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Posted-By: auto-faq 2.4 Archive-name: radio/cb-faq/part1 Rec.radio.cb Frequently Asked Questions (Part 1: Introduction) -------------------------------------------------------------- [Last modified 4/29/93] This is a regular posting of frequently-asked questions (FAQ) on rec.radio.cb. It is intended to summarize the more common questions on this newsgroup and to help beginners get started. This saves network bandwidth and tries to maintain a good signal-to-noise ratio in the discussions. The FAQ cannot always prevent people from posting repetitive questions. But even if hundreds of questions get posted, it saves you from having to answer them hundreds of times. Also, a friendly pointer to the FAQ in your first answer can help that person refer to the FAQ in the future. That is when we can begin to get a real savings of network bandwidth. To keep the size of each article down, the FAQ has been split into 4 parts: Part 1: Introduction Part 2: Getting Started Part 3: Communication Part 4: Technical Trivia If you are a new reader on rec.radio.cb, we suggest that you print and review the FAQ articles. If you are new to NetNews, please also see the news.newusers newsgroup before posting any articles. Table of Contents ----------------- Dates indicate last modification. Part 1: Introduction * Table of Contents (2/93) * Notes about adding questions & answers to this list (2/92) * Acknowledgements (4/93) * Notes on "Netiquette" (4/92) Part 2: Getting Started * What is CB? (6/92) * Do I need a license to operate a CB radio? (1/93) - in the USA (6/92) - in Canada (2/93) - in the UK (6/92) - in Japan (6/92) - in Australia (1/93) - in France (4/93) - in Germany (6/92) - notes for all countries (6/92) * What are the CB Frequencies? (11/92) - in the USA (6/92) - in Canada (6/92) - in the UK (6/92) - in Australia (2/93) - in Japan (6/92) - in France (11/92) - in Germany (11/92) - in countries subscribing to the European CEPT conference (11/92) - in other countries (1/93) * What are the common brands of CB radios? (6/92) * What should I consider when choosing a location for my antenna? (7/92) * Once I hook up my CB and antenna, is the radio ready to use? (2/92) * What are good antenna characteristics and what are some good antennas? (6/92) Part 3: Communication * Which 10-codes are most commonly used? (7/91) * What are the CB 10-codes? (7/91) * Where are 10-codes used? (3/92) * What are some of the more common Q-codes? (3/92) * What are some tips for communicating with others on the CB? (12/91) Part 4: Technical Trivia * What is single sideband? (11/92) * Do I really get 120 channels on a radio with single sideband? (12/91) * What are "linear amplifiers" and can I use them with a CB? (4/92) * Who is "Skip" and why can I hear him all the way across the continent? (3/92) * How can I reduce engine noise on my mobile CB? (3/92) * What is GMRS? (6/92) * Where can I learn more about radio? (3/92) Notes about adding questions & answers to this list --------------------------------------------------- We accept suggestions from the rec.radio.cb community. Please consider the following criteria because we will also use them to determine which questions to include. - is it a commonly asked question? - will its inclusion help reduce usage of net bandwidth? - how useful is it to CB users in general? Note that we can't necessarily include every question or every technical detail because we don't want this FAQ itself to become a net bandwidth hog. We have to consider the intended audience - this document is intended to help people get started with CB even if they have no previous technical background with radio. Therefore, it will not have all the technical discussions that one might expect in, for example, an amateur radio newsgroup. If you suggest a question for this list, please include the answer. You'll get credit for your contribution and you'll speed up the process of getting the information ready for distribution. If you feel that your suggestion passes any of the above criteria, send it to cb-faq@uts.amdahl.com so that it will reach all the FAQ coordinators: Ian Kluft KD6EUI ikluft@uts.amdahl.com (Santa Clara, CA, USA) Michael Larish KD6CTZ nomad@ecst.csuchico.edu (Chico, CA, USA) Paul W Schleck KD3FU pschleck@unomaha.edu (Omaha, NE, USA) International readers: when you see something specific to some countries but the information on your country is missing, please e-mail the details to us if you have them. Acknowledgements ---------------- The following people are recognized for their contributions (by e-mail or news) that were included in the rec.radio.cb FAQ: Technical Contributors: Paul Zander AA6PZ (paulz@hpspdla.spd.hp.com, Palo Alto, CA, USA) - comments and input on the SWR discussion Bob Myers KC0EW (myers@fc.hp.com, Fort Collins, CO, USA) - news article on antenna grounding in mobile installations Bret Musser (bjm@f.gp.cs.cmu.edu, Pittsburgh, PA, USA) - news article on reduction of engine noise in mobile installations Benn Kobb KC5CW (bkobb@access.digex.com, Houston, TX, USA) - information on the General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) International Contributors: Neil Robertson (conjgr@lut.ac.uk, Leicestershire, UK) - original info on CB in the UK Rob Adams (topfm@darwin.ntu.edu.AU, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia) - CB in Australia (operating regulations) Tetsuo Kobayashi JH8LEF (tetsuo@nttica.ntt.jp, Atsugi-city, Japan) - CB in Japan Jean-Marc Bonnaudet (Jean-Marc.Bonnaudet@ap.mchp.sni.de, Munich, Germany) - CB in France and other Western European countries - our "CB-reporter in Europe" (in his own words) Patrick Wendt (root@chamber.in-berlin.de, Berlin, Germany) - CB in Germany Martin Grundy (grundy@rtf.bt.co.uk, Brighton, UK) - sent faxes of UK CB information sheets - included summary of CEPT standards and the list of conforming countries Nick Gibbs (nick@bean.apana.org.au, Stirling, South Australia, Australia) - CB in Australia (licensing and repeaters) Jean-Claude Michot (jcmichot@teaser.com, Sevres, France) - update for CB regulations in France Notes on "Netiquette" --------------------- With a growing user community, the rec.radio.cb newsgroup will operate more efficiently if the following netiquette guidelines are used. Please take them seriously. * When posting a followup article, ALWAYS try to minimize the number of lines of quoted material from the original article. * As a general rule when you try to determine whether to reply to someone by e-mail or with a followup article, remember to "praise in public, criticize in private." It's OK to disagree on the content but be careful not to attack the person with whom you disagree. Also, be careful with your use of the word "you" when posting a follow-up article. Many unnecessary flame wars have started that way. * Use a descriptive subject. For example, "Antennas" covers a vary large area so some better choices might be, for