In the USA, an Amateur Radio (HAM) License from the FCC is required under Federal law and regulation to transmit on the 2 meter amateur band, 144.000 to 148.000 MHz. No license is needed to possess a 2-meter radio or listen to transmissions on those frequencies. Other nations have similar requirements based on being signatories to international telecommunications treaties. However, in some countries simple possession of a 2-meter radio may require a license.
The USHPA also holds an organizational license to use selected frequencies in the Business Band, 151.6250 - 151.9550 MHz range. USHPA rated pilots are authorized to use those frequencies after completing a simple use and safety test that any USHPA instructor or Observer can administer. Approval to use the USPHA frequencies will appear on a member's membership & rating card.
By local convention, many hang gliding communities use specific frequencies, chosen to avoid radio repeaters, as well as known local high-use radio-to-radio frequencies.
Only radios certified by the manufacturer for use in the business band should be used on the USHPA frequencies. While some 2-meter amateur radios can be modified to operate on the business band, such radios should only be used to listen but not transmit. Business band radios operate with a higher precision of frequency selection than amateur radios. (Note the three - versus four-decimal place frequency specifications.) Use of a 2-meter amateur radio to transmit in the business band can cause interference with licensed radios operating on nearby frequencies.
| Site / Club | Location | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Black Hawk (2m Amateur HAM Band) | CA | 146.4150 |
| Crestline (2m Amateur HAM Band) | CA | 146.4150 |
| Elsinore (2m Amateur HAM Band) | CA | 144.1200 |
| Redlands (AM Aircraft Band) | CA | 123.3500 |
| Santa Barbara (2m Amateur HAM Band) | CA | 146.4600 |
| Sylmar (2m Amateur HAM Band) | CA | 147.5550 |
| Torry Pines (Business Band) | CA | 151.6250 |
| Slide Mt (2m Amateur HAM Band) | NV | 147.555 |
| Packsaddle (Business Band) | TX | 151.9250 |
| USHPA (Business Band) | USA | 151.5050 |
| USHPA (Business Band) | USA | 151.6250 |
| USHPA (Business Band) | USA | 151.9250 |
| USHPA (Business Band) | USA | 151.9550 |
| USHPA (Business Band) | USA | 158.4000 |
| HGFA (AM Aircraft Band) | AUSTRALIA | 126.700 |
| HPAC (AM Aircraft Band) | CANADA | 123.400 |
| FFVL (VHF Band) | France | 143.9875 |
| FSVL (AM Aircraft Band) | Switzerland | 123.425 |
| FSVL (AM Aircraft Band) | Switzerland | 130.925 |
| FSVL (AM Aircraft Band) | Switzerland | 123.475 |