A typical CB base station. This two-way radio can also be used in a mobile as it can be powered by 13.8 volts DC. Shown with aftermarket Astatic Power D-104 desk mic.

Hand-held CB transceiver

Citizens' Band radio (CB) is, in many countries, a system of short-distance, simplex^[1] radio communications between individuals on a selection of 40 channels within the 27 MHz (11 meter) band. The CB radio service should not be confused with FRS, GMRS, MURS, or amateur ("ham") radio. Similar personal radio services exist in other countries, with varying requirements for licensing and differing technical standards. In many countries, CB does not require a license and, unlike amateur radio, it may be used for business as well as personal communications. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (977x633, 296 KB) This is my own work. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (977x633, 296 KB) This is my own work. ... A simplex communication system is one where all signals flow in one direction. ... This article is about the SI unit of frequency. ... The Family Radio Service is an improved walkie talkie system authorized in the United States. ... The General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) is a land-mobile radio service in the United States available for short-distance two-way communications to facilitate the activities of an adult individual and his or her immediate family members, including a spouse, children, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces, and in... The Multi-Use Radio Service (MURS) is a small two-way radio service consisting of five frequencies in the VHF spectrum. ... Amateur radio station with modern solid-state transceiver featuring LCD and DSP capabilities Amateur radio, often called ham radio, is both a hobby and a service that uses various types of radio communications equipment to communicate with other radio amateurs for public service, recreation and self-training. ...

Scope

The Citizens' Band radio service originated in the United States as one of several personal radio services regulated by the FCC. These services began in 1945 to permit citizens a short-distance radio band for personal communication (e.g., radio controlled models, family communications, individual businesses). Originally, CB was located in the 460-470 MHz UHF band. There were two classes of CB: A and B. Class B radios had simpler technical requirements but were limited to a smaller range of frequencies. Al Gross, inventor of the walkie-talkie, started Citizen's Radio Corp. in the late 1940s to merchandise Class B handhelds for the general public.^[2] The abbreviation FCC can refer to: Face-centered cubic (usually fcc), a crystallographic structure Federal Communications Commission, a US government organization Farm Credit Corporation/Farm Credit Canada, a Canadian government organization Families with Children from China, an adoption support organization Florida Christian College, a college in central Florida Fresno City...

The technology at the time was not advanced enough for UHF radios to be practical and affordable for the average consumer. So, in 1958,^[3] the Class D CB service was opened at 27 MHz, and this is what is popularly known as CB. There were only 23 channels at the time; the first 22 were taken from what used to be an Amateur 11-meter band, while channel 23 was shared with radio-controlled devices. Some hobbyists continue to use the designation "11 meters" to refer to the Citizens' Band and adjoining frequencies. Ultra high frequency (UHF) designates a range (band) of electromagnetic waves whose frequency is between 300 MHz and 3. ...

Most of the 460-470 MHz band was reassigned for business and public safety uses, but Class A CB is the ancestor of the present General Mobile Radio Service GMRS. Class B, in the same vein, is a more distant ancestor of the Family Radio Service. The Multi-Use Radio Service is another two-way radio service, in the VHF high band. An unsuccessful petition was made in 1973 to create a Class E CB service at 220 MHz, this was opposed by amateur radio organizations^[4] and others. There are several other classes of personal radio services for specialized purposes such as remote control devices. The General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) is a land-mobile radio service in the United States available for short-distance two-way communications to facilitate the activities of an adult individual and his or her immediate family members, including a spouse, children, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces, and in... The Family Radio Service is an improved walkie talkie system authorized in the United States. ... The Multi-Use Radio Service (MURS) is a small two-way radio service consisting of five frequencies in the VHF spectrum. ... Amateur radio station with modern solid-state transceiver featuring LCD and DSP capabilities Amateur radio, often called ham radio, is both a hobby and a service that uses various types of radio communications equipment to communicate with other radio amateurs for public service, recreation and self-training. ...

Over time, several countries have created similar radio services. While they may be known by other names, such as General Radio Service in Canada,^[5] they often use similar frequencies (26 to 28 MHz), and have similar uses, and similar issues with antennas and propagation. Licenses may or may not be required, but eligibility is generally simple.

Some countries have personal radio services in the UHF band, such as the European PMR446 and the Australian UHF CB. Like the American FRS and GMRS services, these are more properly covered in their own articles, as much of this article is specific to the antenna and propagation issues of the upper HF and lower VHF bands. Alan 456r PMR446 (Personal Mobile Radio, 446 MHz) is a radio frequency part of the UHF range that is open without licensing for personal usage in most members of the European Union. ... UHF CB is a licence-free citizens band radio service authorised by the government of Australia in the UHF 477MHz band. ...

History

In the 1960s, the service was popular with small trade businesses (e.g., electricians, plumbers, carpenters), as well as truck drivers and radio hobbyists. With the advancement of solid-state electronics, the weight, size, and cost of the radios decreased, giving the general public access to a communications medium that had previously been only available to specialists. Many CB clubs were formed, and a special CB slang language evolved, used alongside 10-codes similar to those used in the emergency services. In electronics, solid state circuits are those that do not contain vacuum tubes. ... CB slang (commonly called CB Talk) are terms that those operating CB radio used mainly during the CB craze of the 1970s and 1980s. ... Ten-codes, properly known as ten signals, are code words used to represent common phrases in voice communication, particularly by law enforcement and in Citizens Band (CB) radio transmissions. ...

