A dual band user terminal (10) includes a controller (18) for outputting a BAND signal for specifying operation in one of a first frequency band or a second, higher frequency band; a single frequency synthesizer (46) that is responsive to the BAND signal for outputting an RF signal in one of two frequency bands; and an RF transceiver (11) comprising a dual band receiver that receives RF signals in the first frequency band and in the second, higher frequency band, and a dual band transmitter that transmits RF signals in the same frequency bands. The dual band receiver includes a first receiver chain that operates in the first frequency band as a single conversion receiver having a downconversion mixer that is preceded by a first filter and that is followed by second filter, and a second receiver chain that operates in the second frequency band as a dual conversion superheterodyne receiver having a first downconversion mixer preceded by a first filter and followed by a second filter coupled to a second downconversion mixer followed by a third filter. The downconversion mixer of the single conversion receiver is also the second downconversion mixer of the dual conversion superheterodyne receiver, and the second filter of the single conversion receiver is also the third filter of the dual conversion superheterodyne receiver. The dual band transmitter includes a modulator that outputs a modulated RF signal. When operating in the first frequency band the input RF signal to the modulator has a frequency that is equal to the transmitted RF signal, and when operating in the second frequency band the input RF signal has a frequency that is equal to one half of the transmitted RF signal.