Aerospace glossary
Radio frequency bands
Letter names for ranges of radio frequencies. Higher bands carry more data and allow smaller antennas but suffer more from rain and atmospheric loss. The ranges below follow the IEEE convention; satellite usage can differ slightly, for example satellite C-band starts at ≈3.7 GHz.
| Band | Frequency range |
|---|---|
| VHF | 30–300 MHz |
| UHF | 300 MHz–1 GHz |
| L | 1–2 GHz |
| S | 2–4 GHz |
| C | 4–8 GHz |
| X | 8–12 GHz |
| Ku | 12–18 GHz |
| K | 18–27 GHz |
| Ka | 27–40 GHz |
| V | 40–75 GHz |
| W | 75–110 GHz |
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