Following the 1973 oil crisis, the U.S. government imposed a nationwide 55 mph speed limit, and fuel shortages and rationing were widespread. CB radio was often used to locate service stations with a supply of gasoline, to notify other drivers of speed traps, and to organize blockades and convoys in a 1974 strike protesting the new speed limit and other trucking regulations. The 1973 oil crisis began in earnest on October 17, 1973, when the members of Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC, consisting of the Arab members of OPEC plus Egypt and Syria) announced, as a result of the ongoing Yom Kippur War, that they would no longer ship petroleum... 55 mph speed limit being erected in response to the National Maximum Speed Law. ...

The prominent use of CB radios in 1970s-era films (see list below) such as Smokey and the Bandit (1977) and television shows like Movin' On (debuted 1974) and The Dukes of Hazzard (debuted 1979) bolstered the appeal of CB radio. Moreover, popular novelty songs such as C.W. McCall's Convoy (1976) helped establish CB radio as a nationwide craze in the USA in the mid- to late-1970s. Smokey and the Bandit is a 1977 movie starring Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, Jackie Gleason, Jerry Reed, Pat McCormick, Paul Williams, and Mike Henry. ... Movin On (also known as In Tandem) was a television show that ran for two seasons (and a total of forty-six episodes), between 1974 and 1976. ... For the 2005 film, see The Dukes of Hazzard (film). ... A novelty song is a usually intentionally humorous song, usually in published or recorded form. ... C.W. McCall is the pseudonym of William Dale Fries (born November 15, 1928) in Audubon, Iowa, USA. In 1972, while working for an Omaha, Nebraska advertising firm, Bozell Jacobs, Fries created a television campaign for the Metz Baking Company. ... Convoy is a 1975 novelty song performed by C.W. McCall (pseudonym of Bill Fries) that became a number-one hit in the USA and helped start a worldwide craze for citizens band (CB) radio. ...

Originally, CB required a license and the use of a call sign, but when the CB craze was at its peak, many people ignored this requirement and used made-up nicknames or "handles". The many restrictions on the authorized use of CB radio led to widespread disregard of the regulations, most notably in antenna height, distance restriction for communications, licensing and the use of call signs, and allowable transmitter power. Eventually, the license requirement was dropped entirely. In radio (including television), a callsign or call sign (also call letters) is a unique designation for amateur, broadcast, and sometimes military radio use, as well as for broadcast television. ... EXAMPLE:Laughbox,Blondie,BamBam,Pinkie,etc. ... A Yagi-Uda beam antenna Short Wave Curtain Antenna (Moosbrunn, Austria) A building rooftop supporting numerous dish and sectored mobile telecommunications antennas (Doncaster, Victoria, Australia) An antenna is a transducer designed to transmit or receive radio waves which are a class of electromagnetic waves. ...

Originally, there were only 23 CB channels in the U.S.; the present 40-channel bandplan did not come along until 1977. Channel 9 was reserved for emergency use in 1969^[6]. Channel 10 was used for highway communications, though channel 19 later became the preferred highway channel in most areas as it did not have adjacent-channel interference problems with channel 9.

Until 1975^[7], only channels 9-14 and 23^[8] could be used for "interstation" calls to other licensees. Channels 1-8 and 15-22 were reserved for "intrastation" communications among units under the same license.^[9] After the interstation/intrastation rule was dropped, channel 11 was reserved as a calling frequency for the sole purpose of establishing communications; however this was withdrawn in 1977.^[10]

Until the late 1970s when synthesized radios appeared, CB radios were controlled by plug-in quartz crystals. Almost all were AM only, though there were a few single sideband sets in the early days. A crystal oscillator is an electronic circuit that uses the mechanical resonance of a vibrating crystal of piezoelectric material to create an electrical signal with a very precise frequency. ... Amplitude modulation (AM) is a technique used in electronic communication, most commonly for transmitting information via a radio carrier wave. ... Single-sideband transmission (SSB) is a method of transmitting audio based on amplitude modulation in which only one sideband is transmitted. ...

Throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, a phenomenon was developing over the CB radio. Similar to the Internet chat rooms a quarter century later, the CB allowed people to get to know one another in a quasi-anonymous manner. Many movies and stories about CBers and the culture on-the-air developed.

In more recent years, CB has lost much of its original appeal due to the advancement of technologies and changing values. Some of this rapid development includes: mobile phones, the Internet, and Family Radio Service. The changing radio wave propagation for long-distance communications, due to the 11 year sunspot cycle, is always a factor for these frequencies. A stylised representation of a mobile phone A mobile phone is a device which behaves as a normal telephone whilst being able to move over a wide area ( cordless phone which acts as a telephone only within a limited range). ... The Family Radio Service is an improved walkie talkie system authorized in the United States. ... 400 year sunspot history A sunspot is a region on the Suns surface (photosphere) that is marked by a lower temperature than its surroundings, and intense magnetic activity. ...

Australia

Before CB was authorized in Australia, there were 27 MHz "handphones" which are authorized on several frequencies in between the present CB channels, such as 27.240 MHz^[11][12]. By the mid-1970s, hobbyists were experimenting with these handheld radios, as well as with unauthorized American CB radios. At that time in Australia, the 11 meter band was still used by licensed ham operators^[13] but not yet available for CB-type use.

