Electromagnetic energy is radiation defined as Frequency (F) or Wavelength (W) (the inverse of frequency). The Frequency (F) spectrum starts close to zero (0) and can extend to infinity. The Wavelength (W) spectrum also starts around zero and extends to infinity, in reverse.
The following identifies frequency band designations, nominal frequency ranges, nominal wavelengths, and application uses.
| Band Designation | Frequency (Hz)1 | Wavelength2 | Applications |
| Audible | 20 Hz - 20 kHz | >100 km | Acoustics |
| Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) Radio | 30 Hz - 300 Hz | 10,000 km - 1,000 km | Submarine Communications |
| Infralow Frequency (ILF) | 300 Hz – 3 kHz | 1,000 km - 100 km | Not Applicable |
| Very Low Frequency (VLF) Radio | 3 kHz - 30 kHz | 100 km - 10 km | Navigation, Weather |
| Low Frequency (LF) Radio | 30 kHz - 300 kHz | 10 km - 1 km | Navigation, Maritime Communications, Information and Weather Systems, Time Systems |
| Medium Frequency (MF) Radio | 300 kHz - 3 MHz | 1 km – 100 m | Navigation, AM Radio, Mobile Radio |
| High Frequency (HF) Radio | 3 MHz – 30 MHz | 100 – 10 m | Citizens Band (CB) Radio (aka Shortwave Radio), Mobile Radio, Maritime Radio |
| Very High Frequency (VHF) Radio | 30 MHz -300 MHz | 10 m - 1 m | Amateur (Ham) Radio, VHF TV, FM Radio, Mobile Satellite, Mobile Radio, Fixed Radio |
| Ultra High Frequency (UHF) Radio | 300 MHz - 3 GHz | 1 m - 10 cm | Microwave, Satellite, UHF TV, Paging, Cordless Telephone, Cellular and PCS Telephony, Wireless LAN (e.g., WiFi) |
| Super High Frequency (SHF) Radio | 3 GHz - 30 GHz | 10 cm – 1 cm | Microwave, Satellite, Wireless LAN (e.g., WiFi) |
| Extremely High Frequency (EHF) Radio | 30 GHz - 300 GHz | 1 cm - 1 mm | Microwave, Satellite, Radiolocation |
| Infrared Light (IR) | 300 GHz – 400 THz | 1 mm - 750 nm | Wireless LAN Bridges, Wireless LANs, Fiber Optics |
| Visible Light | 400 THz – 1 PHz | 750 nm - 380 nm | Not Applicable |
| Ultraviolet Light (UV) | 1 PHz – 30 PHz | 380 nm -10 nm | Not Applicable |
| X-Rays | 30 PHz - 30 EHz | 10 nm - .01 nm | Not Applicable |
| Gamma and Cosmic Rays | >3 EHz | <.1 nm | Not Applicable |
