 MHz. When activity is high they will often listen between 2 and 10 kHz higher up the band to enable them to receive the stations transmitting to them. When they are operating split frequencies like this they will announce this at the end of their transmissions typically saying "up 2 - 10" or similar.

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