Frequency guide for Belgium
Everything on this page is free to listen to in Belgium: broadcasting, radio amateurs, CB and PMR446 (BIPT). Click a frequency to try it in the simulator.
FM broadcast (WFM)
VRT's frequencies per region, in MHz. RTBF and private stations are on many more frequencies: a band scan finds them.
| Region | Radio 1 | Radio 2 | Klara | Studio Brussel | MNM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antwerpen | 94.2 | 97.5 | 96.4 | 100.9 | 89.0 |
| Vlaams-Brabant | 91.7 | 93.7 | 89.5 | 100.6 | 97.0 |
| Brussel | – | – | – | – | 88.3 |
| Leuven | 98.5 | 88.7 | – | 88.0 | 94.8 |
| Diest | – | 92.4 | – | – | – |
| Limburg | 99.9 | 97.9 | 89.9 | 101.4 | 102.0 |
| Noord-Limburg | – | – | – | – | 93.0 |
| Oost-Vlaanderen | 95.7 | 98.6 | 92.0 | 102.1 | 101.5 |
| Gent | – | – | – | 94.5 | – |
| Dendermonde, Aalst, Temse | – | 90.7 | – | – | – |
| Waasland | – | 89.8 | – | – | – |
| West-Vlaanderen | 95.7 | 100.1 | 90.4 | 102.1 | 101.5 |
Source: vrt.be
PMR446 (FM)
Licence-free walkie-talkies. Set the tuning step to 6.25 kHz to land on these.
CB (27 MHz)
40 channels, mostly FM in Europe (AM also used). Channel 19 is a popular calling channel.
- Ch 126.965
- Ch 226.975
- Ch 326.985
- Ch 427.005
- Ch 527.015
- Ch 627.025
- Ch 727.035
- Ch 827.055
- Ch 927.065
- Ch 1027.075
- Ch 1127.085
- Ch 1227.105
- Ch 1327.115
- Ch 1427.125
- Ch 1527.135
- Ch 1627.155
- Ch 1727.165
- Ch 1827.175
- Ch 1927.185
- Ch 2027.205
- Ch 2127.215
- Ch 2227.225
- Ch 2327.255
- Ch 2427.235
- Ch 2527.245
- Ch 2627.265
- Ch 2727.275
- Ch 2827.285
- Ch 2927.295
- Ch 3027.305
- Ch 3127.315
- Ch 3227.325
- Ch 3327.335
- Ch 3427.345
- Ch 3527.355
- Ch 3627.365
- Ch 3727.375
- Ch 3827.385
- Ch 3927.395
- Ch 4027.405
Radio amateurs and the ISS
| MHz | Mode | What |
|---|---|---|
| 144–146 | FM/SSB | 2 m band |
| 145.500 | FM | 2 m FM calling channel |
| 145.600–145.7875 | FM | 2 m repeater outputs (inputs 600 kHz lower) |
| 145.800 | FM | ISS voice downlink and SSTV events |
| 430–440 | FM | 70 cm band |
| 433.500 | FM | 70 cm FM calling channel |
Repeaters near you: UBA · ISS pass times: Heavens-Above. The IC-R5 receives FM, not SSB, so it can't demodulate the SSB parts of the bands.
Medium wave and shortwave (AM)
Medium wave in Europe runs from 531 to 1602 kHz on a 9 kHz grid; use the bar antenna (lesson 12). International broadcasters on shortwave, best in the evening:
- 49 m5.900–6.200
- 41 m7.200–7.450
- 31 m9.400–9.900
- 25 m11.600–12.100
Not without permission
Aviation (around 108–137 MHz), maritime VHF, police and emergency services, cordless and mobile phones and business radio are not meant for you. In Belgium, listening to them needs the user's permission. Digital signals (DAB+, TETRA, DMR) can't be decoded by the IC-R5 at all. Lesson 7 explains why.