Amateur Radio

Emergency and calling frequencies (United States)

United States FCC + international distress

US calling frequencies, emergency frequencies, and distress channels across amateur, marine, CB, GMRS, and FRS bands.

Print this chart: Portrait PDF Landscape PDF
Emergency and calling frequencies (United States)

Calling and emergency frequencies across amateur radio, marine, CB, GMRS, and aviation bands.

Amateur radio calling and emergency frequencies

VHF/UHF simplex calling frequencies (USA)

Band Frequency Mode Notes
2m 146.520 MHz FM National simplex calling frequency
70cm 446.000 MHz FM National simplex calling frequency
2m 144.200 MHz SSB SSB calling frequency
6m 50.125 MHz SSB SSB calling frequency
2m 145.050 MHz FM ARES/RACES simplex (often used)

HF calling frequencies

Band Frequency Mode Notes
80m 3.860 MHz SSB Informal SSB calling area
40m 7.200 MHz SSB Informal SSB calling area
20m 14.300 MHz SSB Emergency/ARES/Maritime mobile net
20m 14.285 MHz SSB International DX calling area
40m 7.030 MHz CW CW calling frequency
20m 14.060 MHz CW CW calling frequency (QRP)

HF digital calling frequencies

Band Frequency Mode Notes
40m 7.074 MHz FT8 FT8 standard frequency
20m 14.074 MHz FT8 FT8 standard frequency
40m 7.0475 MHz FT4 FT4 standard frequency
20m 14.080 MHz FT4 FT4 standard frequency

Other service emergency frequencies

Marine VHF

Channel Frequency Use
! 16 156.800 MHz International distress and calling
9 156.450 MHz Alternate calling / non-commercial

CB

Channel Frequency Use
! 9 27.065 MHz Emergency
19 27.185 MHz Highway / trucker channel

GMRS/FRS

Channel Frequency Use
GMRS 16 462.675 MHz Emergency / calling
GMRS 20 462.675 MHz + 141.3 Hz Common repeater output

International distress

Service Frequency Mode
! Maritime HF 2.182 MHz SSB
! Maritime VHF 156.800 MHz (Ch 16) FM
! Aviation 121.500 MHz AM
! Military 243.000 MHz AM (guard)

In an actual emergency

On amateur radio: Announce "MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY" or "EMERGENCY EMERGENCY EMERGENCY" on any frequency, identify with your callsign, state the nature of the emergency and your location. Any amateur frequency can be used for emergency communications. All other traffic must yield to stations communicating emergency information.