example, "Antenna tuning" "Antenna installation question" or "Antenna theory question". Also, if a discussion wanders off the original subject, you should modify the subject of your message to match the new topic. For example: Subject: Re: co-phasing (was: truckers with 2 antennas) or, even better: Subject: Re: co-phasing * Before answering a question, check if the FAQ adequately answers it or if someone else already answered it. If you have more to add, make sure to reference either the FAQ or the related articles. * If a user posts a question which is directly answered by the FAQ, there is no need to post an answer - the information is already available on the news- group. Instead, just send an e-mail message which politely explains where to find the FAQ. They will probably appreciate it if you include the answer to their question. (Don't send a "nastygram" - that would just discourage future participation.) * Pay attention to the size of your audience - use the "Distribution:" header. If you leave it blank, your message will go to every civilized country in the world and occupy disk space in all news systems in all those places. If that's what you intend, it's fine but be aware that CB is not the same everywhere. Otherwise, use a distribution for your continent or country as appropriate for the subject of the message. For example, "na" (North America) "europe" "us" "uk" "japan" "france" etc. can be used similar to the following example: Distribution: usa or substitute your continent or country. Also, this regional distribution works for each state of the USA - just use the two-letter postal code for your state (i.e. ca, ne, co, pa, etc.) * If you have an item for sale, please limit the distribution area so that, for example, an article about a radio for sale in New Jersey won't get to California or Europe. If you wish, you may cross-post your for-sale article to rec.radio.swap. * Discussion on any UseNet newsgroup is expected to be within the chartered subject of the group - there is no such thing as unlimited discussion here. This newsgroup is chartered for discussion of legal uses of CB radio. Though some topics are clearly outside these bounds, use some good judgement when talking about borderline cases. Please take seriously any complaints about the appropriateness of a subject. Posted-By: auto-faq 2.4 Archive-name: radio/cb-faq/part2 Rec.radio.cb Frequently Asked Questions (Part 2: Getting Started) ----------------------------------------------------------------- [Last modified 4/29/93] Questions discussed in Part 2: (dates indicate last modification) * What is CB? (6/92) * Do I need a license to operate a CB radio? (1/93) - in the USA (6/92) - in Canada (2/93) - in the UK (6/92) - in Japan (6/92) - in Australia (1/93) - in France (4/93) - in Germany (6/92) - notes for all countries (6/92) * What are the CB Frequencies? (11/92) - in the USA (6/92) - in Canada (6/92) - in the UK (6/92) - in Australia (2/93) - in Japan (6/92) - in France (11/92) - in Germany (11/92) - in countries subscribing to the European CEPT conference (11/92) - in other countries (1/93) * What are the common brands of CB radios? (6/92) * What should I consider when choosing a location for my antenna? (7/92) * Once I hook up my CB and antenna, is the radio ready to use? (2/92) * What are good antenna characteristics and what are some good antennas? (6/92) --Rec.radio.cb Frequently-asked Questions-----------------------------Part 2-- * What is CB? ------------- CB stands for "Citizen's Band" radio. It got that name because its main idea is to be a kind of radio anyone can use. Depending on the country you live in, it is either a minimally-regulated or an unregulated set of radio channels used for short-range (local) communications. Many people use CB radios in their vehicles, homes or both. This UseNet newsgroup "rec.radio.cb" is all about CB radio. The FAQ also covers non-licensed or minimally-regulated radio bands internationally. Readers can expect to find discussions, questions, and answers about legal uses of CB and related bands here. There are also other newsgroups for other radio applications, such as rec.radio.shortwave, rec.radio.broadcasting, and several subgroups of rec.radio.amateur, for amateur or "ham" radio. Radios either wanted or for sale are the subject of rec.radio.swap. (Though, an article about a CB radio for sale should be cross-posted to rec.radio.cb and rec.radio.swap with a distribution limited to your city, state or region.) We have to bring up one point because it has been a problem before: any encouragement of illegal activity is inappropriate because it is outside the chartered scope of this newsgroup. Such illegal activity includes the use of illegal equipment or improper operating procedures. (An ongoing effort has been made to define what is legal in various countries. That depends on reader input.) However, acceptable (possibly borderline) topics include issues about legality, how to deal with unruly CB users, and others. * Do I need a license to operate a CB radio? -------------------------------------------- The answer to this question depends on the country you reside in. We currently have information on the USA, Australia, the UK, Japan, France, and Germany. Note that all of these are from e-mail reports contributed by readers. As regulations change, we can only keep up when people notify us. Please check your local regulations since you are responsible to know and obey them. --- in the USA You are no longer required to have a license to operate a CB radio in the United States. The FCC (Federal Communications Commission) did at one time require a Class "D" license for for Citizen's Band which required nothing more than filling out a form and sending it in to the FCC with the license fee. The FCC then sent you a call sign which might look like "KPS 2720" or something similar. During the CB craze in the mid-70's, the FCC decided that the paper- work burden outweighed the benefits and put CB under blanket authorization. The FCC permits the use of the following to identify yourself: 1. Your old Class D callsign, if you have one. 2. K, your first and last initials, and your zip code (i.e. KPS 68123) 3. your name (i.e. "Paul") 4. some unique nickname or Handle (i.e. "Cobra", "Rubber Duck", etc.) A rule change in May 1992 now allows one-way transmissions about highway conditions on CB. This was intended to allow local authorities to use unattended audio warnings about road construction or other hazards. In the USA, there are two additional radio bands besides CB which are intended for use with minimal regulation by individuals. 1. GMRS, the General Mobile Radio Service, is located in the 460-470 MHz band. A license is required. More information is included in Part 4. 