Though a diverse range of payloads have been carried by these satellites over the years, the majority of amateur radio satellites have featured transponders working in the VHF and UHF spectrum.

The ultra-high-frequency (UHF) band of the electromagnetic spectrum extends from 300 to 1000 MHz (1 GHz), and over that range wavelength decreases from 100 to 30 cm ... the microwave and millimeter ...