Step size...

[Napalm]

Hey folks,

Is there a step size guide anywhere? Coming from where I do, it is either 12.5kHz or 6.25kHz. The US seems confusing with 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5 and 25kHz and anything in between.

I'm mainly dealing with VHF land mobile and UHF land mobile kind of stuff.

David.

 

[KE5TLF]

All public safety and business industrial land mobile radio systems operating in the 150-512 MHz range are supposed to be 12.5K efficiency now, so I guess toss out 25K in those bands. 25K is mostly only going to apply to 800Mhz, AIR and Amateur bands now.

6.25K efficiency can only be accomplished via digital modes. (P25 Phase 2, MOTOTRBO, NEXEDGE, etc)

A bit of info here
Narrowbanding - The RadioReference Wiki

 

[Napalm]

So if I search with 7.5kHz steps will I still get those users who use channels on 5 and 10kHz spacing? Math was never my strong point at school

 

[nd5y]

7.5 kHz steps are used only in the 150.775-161.565 band (except for the marine channels) but it is broken up into several segments, not 7.5 kHz steps from one end of the band to the other.

Everything in the 450-512 land mobile band (except the 450-451, 455-456 broadcast auxiliary band) will be on 12.5 kHz steps with a few newer licenses being issued for 6.25 kHz channels in between.

See
eCFR — Code of Federal Regulations
and
eCFR — Code of Federal Regulations

 

[Napalm]

here's me thinking this would be simple!

 

[jfhtm350]

If you search with 7.5khz steps then you will be in between frequencies on most frequencies unless they are allocated to be 7.5khz steps. Lets say they are allocated for 10khz steps the frequencies would look like this:
155.0000
155.0010
155.0020
155.0030
155.0040
If you search with 7.5khz steps then your on these frequencies:
155.0000
155.0075
155.0150
155.0225
155.0300
You see where that is going. You will want to set the step size for whatever it is allocated to be unless for some reason you want to be in between frequencies. Are you using a scanner or something else?

 

[KE5TLF]

here's me thinking this would be simple!

Something regulated by government being simple? Especially something regulated by the FCC? Not a chance LOL