2. The FCC has recently opened up the 31.0-31.3 GHz microwave band to licensed users of several fixed and mobile radio services including GMRS. --- in Canada No license is required. You may identify yourself by your name or a handle of your choice. --- in the UK A license is required in the UK. For licensing information and/or a set of "CB information sheets" you may contact the DTI (Department of Trade and Industry) at the following address: CB Licensing Section, Radiocommunications Agency, Room 613, Waterloo Bridge House, Waterloo Road, London SE1 8UA, UK. The telephone number is (+44) 71 215 2171. The UK will honor licenses from other countries using CEPT-approved radios. (See the CB Frequencies section below on CEPT for more information.) Your license may be used under the terms from the country which issued it. --- in Japan No license is required. You may identify yourself by your name or a handle of your choice. --- in Australia Australia's CB regulations are similar to what the USA had before it deregu- lated CB. A license is required but there is no examination. At last report, the annual fee was A$18. The government will issue a callsign such as "VHSA 999" which includes the Australian prefix "VH", a code for the state (South Australia in this example) and a 3- or 4-numeral suffix. --- in France You are required to obtain a license but there is no examination. At the time of this writing, the license costs 300FF the first time you buy a transmitter. You have to send France Telecom the "agreement number" from your radio. Once on the air, you may identify yourself by your name or a handle of your choice. France will honor licenses from other countries using CEPT-approved radios. Your license may be used under the terms from the country which issued it. --- in Germany A license is required whether you plan to use FM or both AM and FM. The "agreement card" costs more if your radio also has AM. You may identify yourself by your name or a handle of your choice. Germany will honor licenses from other countries using CEPT-approved radios. Your license may be used under the terms from the country which issued it. --- notes for all countries There are rules and regulations that must be complied with while using CB, no matter which country you live in. If you don't have a list of those rules (which most likely were included with your CB), you will probably find them at any store that sells CB radios. * What are the CB Frequencies? ------------------------------ The answer to this question depends on the country you reside in. We currently have information on Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Japan, the Netherlands, Portugal, Norway, Sweden, the UK, the USA, and Vatican City. --- in the USA Legal CB transmitters use the operator's choice of AM (amplitude modulation) (with 4 watts maximum power) or single sideband (with 12 watts maximum power) on the following frequencies. frequencies (MHz) modulation description 26.965 - 27.405 AM/SSB Citizen's Band (CB) 40 channels, max power 4W AM, 12W SSB 1=26.965 11=27.085 21=27.215 31=27.315 2=26.975 12=27.105 22=27.225 32=27.325 3=26.985 13=27.115 23=27.255* 33=27.335 4=27.005 14=27.125 24=27.235* 34=27.345 5=27.015 15=27.135 25=27.245* 35=27.355 6=27.025 16=27.155 26=27.265 36=27.365 7=27.035 17=27.165 27=27.275 37=27.375 8=27.055 18=27.175 28=27.285 38=27.385 9=27.065 19=27.185 29=27.295 39=27.395 10=27.075 20=27.205 30=27.305 40=27.405 460 - 470 FM General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) license required, see Part 4 31.0-31.3 GHz any mode microwave band now open for individuals to use, requires GMRS license, see Part 4 * Channels 23-25 are not in ascending order due to historical reasons. CB started with only 23 channels. Later, 24 and 25 filled a gap between 22 and 23 and 26-40 were added in ascending order. Special-use channels: 9 - emergency, monitored in some areas by "REACT", a volunteer group coordinated by the local Sheriff's office (not in all areas) 17 - unofficial "trucker's" channel (California & western states.) 19 - official "trucker's" channel for traffic and speed trap advisories 30-40 - Often are used for single sideband (SSB) activity Note that US regulations disallow "DX" long-distance communications (over 150 miles in this case) with CB. However, directional antennas may be used to enhance communications within the legal range. --- in Canada The CB frequencies, modulation, and power limits are the same as the 26-27 MHz CB band in the USA. --- in the UK The UK has 3 bands for CB as follows: frequencies (MHz) modulation description 26.965 - 27.405 FM 40 channels, same frequencies as USA 4W max power radios using this band are marked "PR 27 GB" or "CEPT PR 27 GB" and are CEPT-approved 27.6 - 27.99 FM 40 channels, 0.01 MHz (10 kHz) spacing 4W max power radios using this band are marked "27/81-UK" and are only legal in the UK 934.0125-934.9625 FM 20 channels, 0.05 MHz (50 kHz) spacing 4W max power radios using this band are marked "CB 934/81" and are only legal in the UK, no new radios of this type are being made but existing equipment may continue to be used legally Antennas must be omnidirectional - beams and yagis are prohibited. Antennas must stand vertically, no higher than 1.65m (not including ground plane.) AM and FM are not compatible so a US-legal CB cannot communicate with any UK-legal CB even though they may use the same frequencies. And each is illegal on the others' soil so this only prevents use of atmospheric skip between them. --- in Australia Australia has 2 bands for CB. The use of AM or FM depends on the band. frequencies (MHz) modulation description 26.965 - 27.405 AM/SSB 40 channels, same frequencies as USA max power: 4W AM, 12W SSB (same as USA) 476.500 - 477.475 FM 40 channels, .025 MHz (25 kHz) spacing As the first of the two bands above shows, made-for-the-USA CB radios are legal in Australia. The following AM/SSB band frequencies have special uses either by regulation or by common usage: Channel 8 Road channel (truckers) Channel 9 Emergency (same as USA) Channel 11 AM calling Channel 16/LSB SSB calling, also used for DX (distance) Channel 35/LSB unofficial additional SSB calling, also for DX A unique feature of Australia's 476-477 MHz band is that repeaters are allowed. Inputs are on Channels 31-38 and outputs are on Channels 1-8. A repeater must use the proper channel pair, i.e. 1/31 to 8/38. The maximum power output for a repeater is 21W input. Note: as with repeaters on other bands, do not begin to operate one without obtaining and fully understanding the applicable regulations. Additional information about the technical aspects repeater operation is available from amateur (Ham) radio sources such as the ARRL Handbook. --- in Japan Japan has 3 radio bands that do not require licenses. Two of them are limited to extremely short-range use because of low power limits. The other, with maximum power output of 5 watts, is more like CB as it is known in North America, Europe and Australia. frequencies (MHz) modulation description 26.968 - 27.144 AM (no SSB) "Citizen's Radio" maximum power 0.5W channels 1-8 on 26.968, 26.967, 27.040, 27.080, 27.088, 27.112, 27.120, and 27.144. Other channels in between these are assigned to fishing vessels (with 1W max power). 