446 MHz – Frequency Band & Applications

πŸ“‘

Frequency
446 MHz
🧭

Range
446–446 MHz
🧩

Band Group
UHF (300–1000 MHz)

🌐 Summary

The 446 MHz allocation is part of the UHF (300–1000 MHz) spectrum. This range is used worldwide for critical applications that keep our communications and infrastructure running smoothly. On this page we highlight how each band is applied in real systems, from regulatory assignments to everyday devices. Our goal is to make spectrum data clear and practical for engineers, regulators, and enthusiasts alike.

Key uses of this band include: 446 MHz: Personal/SME handheld radios, 446.0–446.2 MHz; 70β€―cm Amateur & LMR; Amateur radios, PMR, IoT SRD (433 MHz); license-free short-range voice.

PMR446 (β‰ˆ446.0–446.2 MHz) license‑exempt voice/data in Europe; handhelds and on‑site comms.

UHF LMR/SRD/Amateur (410–450) Overview (Mobitex)
UHF LMR/SRD/Amateur (410–450) Overview

πŸ” Explore the full RF Spectrum database

πŸ“‘ Band & Geometry key

Field Value
Wavelength (m) 0.673
Waveforms
Antenna Form Factor (Typical) ΒΌ-wave β‰ˆ 16.8 cm
Band Family Other
Band PMR446 (Europe)
Primary Common Name License-exempt PMR446
FSPL @ 1 km [dB] 85.426697174243
FSPL @ 10 km [dB] 105.42669717424
Fresnel Radius @ 1 km (m) 12.967326999298
Band Group UHF (300–1000 MHz)
Tax Band Family UHF
Tax Band Class UHF LMR/SRD/Amateur (410–450)

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🧩 Applications & Usage

Field Value
Primary Application Personal/SME handheld radios, 446.0–446.2 MHz
Lower Neighbor Use UHF (Land mobile + Amateur secondary)
Upper Neighbor Use UHF (Land mobile + Amateur secondary)
Typical Services Devices 70β€―cm Amateur & LMR
Market Common Devices Amateur radios, PMR, IoT SRD (433 MHz)
Refarming Use No
Device Ecosystem Size Medium
Device Hotspots (MHz) 446
Device Category PMR446
Typical Use Cases license-free short-range voice
Modulation (Device) FM (narrowband)
Channel Width (Device) [kHz] 12.5
Device Region Profiles EU/UK
Per-Region EIRP Or Duty (Device) 0.5 W ERP typical
Allocation Relevance (Device) Personal radio service
Adjacent-Band Collision Risks (Device) Urban congestion possible
Example Devices Or Skus Motorola, Kenwood PMR446 radios
Common Protocols Amateur 70β€―cm (FM/DV); Digital Voice (D-STAR/C4FM)

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πŸ—’οΈ Notes

Field Value
Receiver Selectivity Notes
Interference Notes Interference mgmt near SRD band
Compatibility Risk Notes
Notes PMR446 (β‰ˆ446.0–446.2 MHz) license‑exempt voice/data in Europe; handhelds and on‑site comms.
Propagation Notes Strong coverage, good indoor penetration

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βš™οΈ Technical Rules

Field Value
Lower Band Frequency Limit 446
Upper Band Frequency Limit 446
EIRP Indoor Limits PMR446 ≀0.5 W ERP (~29 dBm EIRP) EU
EIRP Outdoor Limits PMR446 ≀0.5 W ERP EU
PSD Limit β€”
Emission Mask Class PMR446
Guardband Minimum [kHz] 12.5
Typical Bandwidths 11–20 kHz
Autocalculated Bandlimits No
Typical Bandwidths (Estimated) 11–20 kHz
Max EIRP [dBm] 0.5 W ERP typical
Power Source Or Duty Profile (Typical) Handheld battery
Channelization Plan
Channelization
Guard Band Requirement
OOB Emission Limit [dBm/MHz] -13 (baseline)
Spurious Emission Limit (dBm) -30 (baseline)
RX Blocking Min [dBm] -15 (planning)
Duplexing Half-duplex
Duplexing Information Simplex or paired
Uplink Pairing
Downlink Pairing
Paired Band Info
Max EIRP [dBm]
Channelization Block Size 12.5 / 25 kHz channels
3GPP Band Number
Example 3GPP Bands
LTE Uplink Bands
LTE Downlink Bands
NR Uplink Bands
NR Downlink Bands
Guard Bands Narrow guard bands
Protocol Or Standard PMR446 (EU)

