CB Radios For Sale

Last week I got a message through Facebook from a young man called George. Who lives down in Devon

He had contacted me because he has a lot of CB Radio equipment which he was looking to sell and had contacted me to see if I might be interested or knew anyone that might be interested in purchasing them.

In his message he explained that his Great grandfather had recently passed away and this collection of CB Radios. Aerials and other accessories had belonged to him
His great grandfather was famed in his part of the world as a renowned rig doctor and was well known in his area. In fact people travelled great distances to have him look at their radios so he clearly had a great reputation.

George’s great Father was called John William Cleverly but was known to his friends as William and at the time of passing had over 700 radios in his possession.

George explained that they had cleared out nearly 500 of William's old radios but what was left was in great condition and that many of them were still in their original boxes. In fact the haul comes in around 195 Radios and microphones, countless antennas and other accessories like amplifiers and power meters.

Sadly, I don’t have the funds to be able to offer him a fair price and based on the quantity available wouldn’t have the space to store it all but I did offer to make a video on my channel to see if there was anyone else out their that might be interested in taking it off his hands.

Now, if there is someone out there who would be interested in purchasing the haul as a job lot then I’ve put a link to Georges email down at the bottom of this page so you can get in touch with him direct.

I know there are a lot of dealers out there who might be interested in getting their hands on so many original items or perhaps someone who would be interested in selling them separately on EBay or something.



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Video

Base Station CB Radio Antenna

This weekend was the first day of decent weather in my area after several days of storms and a lot of rainfall which was proceeded by months of relatively severe winter conditions including high winds and a number of snow storms across the Country so this was the first opportunity to take a look at my Home base CB Radio Antenna which has taken a bit of a beating this Winter.

The worst of it was that during these windy conditions the Coax cable which connects to the base of the antenna had worked itself loose so I have been without any access to the airwaves for several weeks before I took this opportunity to fix it.

At home, I use a venom half wave /Silver Rod which is one of the cheapest homebase antennas available and sadly the issue with them slipping is a bit of a known issue amongst CBers which has to do with the quality of the jubilee clips that it comes with.  The job of the jubilliee clips is to grip each section of the antenna around the next section of aerial to clamp it into position.  This is invariably where they fail.
Because of the excessive winds part of my antenna had slipped inside of itself and needed some attention to get it SWRed in properly again.  This was easily achieved by adjusting the length of each section of antenna to make sure it was exactly the right length to work most efficiently.

I have had the aerial at roof height for over two years though and in that time it has had to deal with a lot of bad weather conditions so it was due some maintenance anyway.  This was the right time to give everything a good 'once over'


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CB Radio Handheld

This week, I thought I'd bring out a few handheld  CB Radios to take a look at them.  Its often the case that when people first get into CB Radio that they tend to start out with some form of handheld Radio.

Since I got back into CB Radio I have collected quite a few different Handheld CB Radios which we will take a look at in a moment.  Typically, Handheld CB Radios were cheaper than the Mobile and Home base CB Radios.that were available.

Since they provide the power, Radio and Antenna in a single unit and you don't need anything else to get on the air.  This would be why a Handheld CB Radio would be a good start.

Certainly in the days when the channels were always busy and there was always someone out there to pick up your signal but Handheld CB Radios have a number of downsides.



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CB Radio with SSB

This time around we are looking at a Colt485DX SSB which as the name suggests is a classic Sideband Radio.  We've looked at a couple of Colt Rigs before with the Colt 210 which is an AM CB Radio we reviewed last year and we've seen quite a lot of the Colt 295 which is the little FM CB Radio that I have used a lot over the summer on the various DX Activation I did last year.

I've had a few Sideband Radios over the years including a HAM International Multimode II as well as a Tristar 777 which I used a lot last year and took with me on a couple of the Sideband Nets that  did last Summer.  Most recently I had a President Lincoln which  I only recently sold.

As I am planning some trips out this Summer I got hold of this Radio because it is quite a lot smaller than the other Radios I hsave had which means it should be a lot easier to carry when out on a CB Radio DX Activation.  I actually got hold of this Radio from a guy in France and have so far been really impressed with it.

The other Radios I had also had some other Modes on them that the Colt 485DX doesnt have.  The other rigs came with both CW and FM Modes where this Colt Radio has only LSB,SSB and AM Modes.




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YouTube Channel Update

I posted the first video on my CB Radio YouTube channel on the 6th February 2016, very shortly after obtaining my Charlie Tango Call sign.  I only realised quite recently that it has therefore been two years since this YouTube channel was created.

I started the Channel just as a way to record my progress in the CB Radio hobby and initially posted footage of me first getting set up on CB Radio both as a home base set up in my garage but also as a mobile set up in my car and even a number of portable activations around the country last Summer

By early February last year I’d attracted about 80 YouTube subscribers.  i decided then to start a Blog Site and started to post regular CB Radio posts on that.  Over the course of the last year I’ve been putting a lot more work into the Channel and had a great summer last year heading out to various bits of the country doing a number of CB Radio DX Activations.  The summer also gave me the chance to fly my new drone and I managed to capture some pretty good footage whilst out and about.

