Unlike Television or broadcast radio waves, with a cb radio we can talk back.
CB radio is a short range communication method which is used in most parts of the world and while you might imagine that CB would have been wiped out by the invention of the cellphone, the opposite appears to be the case.
1. Licensing. Unlike CB users in the UK and Europe, CB users in the USA do not need a license. CB radio is regulated by the FCC inside the USA and you are required to have a copy of the applicable rules. CB in the USA uses AM radio. In most of Europe Cb radios actually use Fm.
2. ‘Rig’ setups.CB radio sets come in three possible types. These are CB Base Station ,mobile in-vehicle units and Handheld CB Radios. Handheld CB Radio units can be very useful, but usually have more limited range than in-vehicle or base station radios, this is partly because they are lower power, and partly because they have much shorter antennae.
3. Handles. There are no official call signs in the USA, though there are in other countries such as the UK. In the US it is commonplace to have a ‘handle’
4. CB Radio Channels. The American CB radio user operates on 40 channels. Channel 9 must always be kept for emergencies and the recommendation is to keep channels on either side free so any trafiic on channel nine can be heard clearly.
5. Squelch. The squelch dial on your radio is designed to get rid of all the irritating beeps, squeaks and static. If you tune your squelch a little you can eliminate irritations noises. You should be able to hear someone trying to break through.
6. Long Distance Communication. CB radio communication is only consistent over relatively short ranges.
Depending on atmospheric conditions you can “shoot skip” for hundreds if not thousands of miles. If you do chat with someone far way, beware. Communicating by CB radio with someone more than 150 miles way is not legal in the USA.
7. Cb radios can be useful in lots of situations, not just when travelling or communicating from a vehicle to a home base. Base stations can be powered thourgh a DC power supply which means that in emergency situations they can run on a car battery for a week or even two, allowing you to keep in touch with local authorities during an extended power outage as happens, for example in time of hurricanes, earthquakes or floods. Though not as popular as it was at its height, CB is regaining popularity; no matter how advanced your cellphone is, it still can’t connect you with the car in front unless you know its number. The beauty of cb radio is it allows communication even in isolated areas to break up the monotony.
Written by David Jay Thorson.