This is a very common question I hear from Monitoring Times readers. The old pros know were to search for milcom transmissions, but newcomers to the radio hobby usually struggle to hear their first military communications. The frequency ranges below will give the radio hobbyist the general areas in the radio spectrum to look for military communications.
In the shortwave spectrum, military communications can be heard just about anywhere, but the aeronautical off-route bands offer concentrated areas to search for military communications activity. Most voice high frequency (HF) military communications utilize the upper sideband (USB) mode. The listener will occasionally hear a smattering of lower sideband (LSB) voice communications. When you tune the HF military bands listed below in USB, you will catch the majority of the voice military traffic that can be heard.
If you don't live close to a military base, HF offers one of the few ways to hear a high volume of military communications. There are literally thousands of HF frequencies in use by military organizations all over the world. Protecting one's nation is a 24-hour a day operation, so there is never a shortage of military communications on HF.
Major Military Communications Bands
Shortwave
Note: For transmission mode information, see above text
3026.0-3152.0, 4700.0-4745.0, 5684.0-5726.0, 6685-6760.0, 8965.0-9037.0 11175.0-11271.0, 13200.0-13257.0, 15010.0-15097.0, 17970.0-18027.0, and 23200.0-23250.0 kHz
VHF/UHF Military Action Bands
Note: This is a US only bandplan. Outside the CONUS, your mileage will vary.
30.000-30.550 MHz (FM/AM-10 kHz spacing)
32.000-32.990 MHz (FM/AM-10 kHz spacing)
34.000-34.990 MHz (FM/AM-10 kHz spacing)
36.000-36.990 MHz (FM/AM-10 kHz spacing)
38.000-38.990 MHz (FM/AM-10 kHz spacing)
40.000-41.990 MHz (FM/AM-10 kHz spacing)
46.600-47.000 MHz (FM/AM-10 kHz spacing)
49.610-49.990 MHz (FM/AM-10 kHz spacing)
118.0000-138.0000 MHz (AM-25 kHz spacing/8.33 kHz spacing in Europe)[Note: Mostly civilian aircraft]
138.0000-144.0000 MHz (FM/AM-12.5 kHz spacing)
148.0000-150.8000 MHz (FM/AM-12.5 kHz spacing)
162.0125-173.9875 MHz (FM-12.5 kHz spacing)
225.0000-379.9750 MHz (AM/FM-25 kHz spacing) [Note: FM used by milsats and wideband systems]
380.0000-399.9875 MHz (FM/AM-12.5 kHz spacing) [Note: Mix of land mobile and aero frequencies with the bulk of the band supporting LMR transmissions]
406.0125-419.9875 MHz (FM-12.5 kHz spacing)
More beginner and frequency material coming soon.
