Radio Quick Reference & SDR
Frequency table for Germany, amateur radio bands, software downloads, abbreviations and online resources — all on one page for reference.
This page: All the important frequencies, abbreviations and software links from the TETRA/SDR tutorial at a glance — to look up while you work.
🔍 Interactive frequency finder
Search all frequencies by name, service, band or modulation. Type a search term or filter by clicking.
| Service | Frequency | Band | Modulation | Category | Decoder | Legal situation |
|---|
Important frequencies in Germany
| Service | Frequency | Band | Modulation | Decoder |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FM broadcast | 87.5 – 108 MHz | VHF | WFM | direct (SDR++/SDR#) |
| Aviation ATC | 118 – 137 MHz | VHF | AM | direct · emergency frequency: 121.500 MHz |
| NOAA-15 | 137.620 MHz | VHF | WFM 40 kHz | noaa-apt / WXtoIMG |
| NOAA-18 | 137.9125 MHz | VHF | WFM 40 kHz | noaa-apt / WXtoIMG |
| NOAA-19 | 137.100 MHz | VHF | WFM 40 kHz | noaa-apt / WXtoIMG |
| Amateur radio 2 m | 144 – 146 MHz | VHF | FM/SSB/digital | depending on mode |
| APRS Germany | 144.800 MHz | VHF | FM / AFSK 1200 | Soundmodem + YAAC |
| AIS channel A | 161.975 MHz | VHF | GMSK 12.5 kHz | AIS-Catcher |
| AIS channel B | 162.025 MHz | VHF | GMSK 12.5 kHz | AIS-Catcher |
| PMR446 | 446.0 – 446.2 MHz | UHF | NFM 12.5 kHz | direct |
| Emergency-services downlink | 390 – 400 MHz | UHF | π/4-DQPSK 25 kHz | TETRA TEA2 (not decodable) |
| Emergency-services uplink | 380 – 390 MHz | UHF | π/4-DQPSK 25 kHz | TETRA TEA2 (not decodable) |
| ADS-B | 1090 MHz | UHF | PPM | dump1090 / ADS-B Scope |
| Amateur radio 70 cm | 430 – 440 MHz | UHF | FM/SSB/digital | depending on mode |
| DCF77 time signal | 77.5 kHz | LF | AM | DCF77 decoder software |
Amateur radio bands quick reference
| Band | Frequency | Class | Typical use | FT8 frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 160 m | 1.810 – 2.000 MHz | A | Night DX, local | 1.840 MHz |
| 80 m | 3.500 – 3.800 MHz | A | Regional, evening | 3.573 MHz |
| 40 m | 7.000 – 7.200 MHz | A | DX Europe/world | 7.074 MHz |
| 20 m | 14.000 – 14.350 MHz | A | Int. DX (best band) | 14.074 MHz |
| 15 m | 21.000 – 21.450 MHz | A | DX, solar-dependent | 21.074 MHz |
| 10m | 28.000 – 29.700 MHz | A+E | DX, beginners | 28.074 MHz |
| 6 m | 50.000 – 52.000 MHz | A+E | VHF, sporadic E | 50.313 MHz |
| 2 m | 144.000 – 146.000 MHz | A+E | Local, APRS, sat | 144.174 MHz |
| 70 cm | 430.000 – 440.000 MHz | A+E | Local, ATV, repeaters | 432.065 MHz |
Software links — everything at a glance
| Software | Download | For what | Platform |
|---|---|---|---|
| SDR++ | GitHub Releases | Main SDR program | Win/Linux/macOS |
| SDR# | airspy.com/download | Main SDR program | Windows |
| Zadig | zadig.akeo.ie | WinUSB driver | Windows |
| VB-Cable | vb-audio.com | Virtual audio cable | Windows |
| dump1090 | GitHub flightaware | ADS-B decoder | Win/Linux |
| AIS-Catcher | GitHub jvde-alan | AIS decoder + map | Win/Linux |
| Soundmodem | uz7.ho.ua | APRS decoder | Windows |
| WSJT-X | wsjt.sourceforge.io | FT8/FT4/WSPR | Win/Linux/macOS |
| GridTracker2 | gridtracker.org | FT8 world map | Win/Linux/macOS |
| noaa-apt | noaa-apt.mbernardi.com.ar | Weather satellite decoder | Win/Linux |
| GopherTrunk | GitHub | Multi-protocol decoder | Win/Linux/Pi |
| SDR-Trunk | GitHub DSheirer | TETRA/P25/DMR | Win/Linux/macOS |
| Gpredict | gpredict.oz9aec.net | Satellite tracking | Win/Linux |
| DARC question catalogue | darc.de | Amateur radio exam | Web |
Important abbreviations
| Abbr. | Meaning | Context |
|---|---|---|
ADS-B | Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast | Aircraft position transponder 1090 MHz |
AFuG | Amateur Radio Act | German law for amateur radio |
AIS | Automatic Identification System | Ship position system 161/162 MHz |
APRS | Automatic Position Reporting System | Position reports in amateur radio |
BDBOS | Federal agency for emergency-services digital radio | Operator of the emergency-services network |
BNetzA | Bundesnetzagentur | Telecommunications regulator |
Emergency Services | Authorities and organisations with security duties | Police, fire brigade, emergency medical service |
DARC | German Amateur Radio Club (DARC) | Largest German amateur radio association |
DMO | Direct Mode Operation | TETRA device-to-device without a network |
FDD | Frequency Division Duplex | Transmit/receive on different frequencies |
FT8 | Franke-Taylor design, 8-FSK modulation | Digital amateur radio mode (WSJT-X) |
GSSI | Group Short Subscriber Identity | TETRA group identity |
IQ signal | In-phase + quadrature | Complex baseband signal in SDR |
KMC | Key Management Centre | Central key management for TETRA |
NFM | Narrow FM | FM with narrow bandwidth (12.5 kHz) |
OTAR | Over-the-air rekeying | Key distribution in the TETRA network |
PPM | Parts per million | Frequency deviation of the SDR oscillator |
SDR | Software Defined Radio | Software-controlled radio receiver |
TEA2 | TETRA Encryption Algorithm 2 | 128-bit encryption of the emergency-services network |
TDMA | Time Division Multiple Access | Time multiplex — 4 slots per TETRA channel |
TKG | Telecommunications Act | §148: intercepting emergency-services radio is a criminal offence |
TMO | Trunked Mode Operation | TETRA via the base-station network |
WFM | Wide FM | FM 200 kHz bandwidth — FM radio |
WSJT-X | Weak Signal JT (software) | FT8, FT4, WSPR, JT65 decoder |
Useful online resources
| Resource | URL | For what |
|---|---|---|
| RTL-SDR Blog | rtl-sdr.com | Tutorials, hardware, news |
| WebSDR | websdr.org | SDR in the browser worldwide |
| APRS.fi | aprs.fi | APRS stations on a map |
| Flightradar24 | flightradar24.com | ADS-B aircraft live |
| MarineTraffic | marinetraffic.com | AIS ships live |
| Heavens Above | heavens-above.com | Satellite pass times |
| PSKReporter | pskreporter.info | FT8 stations worldwide, live |
| BDBOS | bdbos.bund.de | Info on the emergency-services digital radio network |
| BNetzA frequency plan | bundesnetzagentur.de | Official German frequency plan |