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- Posted-By: auto-faq 3.1.1.4
- Archive-name: radio/cb-faq/part1
- Revision: 1.4 02/07/95 13:35:26
-
- Rec.radio.cb Frequently Asked Questions (Part 1: Introduction)
- --------------------------------------------------------------
-
- 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.announce.newusers newsgroup before posting any articles.
-
- THIS ARTICLE IS INTENDED TO BE A FREE RESOURCE FOR THE BENEFIT OF USENET
- READERS. YOU MAY COPY AND REDISTRIBUTE IT UNDER THE CONDITION THAT THIS
- MESSAGE AND CREDIT TO THE EDITORS AND CONTRIBUTORS ARE INCLUDED WITHOUT
- MODIFICATION. Material from the FAQ may be used to answer any questions.
- Corrections and updates are welcome.
-
- Table of Contents
- -----------------
- Dates indicate last modification.
-
- Part 1: Introduction
- * New Editor Sought (8/94)
- * Table of Contents (9/93)
- * Notes about adding questions & answers to this list (2/92)
- * Acknowledgements (9/93)
- * 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 Japan (6/92)
- - in Australia (1/93)
- - in New Zealand (7/93)
- - in the UK (6/92)
- - in France (4/93)
- - in Germany (6/92)
- - in Italy (7/93)
- - in Russia (7/93)
- - notes for all countries (7/93)
- * What are the CB Frequencies? (11/92)
- - in the USA (6/92)
- - in Canada (6/92)
- - in Australia (2/93)
- - in New Zealand (7/93)
- - in Japan (9/93)
- - in countries subscribing to the European CEPT conference (11/92)
- - in the UK (6/92)
- - in France (11/92)
- - in Germany (11/92)
- - in Italy (7/93)
- - in Russia (7/93)
- - in other countries (1/93)
- * What are the common brands of CB radios? (7/93)
- * 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? (7/93)
- * Who is "Skip" and why can I hear him all the way across the continent? (7/93)
- * 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)
-
-
- New Editor Sought
- -----------------
-
- With any volunteer effort, contributors come and go. The time has come to
- "pass the torch" to another volunteer as editor of the CB FAQ. If you're
- interested in taking on the job of FAQ maintainer, you need to have experience
- with UseNet and the Internet. You also need access to a Unix site which has
- the PERL language (for the AUTO-FAQ software to run.) You don't need to
- have a lot of experience with CB radios - though less experience means more
- leaning on the Net for experience. Expect to learn a lot about it.
-
- This would be an ideal task for a 2nd- or 3rd-year college student who can
- make a multiple-year commitment to volunteer for this.
-
- 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:
-
- Jean-Marc Bonnaudet Jean-Marc.Bonnaudet@zfe.siemens.de
- (Munich, Germany)
- Yumeto Funahashi 7K2EUP funa@sramha.sra.co.jp (Saitama, Wakoh, Japan)
- Ian Kluft KD6EUI ikluft@thunder.sbay.org (Santa Clara, CA, USA)
- Paul W Schleck KD3FU pschleck@gonix.com (Omaha, NE, USA)
-
- English version posted to rec.radio.cb by Ian Kluft
- Japanese version posted to fj.rec.ham by Yumeto Funahashi
-
- 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:
- Michael Larish KD6CTZ (nomad@ecst.csuchico.edu, Chico, CA, USA)
- - helped write the original version of the FAQ
- - served as an editor on the project for 3 years
- 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)
- Bob Witte KB0CY (bob@col.hp.com, Colorado Springs, CO, USA)
- - additional info on GMRS - frequencies, fees, useful contact organization
-
- International/Regulations 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
- 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, type acceptance)
- Jean-Claude Michot (jcmichot@teaser.com, Sevres, France)
- - update for CB regulations in France
- Jon Clarke (jonc@status.gen.nz, Parnell, Auckland, New Zealand)
- - CB in New Zealand
- Vassili Leonov (vassili@sbcs.sunysb.edu, Stony Brook, New York, USA)
- - CB in Russia
- Mike D'Urso (mike%40790.decnet@icnucevx.cnuce.cnr.it, Salerno, Italy)
- - CB in Italy
- Zbigniew Chamski (Zbigniew.Chamski@irisa.fr, France)
- - update for new regulations and tax 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 3.1.1.4
- Archive-name: radio/cb-faq/part2
- Revision: 1.1 08/21/94 21:58:16
-
- Rec.radio.cb Frequently Asked Questions (Part 2: Getting Started)
- -----------------------------------------------------------------
-
- THIS ARTICLE IS INTENDED TO BE A FREE RESOURCE FOR THE BENEFIT OF USENET
- READERS. YOU MAY COPY AND REDISTRIBUTE IT UNDER THE CONDITION THAT THIS
- MESSAGE AND CREDIT TO THE EDITORS AND CONTRIBUTORS ARE INCLUDED WITHOUT
- MODIFICATION. Material from the FAQ may be used to answer any questions.