422.200 - 422.300 FM "Specific Low Power Radio", also known as "UHF CB" maximum power 0.01W (10mW) 9 channels with 12.5 kHz spacing. newly-authorized in 1989, mostly used for handy-talkies and ski patrols 903.0125-904.9875 FM "Personal Radio" maximum power 5W 158 channels with 12.5 kHz spacing External antennas are permitted. Radios must be equipped with a control ROM for automatic ID. As in Europe, made-for-the-USA CB radios are illegal in Japan. There have been cases where such radios have caused interference with maritime emergency traffic. --- in France France uses the same frequencies (in 40 channels) as the USA but also allows FM in the same band. The only legal CB radios in France are those which are approved by France Telecom. frequencies (MHz) modulation description 26.965 - 27.405 AM/SSB/FM 40 channels, same frequencies as USA max power: 1W AM, 4W SSB, 4W FM Channel 9 AM used to be for emergencies but was deregulated because no one monitored it for that purpose. Channel 19 AM is the calling channel (used to establish contact then move to another channel.) Channel 11 FM is used for DX/skip long-distance contacts. Channel 27 AM is sometimes used as a calling channel for base stations (at home.) AM is the most commonly-used modulation method in France. When traveling outside France, remember that most countries in the CEPT conference do not permit the use of AM or SSB. France has adopted the CEPT rules for CB in Europe - see below for more information. --- in Germany Germany also uses the same frequencies as the USA. AM and FM are the only legal modes of modulation. (SSB is not allowed.) AM is only allowed on some channels. frequencies (MHz) modulation description 26.965 - 27.405 AM/FM 40 channels, same frequencies as USA max power: 1W AM and 4W FM AM is allowed on Channels 4-15 FM is allowed on all 40 channels SSB is not permitted All signals must have vertical polarity. Channel 4 FM is the calling channel. FM is the more commonly-used modulation method in Germany. Notes: to meet the vertical polarity requirement, antennas must stand vert- ically. Also, tone-call transceivers are allowed so you can use touch tones to call someone if they are within receiving range and have a radio that will recognize the tones. When traveling outside Germany, remember that most countries in the CEPT conference do not permit the use of AM. Germany has adopted the CEPT rules for CB in Europe - see below for more information. --- in countries subscribing to the European CEPT conference The following countries have implemented the CEPT (Conference of European Postal and Telecommunications administrations) recommendations T/R 20-02 and T/R 20-07 for CB radios: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus (see Note 1), Denmark (see Note 2), Finland, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal (see Note 2), Norway (see Note 2), Sweden, United Kingdom, and Vatican City. Notes: 1) as of last report, confirmation was pending in Cyprus 2) special markings are required on the radios so, for example, UK radios marked "CEPT PR 27 GB" are legal but ones marked "PR 27 GB" are not. Radios from other countries may also be similarly affected. CEPT approval is significant because, with the exceptions listed above, CEPT- approved CBs from any one of the countries listed above can be used in any other on the list. frequencies (MHz) modulation description 26.965 - 27.405 FM 40 channels, same frequencies as USA 4W max power If you travel to another CEPT-conforming country, you may use your CB under the terms of your license from your own country. Be aware that only FM is CEPT-approved so AM and SSB may not be legal to use once you cross the border. Important note: CEPT-approved CB radios are not legal in the USA and made-for- the-USA CB radios are not legal anywhere in Europe. The difference is because CEPT radios use FM and American radios use AM or SSB. There are no agreements allowing a radio which is type-accepted in North America to be used in Europe or vice versa. Channel 19 appears to be the calling channel in most CEPT-conforming countries. When exceptions are known, they are listed specifically for the country. --- in other countries This is the "grab bag" section. We have incomplete information on these countries but we'll tell you what we've heard. We'll add more information as people send it to us. (If you know more, please tell us!) * Italy uses AM and FM like France and Germany. Channel 5 AM is the calling channel. Channel 9 has no special designation (i.e. it is not an emergency channel.) Italy also has some other non-licensed frequencies but we don't have any more information. * They transmit with a lot of power in Italy (21W is common for AM/FM/SSB) but we don't yet know how much is legal. * Switzerland uses FM on the same frequencies as CEPT but CBs do not appear to be very common there. * Channel 19 is the calling channel in Poland. Some probably-outdated info said that this was also the case in Czechoslovakia but that may not necessarily be true under the new governments of the Czech Republic and Slovakia. * The calling channels in Austria are 4 AM and 9 AM. * From California, we can hear a lot of CB activity in Mexico via skip but no one has provided us with any details yet. However, we know that they use AM on the same frequencies as the USA's 27 Mhz CB band. In every country we know of where CB is legal, radios must be type-accepted, meaning they must have been manufactured specifically for use with one or more country's regulations. They must be unmodified and properly marked for use in that country. The exception is CEPT-approved radios, which may be used in any country which has implemented the conference's recommendations. * What are the common brands of CB radios? ------------------------------------------ Some of the more common brands that you will find out in the USA market are as follows: Uniden, Cobra, Midland, Realistic (Radio Shack), Archer (Radio Shack) and others. Made-for-the-USA CB radios are also legal in Canada and Australia though they must be properly labeled for sale and use in those countries. In France some common brands of radios are President and Midland. These are somewhat similar to Germany but the President brand is known as "Stabo" there. We currently don't have any corresponding information for Japan or the rest of Europe. Note that radios must be marked properly for sale in your country, even in countries using American or CEPT (European) radios. * What should I consider when choosing a location for my antenna? ----------------------------------------------------------------- The answer to this question differs greatly between base and mobile installa- tions. Each will be answered separately. In mobile installations, things to consider are whether you're willing to drill holes or use a magnet