Radar frequency bands

Band Frequency Wavelength

Notes
name range range
coastal radar systems, over-the-horizon radar (OTH) radars; 'high
HF 3–30 MHz 10–100 m
frequency'
P < 300 MHz 1 m+ 'P' for 'previous', applied retrospectively to early radar systems
30–300 MH
VHF 1–10 m Very long range, ground penetrating; 'very high frequency'
z
300–1000  Very long range (e.g. ballistic missile early warning), ground
UHF 0.3–1 m
MHz penetrating, foliage penetrating; 'ultra high frequency'
L 1–2 GHz 15–30 cm Long range air traffic control and surveillance; 'L' for 'long'
Moderate range surveillance, Terminal air traffic control, long-range
S 2–4 GHz 7.5–15 cm
weather, marine radar; 'S' for 'short'
Satellite transponders; a compromise (hence 'C') between X and S
C 4–8 GHz 3.75–7.5 cm
bands; weather; long range tracking
Missile guidance, marine radar, weather, medium-resolution
mapping and ground surveillance; in the USA the narrow range
X 8–12 GHz 2.5–3.75 cm
10.525 GHz ±25 MHz is used for airport radar; short range tracking.
Named X band because the frequency was a secret during WW2.
Ku 12–18 GHz 1.67–2.5 cm high-resolution
from German kurz, meaning 'short'; limited use due to absorption
by water vapour, so Ku and Ka were used instead for surveillance. K-
K 18–24 GHz 1.11–1.67 cm band is used for detecting clouds by meteorologists, and by police for
detecting speeding motorists. K-band radar guns operate at 24.150 ±
0.100 GHz.
mapping, short range, airport surveillance; frequency just above K
band (hence 'a') Photo radar, used to trigger cameras which take
Ka 24–40 GHz 0.75–1.11 cm
pictures of license plates of cars running red lights, operates at
34.300 ± 0.100 GHz.
millimetre band, subdivided as below. The frequency ranges depend
40–300 GH 7.5 mm – on waveguide size. Multiple letters are assigned to these bands by
mm
z 1 mm different groups. These are from Baytron, a now defunct company
that made test equipment.
Very strongly absorbed by atmospheric oxygen, which resonates at
V 40–75 GHz 4.0–7.5 mm
60 GHz.
75–110 GH used as a visual sensor for experimental autonomous vehicles, high-
W 2.7–4.0 mm
z resolution meteorological observation, and imaging.
1.6–10.5 G 18.75 cm –
UWB used for through-the-wall radar and imaging systems.
Hz 2.8 cm
EU, NATO, US ECM frequency designations

Band Frequency range

A band 0 to 0.25 GHz

B band 0.25 to 0.5 GHz

C band 0.5 to 1.0 GHz

D band 1 to 2 GHz

E band 2 to 3 GHz

F band 3 to 4 GHz

G band 4 to 6 GHz

H band 6 to 8 GHz

I band 8 to 10 GHz

J band 10 to 20 GHz

K band 20 to 40 GHz

L band 40 to 60 GHz

M band 60 to 100 GHz

Waveguide frequency bands

 Band Frequency range [5]

R band 1.70 to 2.60 GHz

D band 2.20 to 3.30 GHz

S band 2.60 to 3.95 GHz

E band 3.30 to 4.90 GHz

G band 3.95 to 5.85 GHz

F band 4.90 to 7.05 GHz

C band 5.85 to 8.20 GHz

H band 7.05 to 10.10 GHz

X band 8.2 to 12.4 GHz

Ku band 12.4 to 18.0 GHz

K band 15.0 to 26.5 GHz

Ka band 26.5 to 40.0 GHz

Q band 33 to 50 GHz

U band 40 to 60 GHz
V band 50 to 75 GHz

W band 75 to 110 GHz

Y band 325 to 500 GHz