A number of CB clubs had formed by this time, which assigned callsigns to members, exchanged QSL cards, and lobbied for the legalization of CB. In 1977, CB was legalized with an 18-channel bandplan, and later in 1980 the American 40-channel bandplan was adopted. From the outset, the Government attempted to regulate CB radio with licence fees and call-signs etc, but some years later abandoned this approach. An example amateur radio QSL card QSL, or QSL card, is the confirmation of a QSO (a radio contact) between two radio amateurs. ...

After peaking in the 1970s and early 1980s, the use of 27 MHz CB in Australia has fallen dramatically in the last decade. The later introduction of 477 MHz UHF CB, with FM and repeaters, and the proliferation of cheap, compact handheld UHF transceivers have been part of the reason. But other technologies such as mobile telephones, Internet chat, etc. have provided people with other choices for communications. UHF CB is a licence-free citizens band radio service authorised by the government of Australia in the UHF 477MHz band. ...

Indonesia

In Indonesia, CB radios were first introduced around 1977 when some transceivers were imported illegally from Australia, Japan and the United States. The dates are hard to confirm accurately but certainly early use was known around big cities such as Jakarta, Bandung, Yogyakarta, Surabaya and Medan.

The Indonesian government legalized CB on October 6, 1980 through a decision of the Minister of Communications called the Ministerial Decree on the Licensing for the Operation of Inter-Citizens Radio Communication. Because many people were already using 40-channel radios prior to legalization, the American bandplan, with AM and SSB, was adopted; a VHF band was added later in 1994. On November 10, 1980, the Indonesian Directorate General of Posts and Telecommunications issued another decree establishing RAPI (Radio Antar Penduduk Indonesia) as the official citizens band radio organization in Indonesia.^[14]

United Kingdom

In Great Britain, some people were illegally using American CB radios in the 1970s, a craze which suddenly peaked in 1980 due to popularizing by the film Convoy. As late as the summer of 1981, the British government was still saying that CB would never be legalized on 27 MHz, and proposed a UHF service around 860 MHz called "Open Channel" instead. Convoy is a 1978 action film directed by Sam Peckinpah and starring Kris Kristofferson, Ali MacGraw, Ernest Borgnine and Burt Young. ...

However, in November 1981, 40 frequencies unique to the UK, and using FM, were allocated at 27 MHz, plus 20 channels on 934 MHz. CB's inventor Al Gross made the first legal British CB call from Trafalgar Square, London. Alfred J. Gross (1918 – December, 2000) was a pioneer in mobile wireless communication. ... Trafalgar Square viewed from the northeast corner. ...

Later, the UK added the more usual 40 frequencies used worldwide for a total of 80 channels at 27 MHz, and the 934 MHz band was withdrawn in 1998.

CB radio in the UK was deregulated in December 2006 by the regulatory body Ofcom, and CB radio in the UK is now licence free.

CB Frequencies Worldwide

Similar radio services exist in other countries around the world. Frequencies, power levels, and modes (such as FM, AM and SSB) may vary from country to country, and usage of foreign equipment may be illegal. However, many countries have adopted the American frequencies. In telecommunications, frequency modulation (FM) conveys information over a carrier wave by varying its frequency. ... Amplitude modulation (AM) is a technique used in electronic communication, most commonly for transmitting information via a radio carrier wave. ... Single-sideband modulation (SSB) is a refinement of the technique of amplitude modulation designed to be more efficient in its use of electrical power and bandwidth. ...

In Canada, the "General Radio Service" has the identical frequencies and modes as the United States "Citizen's band", and no special provisions are required for either Canadians or Americans using CB gear while traveling across the border.

In Europe, the CEPT adopted the North American channel assignments, except that FM is used instead of AM. Some member countries permit additional modes and frequencies. The European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT) was established on June 26, 1959 as a coordinating body for European state telecommunications and postal organizations. ...

Before CEPT, most of the member countries used some subset of the 40 USA channels. The United Kingdom, on the other hand, originally had 40 unique 27 MHz channels, known as the 27/81 Bandplan. See CB radio in the United Kingdom. With the CEPT channels added, the UK now has 80 channels. Germany also has 40 unique channels at 26 MHz for a total of 80. The 27 MHz CB27/81 Bandplan is a list of the channel frequencies for UK-only FM CB radio CB radio in the United Kingdom. ... This article or section needs additional references or sources. ...

The frequencies for the 40 North American/CEPT channels are as follows. Note that for historical reasons, channels 22 to 26 are not in ascending order of frequencies:-

In the UK the requirement to have a license has been dispensed with, but all permission for the public to use the UK-specific frequencies may be withdrawn in 2010, under plans to reassign the frequencies to the Community Audio Distribution System service.^[15]

In Poland (and probably some other former Warsaw Pact countries) the channels are shifted 5kHz down, so for example channel 30 is 27.300MHz, many operators add a switch that can change between the "zeroes" (the Polish channel assignment), and the "fives" (the international assignment). Not to be confused with the Warsaw Convention, which is an agreement about airlines financial liability and the Treaty of Warsaw (1970) between West Germany and the Peoples Republic of Poland. ...

Australia now has the 40 North American channels, though in the late 1970s it had an 18-channel bandplan with unique numbering.^[16] On the other hand, New Zealand and Japan have unique allocations that don't correspond to any other country's.