mount, gutter mount, trunk mount, or a bumper mount. If you say "no" to all of those (which would probably mean you have a very nice car) your list of options is pretty short - use a handheld with a rubber duck antenna. Otherwise, you can start making choices with the following things in mind: 1) the closer your antenna is to the top & center of the vehicle, the better. So the roof is better than the rain gutter or trunk and all of those are far better than the bumper. But they'll all work. 2) a drilled/permanent mount is better than a magnet mount in the same loca- tion. (This is so that the antenna gets a better "ground plane".) If you use a magnet mount, run your coax feed line through the door or hatch that gets the least use and then leave it alone. Don't use any path where the coax would get pinched. For base installations (i.e. at home) the best places are "as high as you can" within legal limits. The roof is normally fine. If you're in an apartment complex, you may be limited to a balcony but ask the manager - they may just want you to keep it "invisible." (Check your national and local regulations. In the USA, the FCC regulations limit CB antennas to 60 feet above ground level or maybe shorter if you live close to an airport - one foot high for every hundred feet from the nearest runway.) Base station antennas should have a good ground in case of lightning. (In the rare event of a lightning strike, this can mean the difference between burning down the building or just the radio.) Most cold water pipes that go into the ground will work. But the best choice for a ground would be an 8-foot (2.4m) copper rod stuck in the ground near the antenna. (If you want to use anything other than the rod for a ground, contact someone knowledgeable about housing construction and safety - you don't want to accidentally use a hot water or gas pipe. You also need to know your local building codes.) * Once I hook up my CB and antenna, is the radio ready to use? -------------------------------------------------------------- No. When you get a new CB and/or new antenna, the CB and the antenna must be tuned or "matched." To do this, you need an SWR meter which is a device that measures the impedance between the radio and the antenna. SWR stands for "Standing Wave Ratio." The lower your SWR, the better your match. First timers are recommended to get help from a knowledgeable person but some notes about the process are included here. You do NOT want your SWR reading to be over 3:1 ratio on any channel. It can damage your radio. A "perfect" match is 1.0:1 which gives you the best efficiency for your radio's output. However, "perfect" isn't possible so 1.1:1 is the best you can hope for. Even 1.5:1 is acceptable, but it isn't as good. You will only be able to achieve your best match on one or a small group of channels. The SWR will increase on each channel as you get further from that point. So 2:1 may even be unavoidable on the extremes, like Channels 1 and/or 40. If you know you're going to use one channel most of the time, try to put your best match there. Otherwise, just center it at Channel 20 so you can use all 40 channels optimally. You may find SWR meters at places like Radio Shack or amateur radio dealers. Further information about Standing Wave Ratio can be obtained from the ARRL Handbook. (ARRL is the American Radio Relay League. Their annual handbook is full of information on many different aspects of amateur radio but the basic concepts apply in all radio bands.) Most stores that sell CB radios will have an SWR meter and someone who knows how to use it. But they will charge for their services. * What are good antenna characteristics and what are some good antennas? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Antennas have to be designed to transmit and receive on the band that you are using. CB is located in the 11-meter band. (They call it that because the wavelength is about 11 meters.) CB antennas range in height from a little under 2 feet (24 inches) up to 108 inches. The 1/4 wave whip (108") will offer better reception and transmission capability over a shorter, coiled or "loaded" antenna. VERY short antennas, or multiple antennas that aren't "phased" properly will result in a very poor signal. Remember, for cophasing antennas, they must be 1/4 wavelength apart which, for the 11 meter band, is around 9 feet. Most cars aren't wide enough to allow antennas to be placed 9 feet apart. The other characteristic of cophasing is that it is much more direc- tional than a single antenna. It will transmit and receive MUCH better along the axis of the car than sideways off the car so if you want a omnidirectional antenna, you don't want cophasing (so you only want one antenna.) Another subject of common questions is about antennas which receive AM/FM broadcast stations and act as a CB transceiver antenna. User experiences on this newsgroup vary widely with each brand. (The motorized ones seem to have the least favor among the postings we've seen.) In general, these antennas work but are not nearly as good as a dedicated CB antenna. You have to weigh the advantages and disadvantages for your circumstances. Good brands of dedicated CB antennas in the USA include (but are not necessarily limited to) Hustler, Wilson, FireStick and K-40. In France, some common brands are President and Magnum. Posted-By: auto-faq 2.4 Archive-name: radio/cb-faq/part3 Rec.radio.cb Frequently Asked Questions (Part 3: Communication) --------------------------------------------------------------- [Last modified 3/15/92] Questions discussed in Part 3: (dates indicate last modification) * Which 10-codes are most commonly used? (7/91) * What are the CB 10-codes? (7/91) * Where are 10-codes used? (3/92) * What are some of the more common Q-codes? (3/92) * What are some tips for communicating with others on the CB? (12/91) --Rec.radio.cb Frequently-asked Questions-----------------------------Part 3-- * Which 10-codes are most commonly used? ---------------------------------------- When getting started, remember at least the following 10-codes: 10-1 Receiving Poorly 10-4 Ok, Message Received 10-7 Out of Service, Leaving Air (you're going off the air) 10-8 In Service, subject to call (you're back on the air) 10-9 Repeat Message 10-10 Transmission Completed, Standing By (you'll be listening) 10-20 "What's your location?" or "My location is..." Commonly asked as "What's your 20?" and maybe also this one... 10-100 Need to go to Bathroom Also, remember that 10-4 only means "message received". If you want to say "yes", use "affirmative". For "no", use "negative". * What are the CB 10-codes? --------------------------- 10-1 Receiving Poorly 10-2 Receiving Well 10-3 Stop Transmitting 10-4 Ok, Message Received 10-5 Relay Message 10-6 Busy, Stand By 10-7 Out of Service, Leaving Air 10-8 In Service, subject to call 10-9 Repeat Message 10-10 Transmission Completed, Standing By 10-11 Talking too Rapidly 10-12 Visitors Present 10-13 Advise weather/road conditions 10-16 Make Pickup at... 10-17 Urgent Business 10-18 Anything for us? 10-19 Nothing for you, return to base 10-20 My Location is ......... or What's your Location? 