I also launched a new CB Radio site called ‘The Breakers Yard’ and have put a lot of work into building that along withe two UK and US Amazon affiliates sites I have put together.

The winter time is generally a bad time for Radio range because of the lack of Sunshine so the airwaves generally quieten down during the summer months so it was the ideal time to focus down on producing some new CB Radio videos indoors in the warm.

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Free CB Radio Giveaway

Back in January I posted a video about YouTube’s Demonetisation of smaller YouTube channels as at the time I only had 500 subscribers and would need to have at least 1,000 Subscribers before the deadline of 20th February This Year.

I was planning to do a Prize Giveaway once I got to 1,000 subscribers anyway so decided to promote my YouTube channel by offering the chance to win their own brand new CB Radio to new subscribers.

In my video I stated that in order to enter the prize draw for a UK/EU 80 Channel AM/FM CB Radio you had to comment ‘I subscribed’ and also to ‘like’ the video.  I also asked that in order to help me achieve the other criteria of the YouTube Partner Program changes which requires 4,000 hours of watch in the last 365 days people stayed a watched a playlist of the other videos on my YouTube videos.

I did a review of the CRT One on my YouTube channel back in December 2016 and this is the upgraded CRT One N which also has a signal meter.  You can check out the video by following this link :- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stOP60Pnr0c

The response to this video was amazing and it helped me to easily achieve the objectives of 4,000 hours and 1,000 subscribers required to allow my channel to continue to be monetised well in advance of the deadline and the response to the giveaway was astounding!

i was planning to close entry to the Prize Draw when I achieved the 1,000 subscribers but as I managed to achieve it early I have kept the entry window open until the end of February.

So its now early March and as promised I’m now going to do the actual Prize Draw and everyone who subscribed since that video went out and followed the other steps needed to qualify for the Prize Draw will be added to the list of names who then will be automatically entered into a random draw.

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New CB Radio Playlists 2018

If you have visited this site fairly recently you might already realise that I have been posting a huge amount of new CB Radio content on this site in recent months and in fact have been posting literally every single day since the first day of January.

This work equates to over 60 new YouTube videos as well as detailed web articles covering a vast array of different CB Radio topics from getting set up on CB Radio to more advanced radio theory about Single Side Band and Amateur Radio in General.

As there is so much new content I’ve decided to organise them into separate playlists as well as different website pages broadly organised into separate CB Radio related themes.

Hopefully this will help you to be able to find the type of information you are looking for and should make it easier to watch a specific series of videos as well as read through the same specific information on my website that relates to the CB Radio topic that you are interested in.

As there is such a huge amount of information I am hoping that you will be able to find something that you will find useful and hopefully will enjoy watching the videos enough that you subscribe to the my YouTube channel so that you are kept informed of new content as it is created.

https://www.youtube.com/c/26ct1994

My YouTube channel has been running for over two years now and there’s a lot of good CB Radio videos available from it.  I also post new content every week so there is always something new to enjoy.

My website ‘The Breakers Yard’ has been running since late 2017 and already is chock full of interesting CB Radio related articles as well as links to my Amazon Affiliate CB Radio stores for both the UK and America so please take the time to explore both my YouTube channel as well as my new Website.

As I said I have organised my most recent content into new playlists which you can find by going either to my YouTube channel or by clicking the appropriate links on the sidebar of my Website.

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Crossing the Finish Line

Today is quite a memorable day for me!  As it marks the end of a continuous streak of new content on this site for 60 days!  As many of you will already realise I have been posting new content on this site (as well as on my YouTube channel) every day since the 1st of January this year and this represents the last day of 'The 60 Day Challenge'

Firstly I wanted to say thank you to everyone who has been following the progress, joining in by adding comments and sharing both the videos and blog posts on the social networks such as Facebook and Instagram.

Your feedback is always gratefully accepted and its given me the motivation and impetus to keep going and complete the who;e challenge and believe me it has been a huge amount of work.


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What are the Division Codes?

When someone gives out a call sign on amateur or CB Radio it usually consists of various numbers and letters of the alphabet.  An example of such a call sign is my own 26CT1994.

When used on the Radio it is pronounced "Two, Six, Charlie, Tango, One, Nine, Nine, Four".  This is to ensure that each part of the call sign is sent separately for ease of legibility.  The phonetic use of the letters is also important to the legibility of the call sign.

Usually the letters denote the Radio Club that the operator is part of and the last few numbers are their unique identifier of the operator themselves.

The first numbers used in a call sign, in this ccase "26", 'Two, Six' is known as the division code and denotes what area of the world that operator is broadcasting from.