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🌎 Country Overrides

Field Value
Tax Service Category Other / Various
Tax License Type License-Exempt
Tax Regions Global / Varies
ITU Region 1 Land mobile
ITU Region 2 Land mobile
ITU Region 3 Land mobile
License Type License-exempt (PMR446, EU, 0.5 W ERP)
Primary Application Personal/SME handheld radios, 446.0–446.2 MHz
Primary Services
Spurious Emission [dBm] -30 (baseline)
Lower Neighbor Use UHF (Land mobile + Amateur secondary)
Upper Neighbor Use UHF (Land mobile + Amateur secondary)
Licensing Model Licensed (Amateur/LMR)
Typical Services Devices 70β€―cm Amateur & LMR
US FCC Alloc -–

CA IC Alloc -–

UK Ofcom Alloc -–

US Ref 47 CFR Part 90 (Private Land Mobile)
Typical Bandwidths 11–20 kHz
Market Licensing Model Licensed (Amateur/LMR)
Market Common Devices Amateur radios, PMR, IoT SRD (433 MHz)
Fresnel Radius (1st, 1 km) [m] 12.967326999298
Typical Bandwidths (Estimated) 11–20 kHz
Auction Status
Refarming Use No
Typical Site Spacing km 4 / 12
Device Ecosystem Size Medium
Traffic Load Share Coverage-heavy, low capacity share
Device Hotspots (MHz) 446
Device Category PMR446
Typical Use Cases license-free short-range voice
Typical Center Frequencies [MHz] 446
Rule Part (Fcc Or Region) ETSI EN 300 296 / EN 300 113
Modulation (Device) FM (narrowband)
Channel Width (Device) [kHz] 12.5
Device Region Profiles EU/UK
Per-Region EIRP Or Duty (Device) 0.5 W ERP typical
Allocation Relevance (Device) Personal radio service
Adjacent-Band Collision Risks (Device) Urban congestion possible
Example Devices Or Skus Motorola, Kenwood PMR446 radios
Antenna Form Factor (Typical) ΒΌ-wave β‰ˆ 16.8 cm
Power Source Or Duty Profile (Typical) Handheld battery

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πŸ›‘οΈ Regulatory & Neighbors

Field Value
Lower Band Frequency Limit 446
Upper Band Frequency Limit 446
Rx Blocking Min dBm -15 (planning)
Lower Neighbor Use UHF (Land mobile + Amateur secondary)
Upper Neighbor Use UHF (Land mobile + Amateur secondary)
Lower Neighbor Band UHF (Land mobile + Amateur secondary)
Lower Neighbor Range 441.000–445.000 MHz
Upper Neighbor Label UHF (Land mobile + Amateur secondary)
Upper Neighbor Range 447.000–450.000 MHz
Adjacent-Band Collision Risks (Device) Urban congestion possible
Real-World Range (Indoor/Outdoor) Urban few blocks; Open areas a few km
US FCC Alloc

CA IC Alloc

UK Ofcom Alloc

Regulatory References US: 47 CFR Part 90 (Private Land Mobile); CA: ISED RSS‑119 (Land Mobile 27.41–960 MHz); UK: Ofcom PMR/Business Radio (UK FAT)
Global Harmonization Global
Crossborder Coordination High
Sharing Mechanism
Auction Status
Guard Or Pair

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πŸ“ˆ Market & Measurements

Field Value
Noise Floor -110 dBm (est.)
Interference Cases
Lower Neighbor Range 441.000–445.000 MHz
Upper Neighbor Range 447.000–450.000 MHz
Interference Notes Interference mgmt near SRD band
Market Licensing Model Licensed (Amateur/LMR)
Market Commercial Value Specialized
Market Common Devices Amateur radios, PMR, IoT SRD (433 MHz)
Market Deployment Density Medium in Europe/Asia
Noise Floor (Estimated) -110 dBm (est.)
Market Commercial Value (Estimated) Specialized
Ecosystem Maturity Emerging
Indoor Penetration Good
Known Interference No major interference issues noted
Device Ecosystem Size Medium
Real-World Range (Indoor/Outdoor) Urban few blocks; Open areas a few km
Antenna Form Factor (Typical) ΒΌ-wave β‰ˆ 16.8 cm
Ecosystem Maturity Emerging
Device Ecosystem Size Medium
Chipset Availability Limited / TBD
Operator Deployments Limited operators
Technology Generations Deployed Multiple / TBD
Roaming Support
Traffic Load Share Coverage-heavy, low capacity share
Indoor Penetration Good
Known Interference No major interference issues noted
Occupancy Medium
Occupancy Bucket Pct 10–30%
Latency Profile
Common Channels Or Profiles 16+ channels @ 12.5 kHz
Security Features none
Lbt Or Fhss Requirement
Popularity (Installed Base) High
Coexistence Tips Use CTCSS/DCS to reduce chatter
Latency Class Interactive/PTT
Device Hotspots (Scoped && Tagged) –

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