Indonesia has the usual 40 channels at 27 MHz, plus a unique 60-channel allocation from 142.050-143.525 MHz.^[17]

A gray market trade in imported CB gear does exist in many countries. In many instances, sale or ownership of foreign-specification CB gear is not illegal, but the actual use of it is. With the FCC's minimal enforcement of its rules regarding CB radio, enthusiasts in the USA often use "export" radios, or possibly European FM CB gear to get away from the overcrowded AM channels. American AM gear has also been exported to Europe. The grey market (in U.S. spelling, gray market) refers to the flow of goods through distribution channels other than those authorized by the manufacturer or producer. ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... In telecommunications, frequency modulation (FM) conveys information over a carrier wave by varying its frequency. ...

Using radios outside their intended market can be dangerous as well as illegal. For example, the British frequencies clash with a radio service used by ambulance services in Ukraine.^[18]

CB Radio today

CB was once the only practical two-way radio system for the individual consumer, and as such served several distinct types of users such as truck drivers, radio hobbyists, and those who needed a short-range radio for particular tasks. While some of these users have moved on to other radio services, CB is still a popular hobby in many countries. In the United States it is strongly associated with semi truck drivers and rural life. A hobby is a spare-time recreational pursuit. ... It has been suggested that Turnpike Doubles be merged into this article or section. ...

The 27 MHz frequencies used by CBs, which require a long antenna and don't propagate well indoors, tend to discourage use of handheld radios for many applications. Many consumer users of handheld radios ( ex. family use, hunters, hikers ) have moved on to 49 MHz and then to the UHF Family Radio Service, while many who need a simple radio for professional use (ex. tradesmen ) have moved on to "dot-color" business radios. The Family Radio Service is an improved walkie talkie system authorized in the United States. ... The business band is the name used by US scanner hobbyists who listen to Federal Communications Commission licensees using Industrial/Business pool frequencies. ...

On the other hand, CB is still popular among long-haul truck drivers to communicate directions, traffic problems, and other things of importance. This has long been the case in the United States, but less so in Europe where until recently conflicting regulations made it impossible for the same radio to be used across Europe. As a result, CB in Europe became more associated with hobbyists than with truckers.

In the United States, channel 19 is the most commonly used for highway use, to the point that some radios even have a dedicated button to bring up channel 19. In some areas of the U.S., different channels are customarily used on highways running North-South versus East-West, and sometimes even for specific roads. Other channels regionally used for this purpose include 10, 17, and 21.^[19] Channel 13 is preferred in some areas for marine use^[20] and for recreational vehicles.^[21] Recreational Vehicle (or RV) is a term used in North America to describe a large enclosed piece of equipment with wheels designed to be moved from place to place for people to temporarily live in and be protected from the elements while away from their permanent home. ...

Several countries reserve a channel for emergency use, for example channel 9 in the United States. In CB's heyday in the 1970s, channel 9 was monitored by parties who could relay messages to the authorities, or even directly by the authorities themselves. With the popularity of cellular phones, support for Channel 9 as an emergency channel has diminished, though volunteer organizations such as REACT (Radio Emergency Associated Communications Teams), and private individuals still monitor Channel 9 in some areas. REACT (Radio Emergency Associated Communications Teams), began as a CB radio Channel 9 radio monitoring organization in the United States in 1962. ...

Legitimate, short-range use of CB radio is sometimes made difficult by uncooperative users and users of illegal high-power transmitters, which are capable of being heard hundreds of miles away. In the United States, the vast number of users and the low financing of the regulatory body mean that the regulations are only actively enforced against the most severe interfering stations, which makes legitimate operations on the Citizen's band unreliable. The Tragedy of the Commons is a type of social trap, often economic, that involves a conflict over resources between individual interests and the common good. ...

The maximum legal CB power output level, in the U.S., is four watts for AM and 12 watts (peak envelope power or "PEP") for SSB, as measured at the antenna connection on the back of the radio. However, illegal external linear amplifiers are sometimes used. In the 1970s the FCC banned the sale of linear amplifiers capable of operation from 24 to 35 MHz to discourage their use on the CB band, though the use of high power amplifiers by lawless operators continued. Late in 2006 the FCC amended the regulation to only exclude 26 to 28 MHz.^[22] Peak envelope power is the average power supplied to the antenna transmission line by a transmitter during one radio frequency cycle at the crest of the modulation envelope, under normal operating conditions. ... Single-sideband modulation (SSB) is a refinement of the technique of amplitude modulation designed to be more efficient in its use of electrical power and bandwidth. ...

CB Usage in the United Kingdom

Main article: CB radio in the United Kingdom This article or section needs additional references or sources. ...

CB Usage in the United States

Main article: CB usage in the United States Main article: Citizens band radio In the United States Citizens Band (CB) radio service is intended to be a private two-way voice communication service for use in personal and business activities of the general public. ...

Shooting Skip

During periods of peak sunspot activity, even low-powered transmitters on 27 MHz can sometimes be heard for hundreds or even thousands of miles. This "skip" activity, in which signals bounce off the ionosphere, contributes to interference on CB frequencies. Working "skip" is illegal in the United States, since it contradicts the short-range intended use of the service, though the regulation is widely ignored. Relationship of the atmosphere and ionosphere The ionosphere is the uppermost part of the atmosphere, distinguished because it is ionized by solar radiation. ...