- Corrections and updates are welcome.
-
- 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 Japan (6/92)
- - in Australia (1/93)
- - in New Zealand (7/93)
- - in the UK (6/92)
- - in France (9/93)
- - in Germany (6/92)
- - in Italy (7/93)
- - in Russia (7/93)
- - notes for all countries (7/93)
- * What are the CB Frequencies? (11/92)
- - in the USA (6/92)
- - in Canada (6/92)
- - in Australia (9/93)
- - in New Zealand (7/93)
- - in Japan (9/93)
- - in countries subscribing to the European CEPT conference (11/92)
- - in the UK (6/92)
- - in France (11/92)
- - in Germany (11/92)
- - in Italy (7/93)
- - in Russia (7/93)
- - in other countries (1/93)
- * What are the common brands of CB radios? (7/93)
- * 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, New Zealand, Japan, the UK, France,
- Germany, Italy and Russia. 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 because 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 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 New Zealand
- A license is required in New Zealand. A callsign will be issued with
- your license. You must identify yourself by at least your callsign.
-
- Callsigns look like AK1122 ("Auckland 1122") or WN63 ("Wellignton 63".)
- There are 16 callsign districts using a 2- to 4-letter code for
- the region name and the radio station number. Some callsigns may be issued
- for experimental use and will have an "X" after the district name (i.e.
- AKX1 "Auckland Experimental 1".)
-
- --- 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 France
- As of 1993, France no longer requires a license for you to operate a CB. But
- there is a 296.50FF tax on CB radios which is close to the cost of the old
- license. The main difference is that the old license was good for 5 years.
- Now you will pay the tax every time you buy a radio.
-
- Like most (or possibly all) of Europe, France does not give you a callsign.
- So 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.
-
- --- in Italy
- A license is required to operate a CB in Italy. Licenses may be obtained
- from Ministero PP.TT. You will need to provide them with your CB's model,
- serial number, and certification number. They will also want to know
- your "handle" (if you go by a fictitious name on the radio) and whether
- you want your license to apply to other members of your family. The total
- cost is (equivalent to) US$50 plus $10 per year. You must notify the PP.TT
- if you sell your radio or buy a new one because the license applies to a
- person and a radio. Our reporter in Italy says it takes about 2-3 months
- for the license to arrive. It is valid for 10 years.
-
- --- in Russia
- A license is required. You must identify yourself by the callsign that
- is issued with your license. Callsigns look like "3A4157".
-
- --- 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. If your government issues a callsign to you,
- you must identify yourself at least with that callsign.
-
-
- * 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, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand,
- Portugal, Norway, Russia, 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. Radios must be type accepted for use in Canada.
-
- --- 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
- max power: 5W
-
- We've been told there are "no antenna restrictions" though you'll probably
- need to double-check with local regulations if you're thinking of putting
- up a tower.
-
- Radios for the Australian 26MHz band are essentially the same as radios made
- for the USA. However, all CB radios used in Australia (either band) must be
- type accepted by the Department of Transport and Communications (DOTAC).
-
- The following AM/SSB band frequencies have special uses in Australia:
- 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 New Zealand
- The CB frequencies, modulation, and power limits are the same as the 26-27 MHz
- CB band in the USA and Australia.
-
- The following frequencies have special uses in New Zealand:
- Channel 5 European call (USB)
- Channel 11 truckers' channel (AM)
- Channel 15 AM calling
- Channel 35 SSB calling
-
- --- 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).
- 421.8125 - 422.300 FM "Specific Low Power Radio", also known as
- "UHF CB" maximum power 0.01W (10mW)
- newly-authorized in 1989, mostly used for
- handy-talkies and ski patrols
- 9 duplex channels with 12.5kHz spacing
- 421.8125/440.2625 ... 421.9125/440.3625
- 9 simplex channels with 12.5 kHz spacing
- 422.2000 ... 422.3000
- Note: other frequencies in this band are
- allocated for business use
- 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 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 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 CEPT & 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.
- (See Part 4.)
-
- --- in France
- France uses the same frequencies (in 40 channels) as CEPT and the USA. AM, FM
- and SSB are permitted. The only legal CB radios in France are those which are
- approved by France Telecom or visiting CEPT-approved radios.
-
- 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 CEPT and 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 Italy
- Italy also uses the same frequencies as CEPT and the USA. AM, FM, and SSB
- are permitted.
