Citizens Band radio
Break One Nine, Break One Nine, You got a copy?
CB Radio is a public, two-way radio service within 40 channels defined by the FCC on the 11 meter radio band. Class D Citizen Band radio began in 1958 with 23 channels defined in the 11 meter band. Part 95 of the Code of Federal Regulations regulates the Class D CB service, on the 27 MHz band, since the 1970s and continuing today.
- FCC License: No
- Max Output: 4 watts
- Frequency: 11 meter
The use of CB radios in 1970s films such as Smokey and the Bandit (1977) and Convoy (1978), popular novelty songs such as C.W. McCall's "Convoy" (1975) and on television series such as Movin' On (debuted 1974) and The Dukes of Hazzard (debuted 1979) established CB radio as a nationwide craze in the USA in the mid- to late 1970s.
CB Radio channel 9 was officially reserved for emergency use by the FCC in 1969. In 1977 the CB Radio channel selection was expanded from 23 to 40 channels. Channel 19 became a nationally recognized channel for Truck Drivers. Many CB Radio users called channel 19 "the trucker's channel". Channel 11 was originally restricted by the FCC for use as the calling channel.
Output power is limited to 4 watts and CB radio is AM (Amplitude Modulated), however, (SSB) is allowed up to 12 watts of transmit power.
CB has lost much of its original appeal due to development of mobile phones, the internet and the Family Radio Service. Changing radio propagation for long-distance communications due to the 11-year sunspot cycle is a factor at these frequencies. In addition, CB may have become a victim of its own popularity; with millions of users on a finite number of frequencies during the mid-to-late 1970s and early 1980s, channels often were noisy and communication difficult. This caused a waning of interest among hobbyists. CB radio is still used by truck drivers, and remains an effective means of obtaining information about road construction, accidents and police speed traps in the United States.
Frequency Table
- 1 26.965 MHz
- 2 26.975 MHz
- 3 26.985 MHz
- 4 27.005 MHz
- 5 27.015 MHz
- 6 27.025 MHz
- 7 27.035 MHz
- 8 27.055 MHz
- 9 27.065 MHz (Emergency Use)
- 10 27.075 MHz
- 11 27.085 MHz (Calling Channel)
- 12 27.105 MHz
- 13 27.115 MHz
- 14 27.125 MHz
- 15 27.135 MHz
- 16 27.155 MHz
- 17 27.165 MHz
- 18 27.175 MHz
- 19 27.185 MHz (Truckers Channel)
- 20 27.205 MHz
- 21 27.215 MHz
- 22 27.225 MHz
- 23 27.255 MHz
- 24 27.235 MHz
- 25 27.245 MHz
- 26 27.265 MHz
- 27 27.275 MHz
- 28 27.285 MHz
- 29 27.295 MHz
- 30 27.305 MHz
- 31 27.315 MHz
- 32 27.325 MHz
- 33 27.335 MHz
- 34 27.345 MHz
- 35 27.355 MHz
- 36 27.365 MHz
- 37 27.375 MHz
- 38 27.385 MHz
- 39 27.395 MHz
- 40 27.405 MHz
Freebanders
Bootleg CB Radio is the use of Citizen Band radio in a way that does not comply with FCC regulations. The most common form of illegal use is the use of transmit power that exceeds 4 watts on AM or 12 watts on SSB.
SideBand (SSB) is a mode capability found in higher-end CB Radios. Access to the Upper & Lower Sideband Modes (USB, LSB), can be found on each of the 40 channels, in addition to the "Regular" (AM) mode.
Some frequencies outside the legal CB range can be achieved by a modification to many CB radios. Channel examples:
- 27.555 USB International Call Frequency
- 26.285 USB International Call Frequency
Other modifications include increasing the output power and increasing the modulation. Additional transmit power can be achieved with a linear amplifier. The use of certain HAM radios on CB frequencies at power exceeded the legal amount is another way individuals bootleg.
Mobile Ham operators all over the U.S. are observing and reporting truckers talking above 28mhz and will report them to the FCC.
Related
See also:
- FRS/GMRS
- MURS
- VHF Maritime Mobile Band
- Citizens Band radio