All frequencies in the HF spectrum (3–30 MHz) are able to be refracted by the existence of highly charged particles in the ionosphere. This bouncing of a signal off the ionosphere is called skywave propagation or "shooting skip". With the ability to shoot skip, CBers have been able to communicate across thousands of miles, sometimes around the world. The ability of the ionosphere to refract signals back to earth is caused by the sun and the amount of ionization possible is related to the 11-year sunspot cycle. In times of high sunspot activity the band can remain "open" to much of the world for long periods of time. In years of low sunspot activity it may not be possible to shoot skip at all. High frequency (HF) radio frequencies are between 3 and 30 MHz. ... Relationship of the atmosphere and ionosphere The ionosphere is the uppermost part of the atmosphere, distinguished because it is ionized by solar radiation. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Ionosphere. ... Look up propagation in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

The legality of shooting skip varies by region. In the United States, it is illegal to engage in, or attempt to engage in CB communications with any station more than 250 kilometers (155.3 miles) from an operator's location (FCC Part 95 Subpart D). This restriction exists as an effort to keep CB as a local radio service.

Freebanding and Export Radios

Operation on "bootleg" frequencies above ("uppers") or below ("lowers") the established citizen's band is referred to as "freebanding" or "outbanding".^[23] While many perceive these frequencies just below the CB band, or between the CB band and the amateur radio 10-meter band to be quiet and under-utilized, these frequencies are generally allocated to other radio services, including government agencies, and unauthorized operation on them is illegal. Furthermore, illegal transmitters and amplifiers may not meet good engineering practice for harmonic distortion or "splatter", which will often attract the attention of regulating authorities. The term pirate radio usually refers to illegal or unregulated radio broadcasting. ... The 10 meter amateur radio band is the highest of the High Frequency or HF bands. ...

This is done with modified CB equipment, amateur radios modified to transmit on 11 meters, foreign CB radios that may offer different channels, or with radios which are purportedly sold for export.

Unlike amateur radios which are continuously tuneable in frequency, export CB's are channelized. Frequency selection on these "export radios" resembles that of modified American CB's more than any foreign frequency plan. They typically have a knob and display that reads up to channel 40, but include an extra "band" selector that shifts all 40 channels above or below the band, plus a "+10 kHz" button to reach the model control 'A' channels. These radios may have 6 or even 12 bands, establishing a set of quasi-CB channels on all sorts of unauthorized frequencies. The bands are typically lettered 'A' through 'F', with the normal CB band as 'D'.

For example, a freebander with an export radio who wants to use 27.635 MHz would choose Channel 19 ( 27.185 ) and then shift the radio up one band ( + 0.450 ). The operator may have to do quite a bit of arithmetic to know which frequency he is actually operating on, though more expensive radios include a frequency counter. A frequency counter is an electronic instrument, or component of one, that is used for measuring frequency. ...

Even well-meaning (but illegal) operations can end up on frequencies which are very much in use. For instance, Channel 19, 2 bands up, becomes 28.085 MHz, which is in a Morse code-only part of the 10-meter ham band. Licensed amateurs typically regard this activity as an intrusion, and have been known to record, locate, and report such transmissions.^[24]

Freeband operators also use amateur radios that have been modified to transmit out of band. Older amateur radios may require component changes; for instance, the 1970's-vintage Yaesu FT-101 was modified for CB by replacing a set of crystals used to tune portions of the 10-meter band,^[25] while on some newer radios the modification may be as simple as cutting a jumper or diode. Today many types of amateur radios can be found on CB and freeband, ranging from full-coverage HF transceivers to simpler 10-meter mobile radios. However, in the United States the FCC bans the importation and marketing of certain radios deemed too easily modifiable for the CB frequencies,^[26] and it is illegal to transmit on CB frequencies with a ham radio under normal, non-life threatening instances. Amateur radio station with modern solid-state transceiver featuring LCD and DSP capabilities Amateur radio, often called ham radio, is both a hobby and a service that uses various types of radio communications equipment to communicate with other radio amateurs for public service, recreation and self-training. ... A Yaesu FT-101EE tuned to 7. ... The 10 meter amateur radio band is the highest of the High Frequency or HF bands. ...

CB Antennas

Typical center-loaded mobile CB antenna. Note the size of the loading coil, which is typical of higher transmit power capability.

As 27 MHz is a relatively long wavelength for mobile communications, the choice of antenna has a considerable impact on the performance of a CB radio. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1024x768, 164 KB) It is my own work. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1024x768, 164 KB) It is my own work. ... In electronics, a loading coil is a coil (inductor) that does not provide coupling to any other circuit, but is inserted in a circuit to increase its inductance. ...

One common mobile antenna is a quarter-wave vertical whip. This is roughly nine feet (2.7 metres) tall and mounted low on the vehicle body, and often has a spring and ball mount. A common misconception is that the '102 inch' whip is the correct length for US CB frequencies; in reality, it is designed to be paired with a six-inch spring, both to bring it to the proper electrical length, and to enhance its resilience to scraping and striking overhead objects.

Where a nine-foot whip would be impractical, shorter antennas include loading coils to make the antenna electrically longer than it actually is. The loading coil may be on the bottom, middle, or top of the antenna, while some antennas are wound in a continuously loaded helix.