10-21 Call by Telephone 10-22 Report in Person too ...... 10-23 Stand by 10-24 Completed last assignment 10-25 Can you Contact ....... 10-26 Disregard Last Information/Cancel Last Message/Ignore 10-27 I am moving to Channel ...... 10-28 Identify your station 10-29 Time is up for contact 10-30 Does not conform to FCC Rules 10-32 I will give you a radio check 10-33 Emergency Traffic at this station 10-34 Trouble at this station, help needed 10-35 Confidential Information 10-36 Correct Time is ......... 10-38 Ambulance needed at ......... 10-39 Your message delivered 10-41 Please tune to channel ........ 10-42 Traffic Accident at .......... 10-43 Traffic tieup at ......... 10-44 I have a message for you (or .........) 10-45 All units within range please report 10-50 Break Channel 10-62 Unable to copy, use phone 10-62sl unable to copy on AM, use Sideband - Lower (not an official code) 10-62su unable to copy on AM, use Sideband - Upper (not an official code) 10-65 Awaiting your next message/assignment 10-67 All units comply 10-70 Fire at ....... 10-73 Speed Trap at ............ 10-75 You are causing interference 10-77 Negative Contact 10-84 My telephone number is ......... 10-85 My address is ........... 10-91 Talk closer to the Mike 10-92 Your transmitter is out of adjustment 10-93 Check my frequency on this channel 10-94 Please give me a long count 10-95 Transmit dead carrier for 5 sec. 10-99 Mission completed, all units secure 10-100 Need to go to Bathroom 10-200 Police needed at .......... * Where are 10-codes used? -------------------------- 10-codes originated in the USA and are, apparently, only used in English- speaking countries. However, no matter which codes are used in your country, be aware that there are local dialects in every urban area and region. You have to listen to others to learn the phrases and codes in you area. Be aware that the use of codes specifically to obscure the meaning of a trans- mission is probably illegal in most countries. The difference is this - codes which are well known and make communications shorter or more efficient are normally allowed. * What are some of the more common Q-codes? ------------------------------------------- Q-codes are used in many kinds of radio communications, including CB sideband but not typically on CB AM. (If your radio doesn't have sideband, don't worry about Q-codes.) Q-codes originated with amateur radio but their use in CB, even more so than 10-codes, can vary depending on who published the list. The following is an abbreviated list of Q-codes borrowed from amateur radio: QRM man made noise, adjacent channel interference QRN static noise QRO increase power QRP reduce power QRT shut down, clear QSL confirmation, often refers to confirmation cards exchanged by hams QSO conversation QSX standing by on the side QSY move to another frequency QTH address, location The following is from a list of Q-codes used by the X-Ray Club (a sideband- users club headquartered in Paradise, California): QRL Busy, Stand By QRM Man Made Interference QRT Stop Transmit or Shutting Down (same as 10-7 on AM) QRX Stop Transmit or Standing By QRZ Who is Calling? QS Receiving Well QSB Receiving Poorly QSK I have something to Say or Station breaking QSM Repeat Message QSO Radio Contact QSP Relay Message QSX Standing By (same as 10-10 on AM) QSY Changing Frequency QTH My Location is... or What's your location? QTR Correct Time Q-codes may be used to ask questions (QTH?) or to answer them (QTH is 5th & Ivy Streets.) The ARRL Handbook and the ARRL operating guides have more complete listings of those used for amateur radio. (ARRL is an amateur radio organization.) Historically, the Q signals were instituted at the 'World Administrative Radio Conference' (WARC) in 1912. Because of their international origin, Q-codes may be more accepted outside English-speaking countries than 10-codes are. * What are some tips for communicating with others on the CB? ------------------------------------------------------------- The following is a list that is generally considered proper procedure or polite when using a CB radio. It can also be considered a beginner's survival guide. This list was compiled from common problems that have plagued beginners since CBs first became popular. - When two people are talking, essentially they temporarily "own" the channel. US FCC regulations say that they have to give other people opportunities to use the channel if they're going to use it more than several minutes. But it is not up to an outsider to "take" the channel from them. - Take care not to "step on" other units (i.e. transmitting at the same time as they are, thereby making both your transmissions unreadable.) This usually means that you should adjust your break squelch level so that you can hear the other unit and then only begin to transmit when you can't hear anyone else. - NEVER deliberately key over someone else. Nobody likes that. - If you hear one unit break for another unit, give some time for the unit to respond before you say anything yourself. (Keep in mind that they may have to fumble for a microphone in a moving car or dodge furniture enroute to a base station.) Remember, the calling unit has the channel. - If you want to talk on a channel that is in use, it is very likely that your initial transmissions will accidentally "walk over" someone elses. So you must keep them short. The word "break" is generally accepted. Try to time it in a pause in the conversation. - Even when your "break" has been recognized, keep your next transmission short. For example, "Break one-seven for Godzilla" if you're on Channel 17 and looking for someone whose handle is Godzilla. If Godzilla doesn't answer in a reasonably short amount of time, it doesn't hurt to say "thanks for the break" to the units that stopped their conversation for you. - If you break on an open (unused) channel, you don't have to be as brief. For example, "Break 17 for Godzilla. Are you out there Godzilla?". However, the short form is perfectly acceptable, too. Use what fits your style. - If someone speaking to you gets "walked over" so that you can't understand the message, you basically have two options. You can tell the person you were listening to, "10-9, you were stepped on", or you can find out what the breaker wants, "Go ahead break", before returning to your original conversation. You should eventually recognize the breaker and find out what they want. - If two people are talking and you would like to interject a response, you will probably just walk over someone. Use the procedure above to properly break into the conversation. - If someone doesn't answer your breaks after two or three attempts. Stop and wait for several minutes or, in mobile units, for several highway miles