27 MHz (2024)

27 MHz is a radio carrier frequency used for the operation of radio control. The term "MHz" is the abbreviation of "megahertz," or one million cycles per second. It is usually used with ready to run models, because it is legal for RC use in most countries for all types of RC models as it is used as the so-called citizen's band. The 27 MHz band only has six frequencies in it, so an upgrade to a radio with an appropriate band for your specific country is a good idea unless you plan on traveling to other countries which don't use the same bands for RC models. Compare this to the 75 MHz used in the USA, which has 30 channels.

In toy RC use, only one of the 27 MHz frequency allocations are generally used for any one given model. In order that two similar models can be run together, alternate choices in the 49 MHz band are offered, again with a single frequency allocation. These toys will interfere with regular RCs, but they run at a very low power, so it will normally not cause any problems. As the radios are completely incompatible, neither will control the other, but a regular 27 MHz RC radio transmitter will usually block the frequency for use by toy RCs for up to one-quarter mile. Please respect users of these toy RC's. Also, use caution when within range of a highway since interference from citizen's band radio transceivers used by truckers may cause interference as well.

Unlike the surface-specific 75 MHz or aircraft-specific 72 MHz, 27 MHz radio systems can be used with either surface or air models, although some flying fields disallow the use of 27 MHz radio systems because of the possibility of the aforementioned CB interference even though good 27 MHz hobby grade radios are frequency modulated (FM) rather than CB's amplitude modulated (AM) transmission and reception.

Frequency allocations and color coding[]

• 26.995 MHz -- Channel 1 -- Chocolate
• 27.045 MHz -- Channel 2 -- Pink
• 27.095 MHz -- Channel 3 -- Purple
• 27.145 MHz -- Channel 4 -- Chartreuse
• 27.195 MHz -- Channel 5 -- Black
• 27.255 MHz -- Channel 6 -- White

Usedo in the U.S.