-
- frequencies (MHz) modulation description
- 26.965 - 27.405 AM/FM/SSB 40 channels, same frequencies as USA
- max power: 4W AM/FM/SSB
- Directional antennas are not permitted
- Selective call devices (i.e. tone
- encoders or tone squelch) are not
- permitted
-
- Channel 9 is recommended as an emergency channel. Truckers often use
- Channel 5 on AM. It has been reported that Q-codes are popular in Italy.
-
- Our reporters in both Italy and Germany have said that many Italian CB'ers
- can be heard using linear amplifiers even though they are illegal.
-
- --- in Russia
- CB radios in Russia use the same frequencies as the USA and CEPT (European)
- countries. AM and FM are both permitted. The maximum transmit power is
- 5 watts. Our reporter from Russia says there is no restriction on the
- distance of communications so, technically, use of skip (see Part 4) can be
- assumed to be legal.
-
- Because both AM and FM are legal, Russian CB radios can communicate with
- European radios (in FM) and with North American or Australian radios (in AM.)
-
- --- 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!)
-
- * 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 Mexico uses
- 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 ("type accepted") 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.
-
- In Italy, Midland, Lafayette, and President are among the popular brand names.
-
- We currently don't have any corresponding information for other countries. 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 3.1.1.4
- Archive-name: radio/cb-faq/part3
- Revision: 1.1 08/21/94 21:58:22
-
- Rec.radio.cb Frequently Asked Questions (Part 3: Communication)
- ---------------------------------------------------------------
-
- THIS ARTICLE IS INTENDED TO BE A FREE RESOURCE FOR THE BENEFIT OF USENET
- READERS. YOU MAY COPY AND REDISTRIBUTE IT UNDER THE CONDITION THAT THIS
- MESSAGE AND CREDIT TO THE EDITORS AND CONTRIBUTORS ARE INCLUDED WITHOUT
- MODIFICATION. Material from the FAQ may be used to answer any questions.
- Corrections and updates are welcome.
-
- 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 3.1.1.4
- Archive-name: radio/cb-faq/part4
- Revision: 1.1 08/21/94 21:58:25
-
- Rec.radio.cb Frequently Asked Questions (Part 4: Technical Trivia)
- ------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- THIS ARTICLE IS INTENDED TO BE A FREE RESOURCE FOR THE BENEFIT OF USENET
- READERS. YOU MAY COPY AND REDISTRIBUTE IT UNDER THE CONDITION THAT THIS
- MESSAGE AND CREDIT TO THE EDITORS AND CONTRIBUTORS ARE INCLUDED WITHOUT
- MODIFICATION. Material from the FAQ may be used to answer any questions.
- Corrections and updates are welcome.
-
- 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? (7/93)
- * Who is "Skip" and why can I hear him all the way across the continent? (7/93)
- * How can I reduce engine noise on my mobile CB? (3/92)
- * What is GMRS? (9/93)
- * 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, Germany, Canada, New Zealand, and
- Russia it is ILLEGAL to use a linear amplifier on Citizen's Band radio. 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. And the list goes on... we have not yet
- heard of any country that allows more than 4 or 5 watts on AM/FM or 12 watts
- on SSB.
-
- 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 1000 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 the Sun's radiation 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 in the 11-meter band.)
-
- 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 often 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. However, in Russia, there is
- no distance restriction so skip is legal when conditions allow you to make a
- contact.
-
- 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 is a bigger problem
- with AM than with FM because FM has a "capture effect" where the stronger
- signal wins. 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.
- If you use AM, 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. The license fee is US$35 for 5 years.
-
- frequencies (MHz) modulation description
- 460 - 470 FM General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS)
- regular channels (simplex or repeater
- outputs, repeater inputs are 5MHz higher)
- 462.550 462.575 462.600 462.625
- 462.650 462.675 462.700 462.725
- simplex low-power channels
- 462.5625 462.5875 462.6125 462.6375
- 462.6625 462.6875 462.7125
- 31.0-31.3 GHz any mode microwave band now open for individuals
- to use, requires GMRS license
-
- 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 ftp.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.
-
- Another source of information is the Personal Radio Steering Group. A reader
- said they have lots of good information and are enthusiastic about GMRS.
- Personal Radio Steering Group
- PO Box 2851
- Ann Arbor MI 48016
- Phone: (313) MOBILE 3
- BBS: (313) 995-2100
- Compuserve: 73016.163
-
-
- * 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.
-
- Japan, Sweden the USA and many other countries have authorized 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
- (or a few days if you already have some familiarity with the subject) 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.
-