Microwaves generally refer to any amateur band above 1 GHz. The world of amateur microwaves is very different to the other amateur bands. Equipment is generally home built from scratch or kits, as commercial gear from the big three does not exist that these frequencies. This encourages home construction and experimentation. Some surplus commercial equipment does become available occasionally, and amateurs are quick to exploit these opportunities, allowing them to own equipment that would have previously been out of amateur price ranges.
Propagation is also very different from the lower amateur bands.
Strange and obscure terms like troposcatter, rainscatter, aircraft scatter and ducting start to appear in the amateurs vocabulary. Operating is done from variety of fixed and portable stations. Regular contests and activity periods are held to encourage people to get out and onto the bands. Contacts of 30mins to 1 hour are not unusual even in a contest, a far cry from the hussle and bussle of a VHF or HF contest. Life on the bands above 1 GHz is relaxed, gentlemanly and highly entertaining.