Many truckers use two co-phased antennas mounted on their mirrors. This arrangement reduces the distortion of the wave propagation due to an unequally-shaped ground plane, lessening the effect of the truck body on the radiation pattern.^{[citation needed]} In addition, when such an array is properly constructed, it enhances performance to the front and back, while reducing it to the sides, a desirable pattern for long-haul truckers. However, the efficiency of such an arrangement is only an improvement over a single antenna when the co-phased antennas are separated by approximately eight feet or more, restricting this design to use mainly on tractor trailers and some full-size pickups and SUVs. Some operators will only use one of pair of antennas; this removes both the complexity and benefit of a true co-phased array, but gives a symmetrical cosmetic appearance that some truck drivers prefer.

Another mobile antenna is the continuously-loaded half-wave antenna. These do not necessarily require a ground plane to present a near 50 Ohm load to the radio, and are often used on fiberglass vehicles such as snowmobiles or boats. They are also ideal for base station usage where the circumstances preclude the use of an antenna that requires a ground plane to function properly. A multimeter can be used to measure resistance in ohms. ...

Handheld CBs often use either a telescoping center-loaded whip, or a continuously-loaded “rubber ducky” antenna.

Base CB antennas may be vertical for omnidirectional coverage, or directional "beam" antennas may be used to direct communications to a particular region. "Ground Plane" kits exist as a mounting base for typical mobile whips, and have several wire terminals or hardwired ground radials attached. These kits are designed to have a mobile whip screwed on top (again, the full-length steel whip is a preferred candidate) and mounted on top of a mast. The ground radials take the place of the vehicle body, which is used as a counterpoise for the mobile whip in a typical vehicle installation.

CB in popular culture

Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines. The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.

Image File history File links Broom_icon. ...

Famous CBers

• Betty Ford, a former First Lady of the United States, whose CB handle was "First Mama"^[27]

Betty Fords official White House portrait, painted in 1977 by Felix de Cossio Elizabeth Anne Bloomer Warren Ford (born April 8, 1918) is the widow of former United States President Gerald R. Ford and was the First Lady from 1974 to 1977. ... First Lady Laura Bush and former first ladies (from left to right) Rosalynn Carter, Sen. ...

CB in movies

• 1974 Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry
• 1976 The Gumball Rally
• 1976 Cannonball
• 1977 Breaker! Breaker!
• 1977 Handle with Care - Also known as "Citizen's Band"
• 1977 Smokey and the Bandit
• 1978 Convoy
• 1980 Smokey and the Bandit II
• 1981 The Cannonball Run
• 1981 The Great Muppet Caper
• 1983 Smokey and the Bandit Part 3
• 1984 Cannonball Run II
• 1986 Big Trouble in Little China
• 1988 Die-Hard^[28]
• 1989 Powwow Highway
• 1990 Tremors
• 1993 Dazed and Confused
• 1995 The Brady Bunch Movie
• 1996 Twister
• 1997 Breakdown
• 2001 American Pie 2
• 2001 Joy Ride
• 2001 Roadkill
• 2002 Austin Powers in Goldmember
• 2005 The Dukes of Hazzard (film)
• 2007 The Dukes of Hazzard: The Beginning
• 2007 Live Free or Die Hard

