50MHz

50 MHz is a radio frequency equal to 50,000,000 hertz. It lies in the Very High Frequency (VHF) portion of the radio spectrum and corresponds to a wavelength of roughly 6 meters. This frequency sits at the lower end of the 6-meter band, which is widely used by amateur radio operators and appears in many national allocations.

Allocation and regulation: In many regions, the 50–54 MHz range is allocated to amateur radio on a primary basis within the 6-meter band. Allocation details vary by country, and in some places portions are shared with other services such as fixed, maritime, or government radiocommunications.

Operations and equipment: The band supports a range of modes including voice (single sideband and FM in some regions), Morse code (CW), and data modes. Amateur stations typically use transceivers that cover 50–54 MHz and antennas such as dipoles, verticals, or directional yagis. Power limits and licensing depend on the national regulations.

Propagation: 50 MHz propagation is influenced by solar activity and ionospheric conditions. Sporadic E and other refractive effects can enable long-distance contacts even when the band is not open on higher frequencies. Meteor scatter and occasional auroral paths can also occur, though they are less predictable than on some other bands.

History and culture: The 6-meter band was opened to amateur use in the mid-20th century in many countries and has since developed a dedicated community around DXing, contests, portable operation, and experimentation with different propagation modes.