or city blocks. Others may have their radios on and don't want to listen to the same break more than three times in succession. - In other circumstances, improvise. Take into account other people's points of view. Give people proper access to the channel and try not to do anything to annoy other units. - If you make a mistake in any of the procedures above, don't waste air time on a busy channel by apologizing. (If the channel isn't busy, it's your choice.) Just try to do it right in the future. Everyone takes a little time to learn. OK, now you know how to conduct yourself on the radio. However, there are and will probably always be units that don't. Be patient. You don't have auth- ority to enforce any rules so don't break any by trying. Posted-By: auto-faq 2.4 Archive-name: radio/cb-faq/part4 Rec.radio.cb Frequently Asked Questions (Part 4: Technical Trivia) ------------------------------------------------------------------ [last modified 11/21/92] Questions discussed in Part 4: (dates indicate last modification) * What is single sideband? (11/92) * Do I really get 120 channels on a radio with single sideband? (12/91) * What are "linear amplifiers" and can I use them with a CB? (4/92) * Who is "Skip" and why can I hear him all the way across the continent? (3/92) * How can I reduce engine noise on my mobile CB? (3/92) * What is GMRS? (6/92) * Where can I learn more about radio? (3/92) --Rec.radio.cb Frequently-asked Questions-----------------------------Part 4-- * What is single sideband? -------------------------- To understand single-sideband (SSB), one must first have a picture of what's going on in a normal AM (amplitude modulation) transmission. For example, on Channel 21 (in North America, Australia, and Europe), a "carrier" is transmit- ted at 27.215 MHz. Your voice (or whatever you're transmitting) is used to change (modulate) the height (amplitude) of the signal so that it can be reconstructed as your voice on the receiving end. Actually, the amplitude of the carrier does not change. The addition (modulation) of another signal, like your voice, onto the carrier will increase the amplitude at other frequencies adjacent to the the carrier. A 300 Hz tone, for example, would add signals 300 Hz above and below the carrier. Every frequency component of your voice has the same additive effect. These modula- tion effects are the upper and lower sidebands of the transmitted signal. Normal AM transmissions include the carrier signal, the upper sideband (USB) and lower sideband (LSB). The difference in frequency from the bottom of the lower sideband to the top of the upper sideband is called the bandwidth of the signal; it will be twice as wide as the highest frequency modulated onto the carrier. (For poorly filtered radios, this can unintentionally interfere with adjacent channels if the bandwidth is too wide. Poor filtering becomes easily noticeable at higher power levels.) There is enough information in either sideband to reconstruct the original signal. Therefore, radios which can use single sideband are able to filter out the carrier and the opposite sideband before transmitting them, leaving either the upper sideband or lower sideband, as selected by the CB operator. Obviously, for a conversation to take place, both the transmitting and receiving radios have to be on the same channel and sideband setting (i.e. Channel 25 LSB.) Some additional tuning will be necessary with a "clarifier" control. Assuming proper filtering within the radios, it should be possible for sep- arate conversations to occur on the upper and lower sidebands of a given channel without interfering with each other. * Do I really get 120 channels on a radio with single sideband? --------------------------------------------------------------- [This applies to the USA, Australia, Canada, and any other countries that use AM and SSB on the same 40-channel band.] Yes and no. SSB does give you 120 different communications paths (40 AM, 40 USB, and 40 LSB) but they are not free of interference from each other. The upper and lower sidebands will interfere with the AM channel and vice versa. With some radios, even the opposite sidebands can interfere with each other. For example, (and this works for any channel - just fill in a different number from 1 to 40) Channel 17 has an AM channel that every radio can use. Radios with SSB will also be able to use the upper and lower sidebands. However, within a few miles of each other, you can't effectively use the AM channel if people are talking on either sideband. Though not as strong, users of sideband will know if someone is using the AM channel but the higher legal power settings on sideband give them an advantage. * What are "linear amplifiers" and can I use them with a CB? ------------------------------------------------------------ In the USA, UK, Australia, Japan, France, and Germany, it is ILLEGAL to use a linear amplifier on Citizen's Band radio. (Sorry, we don't yet have info on Canada or other countries.) In the USA and Australia, the maximum amount of power that is rated for CB is 4 watts on AM and 12 watts PEP (peak envelope power) on sideband. In Japan, the Citizen's Radio band is limited to 1/2 watt on AM and the Personal Radio band is limited to 5 watts on FM. In France and Germany, CBs can transmit up to 1 watt on AM and 4 watts on FM. For other countries, if there is a power limit on CB transmissions, any amplifier that boosts a radio's power beyond that point is obviously in violation. Linear amplifiers allow a radio to transmit using much greater power than is legal. They may range from 30 watts to above 500 watts. The problem is that, in reality, you can't communicate with anyone you can't hear. But you can easily interfere with people you can't hear if you use more than legal power. So a good antenna is the best solution for getting better range out of your CB. The reaction to questions about linear amplifiers on this newsgroup will vary with the country you are from. In countries where they are illegal, you will probably find yourself severely flamed... In other countries, to avoid a negative response, you may want to limit the distribution of the article to your country or continent, as appropriate. Besides, most black-market linears are low quality and will distort your signal and interfere with consumer electronics or other radio services. (Stray signals from a linear outside of the CB frequencies can bring a swift response from whoever it interferes with.) It is far better to run a clean radio with a clean signal into a high-quality coaxial feedline and antenna tuned for low SWR. Most radios are deliberately undertuned from the factory (to make sure that\ they are well within type-acceptance limits). Take it down to a 2-way radio shop and get it a "full-legal maxout" to 4 Watts AM, 12 Watts SSB at 100% modulation. * Who is "Skip" and why can I hear him all the way across the continent? