The frequency allocation for the Amateur Ten Meter Band is 28.000MHz to 29.700MHz.

The term TEN METERS refers to the distance that an RF emission will travel to complete one WAVE LENGTH. Given that RF energy travels near 300,000,000 Meters per second in FREE SPACE, the higher the frequency of the emission, the shorter the wave length. A person operating in the TEN METER BAND would be using a frequency in the 28 MHZ areas.

FORMULA: 300/freq(MHZ) = WAVELENGTH Traditionally Hams have "rounded" the answer to the nearest 5 Meters. With the addition of the 17 and 12 meter bands , Amateur operators have had to change the "rounding" procedure. (Example 300/28.5 = 11 which is rounded to 10) .

Propagation of RF on the 10 meter band is largely determined by the 11 year "Sun Spot" cycle. Currently in late  2005, we are past the "peak" of cycle 23 and can expect minimum conditions in a Year or two. Even with minimum conditions there are random periods of "sky wave" propagation that are caused by temporary Ionosphere conditions. Some of these conditions are caused by Ionized particles that randomly occur as clouds in the upper atmosphere. During the early 80's, the eruption of Mount St. Helens increased propagation conditions for several months. The Russian Nuclear accident in the mid 80's produced a similar increase in propagation. Sometimes, there is increased propagation for "No rhyme or reason". This challenge of somewhat uncertain band conditions is the motivation of the "die hard" 10 meter operators.

Simply put, it is called "sky wave" when the signal is reflected back towards the earth from the ionosphere. This reflection can occur more than once between the earth and the ionosphere. Some operators call this "skip" propagation and wherever this signal returns to earth, it can be heard by a receiving operator. "SHORT SKIP"  (better ID'ed as E layer reflection) on ten meters is usually 800 miles or less and normal skip propagation (better ID'ed as F layer reflection) can vary from a thousand to several thousand miles. During the "high" of a sun spot cycle, signals can be heard both near and far for a large part of the 24 hour day.

Ten meter ground wave (direct) propagation is much more predictable than "sky wave". Local contacts up to 40 or 50 miles can be expected 24 hours a day and is very useful for local  communication.

Digital Modes are found 28.000MHz to 28.300MHz including CW, Amtor, RTTY and PSK-31.

Upper Side Band Phone QSO’s 28.300MHz to 29.000MHz

AM Phone just above 29.000MHz and FM repeater inputs 29.500MHz to 29.600MHz. 
...... FM repeaters at 28.620, .640, .650 and .660MHz (some require tone to access)

There are Satellite downlinks 29.400MHz to 29.500MHz and Slow Scan Television SSTV  near 28.680MHz

Propagation beacons are operated by Amateur operators to help other Operators to determine propagation conditions. Ten meter beacons can be found between 28.175 and 28.300 MHZ. Beacons usually identify their location and power output by CW around ten WPM. A person can use this information to determine if favorable conditions exist between their location and the beacon’s location.

The ten meter band has "snapped" out of the Summer propagation pattern...... On the Calendar day of 1 September 2003 I made three listening "sweeps" through the ten meter beacon band....... abt 10AM CDT I logged 11 beacons....... 2PM I logged 17 beacons and just after 7PM I logged 14 signals..........

Really "snapped" out of the Summer propagation pattern..... On 26 Oct 03  at 23:19Z , I logged 40 ten meter beacons.... 27 Oct 03 at 16:04Z, I logged 37 beacons...... and 38 on the 28th of Oct.... 37 on 30 Oct....... 39  on 31 Oct .... 35 on 1 Nov.... 28 on 2 Nov and 43 on 3 Nov.....  Super great propagation for South Texas........ and during this period there were several major solar flares affecting the earth......

The "sunspot" cycle 23 has appeared to extend into early 2005........... On 29 Dec 04 at 17:29Z I logged 27 beacon signals ...... 11 Jan 05 I logged 17 beacon signals at 17:02Z...... 18 Jan 05 at 18:00 - 18:22Z I logged 37 beacons...... 21 Jan 05 at 23:00 - 23:34Z I logged 48 beacons...... and on the 24th of Jan 05 I heard 26 beacon signals.... 16 February 05 I logged 52 beacons 21:00 - 21:20 Z

Additional good propagation.... 31 October 2005... logged 27 ten meter beacons  20:32 - 21:02 Z..... 1 November 2005 ... logged 21 beacons 16:45 - 17:00 Z        Cycle 23 hasn't expired yet!   :-))  25 December 05 @ 19:56 - 20:31 Z, I logged 25 ten meter beacons into EL17ip....... 4 June 2006 , 14:11 - 14:41 Z ... Logged 35 beacons. 00:33 - 01:13 Z , 30 June 07 I logged 45 propagation beacons.....00:30 - 01:14 Z, 28 June 07 I logged 39 10 meter beacons...... 00:30 - 01:12 Z, 7 July 07 I logged 30 beacons.
12 Aug 07 logged 30 beacons at 18:14 Z....... 13 Aug 08 logged 20 beacons at 12:31 Z.....19 Oct 07 logged 9 beacons at 15:11 Z.....26 Oct 07 logged 16 beacons at 02:33 Z.....3 Dec 07 logged 16 beacons at 02:10 Z....8 Jan 08 logged 20 beacons at 17:39 Z ...17 Jan 08 logged 5 beacons at 20:44 Z   (I  logged in EM71as Southern Alabama) I logged 41 beacons 00:21 Z 7 August 08 followed with 43 logged  13:41 Z 7 August 08

2 June 09  I logged 29 ten meter beacons during evening greyline

European beacons showing up regularly latter September 2011.

7 Oct 11 12:34-12:51 Z   I logged 9 different Countries...1 North America, 1 South America and seven in Europe

21 October 2013 I logged 39 beacon signals at 18:14 UTC October is on the way to becoming my best propagation month of the entire cycle 24..... Possibly the predictions of a second peak of cycle 24 are panning out.  Seven in the log via the trans equatorial path.....four signals from Southern Europe with the remaining in Central and North America.....and the African IARU beacon ZS6DN.