G1C05: What is the limit for transmitter power on the 28 MHz band for a Gene…

G1C05§ 97.313G1C →

What is the limit for transmitter power on the 28 MHz band for a General Class control operator?

A100 watts PEP output
B1000 watts PEP output
C1500 watts PEP output
D2000 watts PEP output

Why Section 97.313(b) sets the general amateur power ceiling at 1500 watts PEP output, and that applies to Generals on 10 meters. The lower limits carved out elsewhere in 97.313 cover specific cases: 200 watts PEP on 30 meters and in the old Novice/Technician HF segments, and the 60-meter effective radiated power limit. Since 28 MHz has no such special restriction for General licensees, the full legal limit applies. Remember the rule always says use the minimum power necessary, so 1500 watts is a ceiling, not a target.

Watch out The choice that says 100 watts is just the typical output of a barefoot transceiver, not a legal limit, and the 200-watt figure people often recall for 10 meters applies to Novice and Technician operators in 28.0-28.5 MHz, not to Generals.

1500 W PEP is the default everywhere; the exceptions to memorize are 200 W on 30 m and the 60 m ERP rule.

HamSandwich explanation, first draft. The question and answers are the NCVEC text.

47 CFR 97.313 Transmitter power standards.

(a) An amateur station must use the minimum transmitter power necessary to carry out the desired communications.

(b) No station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 1.5 kW PEP.

(1) On the 10.10-10.15 MHz segment;

(2) On the 3.525-3.60 MHz, 7.025-7.125 MHz, 21.025-21.20 MHz, and 28.0-28.5 MHz segment when the control operator is a Novice Class operator or a Technician Class operator; or

(3) The 7.050-7.075 MHz segment when the station is within ITU Regions 1 or 3.

(d) No station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 25 W PEP on the VHF 1.25 m band when the control operator is a Novice operator.

(e) No station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 5 W PEP on the UHF 23 cm band when the control operator is a Novice operator.

(f) An Earth station or telecommand station may transmit on the 435-438 MHz segment with a maximum of 611 W effective radiated power (1 kW equivalent isotropically radiated power). The transmitting antenna elevation angle between the lower half-power (−3 dB relative to the peak or antenna bore sight) point and the horizon must always be greater than 10°. No other station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 50 W PEP on the UHF 70 cm band from an area specified in § 2.106(c)(270)(i) of this chapter, unless expressly authorized by the FCC after mutual agreement, on a case-by-case basis, between the Regional Director of the applicable field facility and the military area frequency coordinator at the applicable military base.

(g) No station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 50 W PEP on the 33 cm band from within 241 km of the boundaries of the White Sands Missile Range. Its boundaries are those portions of Texas and New Mexico bounded on the south by latitude 31°41′ North, on the east by longitude 104°11′ West, on the north by latitude 34°30′ North, and on the west by longitude 107°30′ West.

(h) No station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 50 W PEP on the 219-220 MHz segment of the 1.25 m band.

(i) 60 m band power requirements: No station may transmit on the frequencies 5.332, 5.348, 5.373, and 5.405 MHz in the 60 m band with a radiated power exceeding 100 W ERP. No station may transmit in the 5.3515-5.3665 MHz band with a radiated power exceeding 9.15 W ERP. For the purpose of computing ERP, the transmitter PEP will be multiplied by the antenna gain relative to a half-wave dipole antenna. A half-wave dipole antenna will be presumed to have a gain of 1 (0 dBd). Licensees using other antennas must maintain in their station records either the antenna manufacturer's data on the antenna gain or calculations of the antenna gain.

(j) No station may transmit with a transmitter output exceeding 10 W PEP when the station is transmitting a SS emission type.

(k) No station may transmit in the 135.7-137.8 kHz (2200 m) band with a transmitter power exceeding 1.5 kW PEP or a radiated power exceeding 1 W EIRP.

(l) No station may transmit in the 472-479 kHz (630 m) band with a transmitter power exceeding 500 W PEP or a radiated power exceeding 5 W EIRP, except that in Alaska, stations located within 800 kilometers of the Russian Federation may not transmit with a radiated power exceeding 1 W EIRP.

(m) No station may transmit with a peak equivalent isotropically radiated power (EIRP) exceeding 316 W in the 76-81 GHz (4 mm) band.

eCFR text as of 1 Sep 2026 · read on ecfr.gov

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