80 meters band
80 meters is the workhorse of regional, after-dark communication — ragchews, nets, and emergency traffic reaching from a few hundred to over a thousand miles.
Propagation & character
Daytime range is limited by absorption; at night it extends to regional and continental distances via skywave. A low antenna gives near-vertical-incidence (NVIS) coverage that fills the close-in skip zone. Summer static can be high.
What 80 meters is used for
Nets, ragchewing, traditional CW and SSB, plus FT8 and digital. The phone portion (3.6–4.0 MHz) is sometimes called “75 meters.”
Operating tips
- A full dipole is about 130 ft; where space is tight, an inverted-V or end-fed antenna will get you on the air.
- For solid local and regional coverage, hang the dipole low for NVIS skywave.
- Evenings and nights are best, and winter beats summer for noise.
Antennas for 80 meters
A half-wave dipole for 80 meters is about 125 ft (38.0 m) end to end. Work out an exact starting length with the antenna calculator, then trim for lowest SWR.
80 meters band FAQ
What frequencies is the 80 meters band?
The 80 meters band covers 3.500–4.000 MHz — part of the high frequency (HF) spectrum. Common modes are CW, SSB, FT8/digital.
What is the 80 meters band used for?
Nets, ragchewing, traditional CW and SSB, plus FT8 and digital. The phone portion (3.6–4.0 MHz) is sometimes called “75 meters.”
What license do you need to use 80 meters?
Technician (CW segment only), General, Advanced, and Extra.
How long is a dipole for 80 meters?
A half-wave dipole for 80 meters is about 125 ft (38.0 m) end to end, with each leg half that. Use the HamDaily antenna calculator for an exact starting length, then trim to resonance.