See also: 1973 in film 1974 1975 in film 1970s in film years in film film // Events February 7 - Blazing Saddles is released in USA May 1 - George Lucas creates the first draft of what would eventually become Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. ... Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry is a cult 1974 car chase film starring Peter Fonda, Susan George, Adam Roarke, and Vic Morrow. ... The year 1976 in film involved some significant events. ... The Gumball Rally is a 1976 film about a coast-to-coast road race. ... The year 1976 in film involved some significant events. ... Cannonball was a 1976 movie starring David Carradine. ... The year 1977 in film involved some significant events. ... Breaker! Breaker! is a 1977 film starring Chuck Norris. ... The year 1977 in film involved some significant events. ... Handle With Care is a 1977 comedy movie set in a small town in Nebraska and loosely based on the wide popularity of citizens band radio, usually called CB, at the time. ... The year 1977 in film involved some significant events. ... Smokey and the Bandit is a 1977 movie starring Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, Jackie Gleason, Jerry Reed, Pat McCormick, Paul Williams, and Mike Henry. ... // Events February 1 - Bob Dylans film Renaldo and Clara, a documentary of the Rolling Thunder Revue tour premieres in Los Angeles, California March 1 - Charlie Chaplins coffin is stolen from a Swiss cemetery 3 months after burial March - Leigh Brackett completes the first draft for Star Wars Episode... Convoy is a 1978 action film directed by Sam Peckinpah and starring Kris Kristofferson, Ali MacGraw, Ernest Borgnine and Burt Young. ... The year 1980 in film involved some significant events. ... Smokey and the Bandit II is a film released on August 15, 1980 in the United States, January 1, 1981 in Australia, January 22, 1981 in West Germany, January 30, 1981 in Sweden, February 7, 1981 in Norway, and March 27, 1981 in Finland. ... // January 19 - Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer acquires beleaguered concurrent United Artists. ... Cannonball Run was a campy, screwball comedy released in 1981 that starred Burt Reynolds, Dom DeLuise and Farrah Fawcett-Majors. ... // January 19 - Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer acquires beleaguered concurrent United Artists. ... The Great Muppet Caper is the second of a series of live-action musical feature films, starring Jim Hensons Muppets. ... // February 11 - The Rolling Stones concert film Lets Spend the Night Together opens in New York North Americas Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi Tootsie Trading Places, starring Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy WarGames, starring Matthew Broderick and Ally Sheedy Superman III Flashdance Staying Alive Octopussy Mr. ... Smokey and the Bandit Part Three (often refered to by the shorter title Smokey and the Bandit 3) is the 1983 sequel to Smokey and the Bandit and Smokey and the Bandit II starring Jackie Gleason, Jerry Reed, Paul Williams, Pat McCormick, Mike Henry and Colleen Camp. ... // Events The Walt Disney Company founds Touchstone Pictures to release movies with subject matter deemed inappropriate for the Disney name. ... See also Cannonball Baker Sea-To-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash Cannonball Run II is a film that was released in 1984. ... // April 12 - Actor Morgan Mason marries The Go-Gos Belinda Carlisle Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger marries television journalist Maria Shriver. ... Big Trouble in Little China (also known as John Carpenters Big Trouble in Little China) is a 1986 comedy/action film, directed by John Carpenter and starring Kurt Russell and Kim Cattrall, set in San Franciscos Chinatown. ... // Michael Jacksons first film was Moonwalker Rain Man, starring Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise Who Framed Roger Rabbit, starring Bob Hoskins Coming to America, starring Eddie Murphy Big, starring Tom Hanks Twins, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito Crocodile Dundee II Die Hard, starring Bruce Willis The Naked Gun... This article is about the 1988 action film. ... // Actress Kim Basinger and her brother Mick purchase Braselton, Georgia for $20 million. ... Powwow Highway is a 1989 film based on the novel written by David Seals. ... The year 1990 in film involved some significant events. ... Tremors is a 1990 comedic monster film about a group of people from a small Nevada town fighting subterranean worm-creatures dubbed Graboids. It was directed by Ron Underwood, and stars Kevin Bacon, Fred Ward, Finn Carter, Michael Gross and Reba McEntire. ... The year 1993 in film involved many significant films. ... Dazed and Confused movie poster Dazed and Confused is a 1993 American movie written and directed by Richard Linklater. ... The year 1995 in film involved some significant events. ... The year 1996 in film involved some significant events. ... The year 1997 in film involved some significant events. ... For the 1968 science-fiction film and novel, see 2001: A Space Odyssey The year 2001 in film involved some significant events. ... American Pie 2 is the 2001 sequel to the comedy film American Pie. ... For the 1968 science-fiction film and novel, see 2001: A Space Odyssey The year 2001 in film involved some significant events. ... Joy Ride is a 2001 thriller film directed by John Dahl and starring Paul Walker, Leelee Sobieski and Steve Zahn. ... For the 1968 science-fiction film and novel, see 2001: A Space Odyssey The year 2001 in film involved some significant events. ... The year 2002 in film involved some significant events. ... Austin Powers in Goldmember is a 2002 comedy film. ... The year 2005 in film involved some significant events. ... This article contains a trivia section. ... 2007 has been referred to, by film and media critics, as the year of the threequels, a nickname referring to both the 2004 summer movie season and several film franchises which premiered or had installments released in 2004, which appear again this year: Spider-Man 3, Shrek the Third, Ocean... 2007 has been referred to, by film and media critics, as the year of the threequels, a nickname referring to both the 2004 summer movie season and several film franchises which premiered or had installments released in 2004, which appear again this year: Spider-Man 3, Shrek the Third, Ocean... Live Free or Die Hard (released as Die Hard 4. ...

CB radio in music

CB radio figures prominently in several country and novelty songs, mostly from the mid-1970s:

• "East Bound and Down" by Jerry Reed - Catchy, popular theme song to movie Smokey and the Bandit with Burt Reynolds.
• "I'm into CB" by The Fall - Affectionate account of CB'ing in the North of England in the late '70s.
• "One Piece at a Time" by Johnny Cash - As the song ends, Cash describes his incredibly weirdo Cadillac car, which he built himself, over the CB.
• "Convoy" by C.W. McCall - "Pig Pen" and "Rubberduck" form a gigantic convoy of rigs who drive across the U.S., evading police and toll booths along the way.
• "Teddy Bear" by Red Sovine - A physically disabled boy in a wheelchair tells his tales of woe to a trucker over his CB.
• "The White Knight" - by Cledus Maggard - Is the mysterious, Bass-voiced White Knight giving out dubious information for a reason, other than helping out his fellow-truckers?
• "C.B. Savage" by Rod Hart - Is the mysterious "C.B. Savage" really a gay truck driver? Or is he hiding an even bigger secret? - A gay-themed parody of both White Knight and Convoy.
• "Hey Shirley (This Is Squirley)" by Shirley and Squirley - a truck driver flirtation on the CB in the style of The Chipmunks between Shirley and Squirley (presumably male and female squirrels?). See Nutty Squirrels for more background on this group.
• "The Bull and the Beaver" by Merle Haggard and Leona Williams - More truck driver flirtation, this time between Merle and Leona, his then real-life wife.
• "Paris, Tennessee" by Tracy Lawrence in 1991 (later covered by Kenny Chesney), contains the line "I wanna show you the Riviera. It's got good tires and a good CB.".
• "Novacane" by Beck - Beck sings, in a distorted CB style transmission, "What's your handle?".
• "Pure Denizen of the Citizen's Band" by Frank Black (from the 1994 album Teenager of the Year) features clips of CB radio transmissions.
• "The Rabid Child" by They Might Be Giants - Features lyrics that refer to CB radio use between a quarantined child and passing truckers.
• "Full Trucker Effect" by Johnny Socko - Lyrics and sound bites include many examples of CB lingo.
• "The Happening" by The Pixies uses CB slang in the lines "I put it on the air I put it in the hammer lane".
• "Breaker Breaker" by The Outlaws , a popular Southern Rock Group, with the son on the 1976 album Lady in Waiting