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ If you've heard the term "skip" before, it refers to a condition where a radio signal bounces (actually, refracts, but that's getting technical) off the Iono- sphere, a higher layer in the Earth's atmosphere. For all practical purposes, this only happens during daytime hours because it's the Sun's radiation that charges up the Ionosphere and allows the signals to be bounced back to the surface. (Some residual "charge" remains in the upper atmosphere during the night but it is normally not as noticeable.) It's called "skip" because, in terms of where a given signal can be heard, it skips over a long distance before reaching the surface again. The distances vary but they can easily be over 1000 miles (1600km). For example, in Califor- nia, under skip conditions it's possible to hear signals from Alabama or other eastern states. However, skip is not a reliable means of communication. Besides, it may also be illegal to intentionally use skip for communications. For example, in the USA you may not use CB for communications beyond 150 miles. (150mi = 240km) CB is intended for local communications. Skip signals are normally weak, though enough of them from different places can add up to a lot of noise. If you hear a strong signal, the person is prob- ably using a linear amplifier which, as discussed above, is illegal in at least the USA, UK, Japan, France, and Germany and frowned-upon almost everywhere. Though there are some conditions when a legally-powered station with a special antenna can create a strong signal via skip, these are rare. Most CB users' experiences with skip is to turn their squelch higher to cut out the heavy background noise during the daytime. This means that anyone you talk to (locally) will have to be close by to send a strong enough signal to overcome the background noise and your squelch setting. There's really no way around this so get used to it. * How can I reduce engine noise on my mobile CB? ------------------------------------------------ If you have problems with engine noise in a mobile installation, there are several things you can do to reduce or eliminate the problem. - Make sure you've completely installed your CB and the antenna is grounded properly. Check the amount of noise with and without the antenna connected. If the noise is greater when the antenna is connected, the source is probably the ignition system. If the noise remains unchanged after disconnecting the antenna, the source is probably in the CB's power supply. - For ignition noise, there are several parts of the vehicle that can act like RF noise transmitters if not properly grounded. Check (and connect to ground on the chassis/frame, if necessary) the engine block, hood, muffler, and exhaust pipe. - Ignition noise can be further reduced by installing "magnetic suppression" spark plug cables. (These are significantly more expensive than normal spark plug cables.) - For power supply noise, check if you have a capacitor attached to your ignition coil, alternator, and distributor. These can act as filters right at the source of the noise. - Ensure that your antenna feedline and power lines are as far as possible from any of the noise sources mentioned above, especially the engine block. - A shielded power cable can help as well. Make sure it is of sufficient guage to handle your radio's power consumption and that the shielding has a good, strong connection to ground on the vehicle chassis or frame. - Electronics stores such as Radio Shack sell cheap power filters for noise- reduction purposes. You get what you pay for, though - most comments on this newsgroup are that they are not as effective as the other measures above. Of course, the best performance can be obtained from a more expensive radio with better noise suppression circuits. These measures, however, will improve the engine noise levels for nearly any mobile radio. * What is GMRS? --------------- [This applies only to the USA.] The General Mobile Radio Service is another personal radio band. Its frequency allocation is in the ultra-high frequency (UHF) spectrum, co-located with some other radio services in the range from 460-470 MHz. It requires a license but there is no examination. Though GMRS is not CB, it is listed here because it is intended for use by individuals. A single GMRS license also covers the members of the licensee's household. GMRS is used for mobile-to-mobile or base-to-mobile communications but base-to-base communications are prohibited. One useful aspect of GMRS is that repeaters are allowed so that a mobile GMRS station can extend its range well beyond the limits of an ordinary 5-watt mobile transmitter. Only individuals may obtain GMRS licenses. Some businesses still have licenses from before the rules were changed in 1989 but no new licenses are being issued to "non-individuals." Recent changes in regulations have given GMRS licensees access to the micro- wave band at 31.0-31.3 GHz for both fixed and mobile use. The licensee must notify the FCC of each transmitter with a standard FCC form. For more information, you can obtain compressed text files via anonymous FTP at charon.amdahl.com in the /pub/radio/other directory in the files called gmrs.intro.Z and gmrs.microwave.Z. If you don't have access to the Internet or need help with FTP, see the rec.radio.amateur.misc FAQ, Part 3. * Where can I learn more about radio? ------------------------------------- If you like what you see here and want to learn more about the technical aspects of radio, you may be interested in getting an amateur ("ham") radio license. These licenses are available in almost every country in the world, including all of the countries that have CB. Amateur radio is very different from CB. This is neither good nor bad - they have different purposes. With the training that a licensed amateur radio operator is expected to have, much more powerful transmitters are allowed - but the operator should know when that power is not necessary and refrain from it. Amateurs have no limits on the range of their communications (at least, by law or treaty) so it is possible to make distant "DX" contacts using atmos- pheric skip, satellites, or even bouncing signals off the Moon. Again, training and the willingness to cooperate (to avoid interference with others) are necessary for obtaining and using these privileges. In what may become a trend in other countries, Sweden and the USA have author- ized a new amateur radio "no-code" license which requires only a written test (no morse code). However, the test is challenging enough to necessitate several weeks of study so don't go unprepared. More information, see the FAQ articles in the rec.radio.amateur.misc newsgroup. Even if you don't want the license, books intended for amateur radio operators make available a wealth of information on understanding transmitters, recei- vers, antennas, modulation, signal propagation, electronics, and many other topics which also apply to CB.