VHF radiotelephones intended for recreational use are common, for example, in hunting. Tracking and tracing equipment are used typically for tracking hunting dogs. Other radio equipment that have been exempted from licensing include radio-controlled scale models, PMR446 telephones and CB telephones.
Channels in the 67–72 MHz band allocated for recreational and professional use
A total of 26 radio channels have been allocated for radio communications related to recreational and professional activities. These channels may only be used for the specified purposes. Base stations operating on channels in channel group A are subject to a licence but mobile stations are exempted from licensing. Equipment operating on channels in channel group E are exempted from licensing, but base stations are only allowed on channels 15, 16 and 18–21.
Group | Channel | Frequency | Purpose of use |
Group A: | 1. | 68.100 MHz | Radio communications for road services |
2. | 68.300 MHz | Radio communications for car racing | |
3. | 68.425 MHz | Radio communications for voluntary rescue services | |
4. | 68.525 MHz | Radio communications for car racing | |
17. | 68.225 MHz | Radio communications for voluntary rescue services | |
Group E: | 5. | 68.050 MHz | Recreational and professional communications (5 W ERP) |
6. | 68.575 MHz | Recreational and professional communications (5 W ERP) | |
7. | 68.175 MHz | Recreational and professional communications (5 W ERP) | |
8. | 67.500 MHz | Recreational and professional communications (5 W ERP) | |
9. | 71.375 MHz | Recreational and professional communications (5 W ERP) | |
10. | 71.425 MHz | Recreational and professional communications (5 W ERP) | |
| 11. | 71.475 MHz | Recreational and professional communications (5 W ERP) | |
12. | 71.625 MHz | Recreational and professional communications (5 W ERP) | |
13. | 70.200 MHz | Recreational and professional communications (5 W ERP) | |
14. | 71.025 MHz | Recreational and professional communications (5 W ERP) | |
15. | 71.050 MHz | Recreational and professional communications (25 W ERP) | |
16. | 71.100 MHz | Recreational and professional communications (25 W ERP) | |
18. | 68.375 MHz | Recreational and professional communications (25 W ERP) | |
19. | 71.175 MHz | Recreational and professional communications (25 W ERP) | |
20. | 71.750 MHz | Recreational and professional communications (25 W ERP) | |
21. | 71.900 MHz | Recreational and professional communications (25 W ERP) | |
22. | 71.350 MHz | Recreational and professional communications (5 W ERP) | |
23. | 71.550 MHz | Recreational and professional communications (5 W ERP) | |
24. | 71.575 MHz | Recreational and professional communications (5 W ERP) | |
25. | 71.600 MHz | Recreational and professional communications (5 W ERP) | |
26. | 72.325 MHz | Recreational and professional communications (5 W ERP) |
Group A:
Channels 1 to 4 and 17 form shared channel group A. The users of group A must agree on the shared use among themselves.
A licence for a base or repeater station may be granted to a registered association that indicates in its rules that it is engaged in road services, car racing or voluntary rescue services. The maximum radiated power for a base station is 15 W (ERP) and for a mobile station 25 W (ERP).
Group E:
Channels 5 to 6 and 18 to 26 form shared channel group E for recreational and professional communications. These channels are allowed for analogue voice transmission and the transmission of short data messages. The maximum radiated power for channels 5 to 14 and 22 to 26 is 5 W (ERP). The maximum radiated power for channels 15, 16 and 18 to 21 is 25 W (ERP). Channels 15, 16 and 18 to 21 must not be used within 10 km from the borders of Russia, Sweden and Norway. In base station use, when the transmitter antenna is at a height exceeding 5 metres above the ground, the channels must not be used within 40 kilometres from the borders of Russia, Sweden and Norway.
Channels 22-26 in channel group E may also be used for digital voice communications. The channel width in that case is 12.5 kHz or 6.25 kHz and the centre frequencies are as follows:
| 71.34375 MHz |
| 71.35625 MHz |
| 71.54375 MHz |
| 71.55625 MHz |
| 71.56875 MHz |
| 71.58125 MHz |
| 71.59375 MHz |
| 71.60625 MHz |
| 72.31875 MHz |
| 72.33125 MHz |
Transmitters for tracking and tracing
Tracking and tracing equipment for recreational purposes are mainly devices used for tracking hunting dogs. Six channels in the 155 MHz band have been allocated for tracking collars or other similar devices. The available frequencies are 155.400; 155.425; 155.450; 155.475; 155.500 and 155.525 MHz.
Other licence-exempt frequencies for recreational use
Radio transmitters that have been exempted from licensing include radio-controlled model aircraft and vehicles, PMR446 telephones and LA/CB telephones. Read more about frequencies allocated for such transmitters and their terms of use in the regulation on collective frequencies for licence-exempt radio transmitters and on their use.