Jerry Reed Hubbard (born March 20, 1937) is an American country music singer, country guitarist, songwriter, and actor. ... Smokey and the Bandit is a 1977 movie starring Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, Jackie Gleason, Jerry Reed, Pat McCormick, Paul Williams, and Mike Henry. ... This article is about the band. ... One Piece At A Time is a humorous song by Johnny Cash. ... For the song of the same name, recorded by Tracy Byrd and later by Jason Aldean, see Johnny Cash (song). ... For other uses, see Cadillac (disambiguation). ... Convoy is a 1975 novelty song performed by C.W. McCall (pseudonym of Bill Fries) that became a number-one hit in the USA and helped start a worldwide craze for citizens band (CB) radio. ... C.W. McCall is the pseudonym of William Dale Fries (born November 15, 1928) in Audubon, Iowa, USA. In 1972, while working for an Omaha, Nebraska advertising firm, Bozell Jacobs, Fries created a television campaign for the Metz Baking Company. ... For other uses, see Convoy (disambiguation). ... Woodrow Wilson Red Sovine (17 July 1917 — 4 April 1980) was a country music singer. ... The term disability, as it is applied to humans, refers to any condition that impedes the completion of daily tasks using traditional methods. ... Wheelchair seating in a theater. ... Cledus Maggard was a one-hit wonder who scored a hit single in 1976 with The White Knight, which charted on both the Billboard magazine pop and country charts. ... A bass (or basso in Italian) is a male singer who sings in the deepest vocal range of the human voice. ... Rod Hart was a one-hit wonder who scored a minor hit single in 1977, C.B. Savage, which charted on both the Billboard magazine pop and country charts. ... GAY can mean: Gay, a term referring to homosexual men or women The IATA code for Gaya Airport Category: ... For the upcoming live-action/computer-generated film, see Alvin and the Chipmunks (film). ... Genera Several, see text Squirrel is the common name for rodents of the family Sciuridae. ... The Nutty Squirrels were a scat singing imitation of Alvin and the Chipmunks that had a Top 40 hit with the song Uh-Oh. The Squirrels actually preceded the Chipmunks on television in an animated cartoon, but with much less success. ... Merle Ronald Haggard (born April 6, 1937) is an American country music singer, guitarist and songwriter. ... This article or section needs copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone and/or spelling. ... Kenny Chesney (born Kenneth Arnold Chesney, March 26, 1968 in Knoxville, Tennessee[1] ) is an American country music singer-songwriter. ... The Buick Riviera was an automobile produced by Buick in the United States from the 1963 to 1999 model years, with 1,127,261 produced. ... This article is about the musician. ... For other persons named Frank Black, see Frank Black (disambiguation). ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ... Released in 1994, Teenager of the Year was Frank Blacks second solo album and features fellow Pixies guitarist Joey Santiago on four tracks. ... This article is about the musical group. ... Johnny Socko is an indie rock ska band created in 1990 out of Bloomington, Indiana. ... This article is about the band named Pixies. ... CB slang (commonly called CB Talk) are terms that those operating CB radio used mainly during the CB craze of the 1970s and 1980s. ... The Outlaws is also the title of a science fiction novel by Richard Gordon. ...

See also

• CB slang
• Ten-code
• Amateur radio
• GMRS
• FRS
• PMR446
• MURS

CB slang (commonly called CB Talk) are terms that those operating CB radio used mainly during the CB craze of the 1970s and 1980s. ... Ten-codes, properly known as ten signals, are code words used to represent common phrases in voice communication, particularly by law enforcement and in Citizens Band (CB) radio transmissions. ... Amateur radio station with modern solid-state transceiver featuring LCD and DSP capabilities Amateur radio, often called ham radio, is both a hobby and a service that uses various types of radio communications equipment to communicate with other radio amateurs for public service, recreation and self-training. ... The General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) is a land-mobile radio service in the United States available for short-distance two-way communications to facilitate the activities of an adult individual and his or her immediate family members, including a spouse, children, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces, and in... The Family Radio Service is an improved walkie talkie system authorized in the United States. ... Alan 456r PMR446 (Personal Mobile Radio, 446 MHz) is a radio frequency part of the UHF range that is open without licensing for personal usage in most members of the European Union. ... The Multi-Use Radio Service (MURS) is a small two-way radio service consisting of five frequencies in the VHF spectrum. ...

Notes

Chilton Automotive Editorial Department (1977). Chilton's CB Handbook. Radnor, PA: Chilton Book Company. ISBN 0-8019-6623-X.  This article does not cite any references or sources. ... 1. ... This article is about the 1988 action film. ...

Kneitel, Tom (1988). Tomcat's Big CB Handbook. Commack, NY: CRB Research Books. ISBN 0-939780-07-0. 

External links

• CB Radio information from the FCC
• DMOZ: Citizen Band Radio
• Rec.radio.cb FAQ
• Rf-man: Handheld Radio ( Personal radio services around the world )
• RigPix.com: CB/Freeband gallery
• Mercatino del radioamatore e CB