The Division Codes used in the UK are

Division 26 - England
Division 163 - Wales
Division 108 - Scotland
Division 29 - Ireland

Countries around the world have each been given a division code to identify the geographic location of the radio operator.  Division codes are integrated into a radio operators call sign to denote which country they are calling from.

Below is a breakdown of the division codes by country followed by country by code.




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CB Radio Nets

The common trend of thought is that CB Radio is dead.  Most people accept that since nowadays we have mobile phones, PCs and all other types of digital devices there is no longer a need to communicate with others over the radio.

Even people who still own a CB Radio complain that there is no one else out there and there's no point in putting a call out anymore or even turning the CB Radio on these days but the real truth is that over the last few years more and more people are returning to CB radio as a hobby and in fact in most parts of the Country there is usually an organised net taking place on one night or other of the week and a lot of these nets are very popular especially in the summer.

The chances are that there is a CB Radio net in your local area at least one night of the week and if you had your rig switch on at the right time and tuned to the correct frequency you might start picking up the odd signal.

To stand the best chance of getting good signals is to drive out to some height ground in the right area and the specified day and time and sit on the channel.  If you hear nothing you should try putting the odd call out and if nothing still comes back then try a few of the adjacent channels to see if they have needed to move off of the planned frequency.

So in order to get the best from your CB Radio it pays to know when these nets are taking place and the best way to find out is by looking on the internet.  Most radio clubs will promote their own nets and you would be able to find still more info on lots of Facebook Groups as well as mentions on various YouTube videos.

Someone was kind enough to create a google map which lists a full directory of different nets taking place each week.  These are constantly being added to as the list continues to grow

Here is the Google Maps link

In face, heading out to the countryside on a summers Sunday afternoon is an especially enjoyable way to spend your time and either driving up to a well known high point or a quick ramble through the hillside with the appropriate kit and setting up a portable station for a few hours is really great fun especially if you get a load of calls in your log book on the day.

This tends to be how a lot of folk enjoy their radios and it is the obvious benefits of enjoying the radio that is bringing more and more people back to it as a hobby even in 2018




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Portable CB Radio

One of the best ways to use a CB Radio is to venture out into the countryside, head up a hillside and run your CB Radio from there.  The benefit of this is that you will be out in wide open space at a good height and this vastly improves your range especially if you normally run your CB Radio from a built up area.

Usually the easy round this problem is to run your CB Radio mobile and drive up to a better location but the other option is to run your CB Radio completely portable with a battery and take down antenna.

In order to run your CB Radio portable you will need to have a long hard think about exactly what equipment you are going to need to take with you.  Often this will need to include some form of shelter to keep you and your equipment out of any bad weather, your aerial and whatever equipment you might need to erect it, how you intend to power your CB Radio usually some kind of battery or collection of batteries and of course the CB Radio itself.

In most cases you will be driving to your chosen location and then walk the final distance, usually up a steep incline and will typically be away from your car for several hours.  This will mean that you will also need to bring any food or drinks you will need while out with you.

By the time you account for all of the equipment you will need along with all of the other items you will need you'll quickly realise that the bulk and weight of this type of equipment creates a series of challenges when wanting to carry a backpack up to an appropriate vantage point for an afternoon.
Here are some useful ideas if you are planning to run a CB Radio portable in the future



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How to send a Radio Report on CB Radio

An important part of most QSOs is knowing how well you are being received and often the best way to do this is to ask for a radio report from another station.

The standard signal reporting method for amateur radio is the RST (Readability-Signal Strength-Tone) system.  The best signal report for CW (morse code) operation is RST 599. With voice, we don't use the reading for Tone and just give a RS report, a perfect signal on voice is RS 59 or just “five nine.” You’ll typically hear something like : “your signal report is five nine in North London.”

If you are good copy, you will usually get a “Five” for Readability. The Signal Strength is usually what the operator is reading on the Signal Meter of his receiver. Of course, with both CW and SSB, the S-Meter will be bouncing around a bit, so some interpretation is required.

More importantly, there is considerable variation in S-Meter calibration, so signal reports can vary from radio to radio. (S9 is commonly defined as 50 µV at the receiver input, with each S unit representing a 6 dB change in signal strength.) A 55 or 57 report indicates that the signal is very readable but the signal strength is not as strong as a 59 signal.



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How to get a Call Sign

For certain bands you must complete a series of exams to qualify to operate legally and obtain a specific call sign but this isn't the case for the 11M Band using Single Side Band.

 

It is possible to obtain a vanity call sign from the ARRL or FFC if there is a specific call sign you would like to obtain.  A Vanity call sign is a special Amateur Radio call sign specifically chosen by a person or club who is currently an Amateur Radio licensee (similar in purpose to Vanity license plates on cars).

 

Vanity call signs usually include alphabetical characters of personal significance (e.g., licensees initials, parts of names, hobbies, etc), or sometimes are simply chosen because they are shorter calls, or sometimes they have double or triple duplicate characters (e.g., W1WWW).

 

There are however a number of 11M DX Clubs who are happy to issue a call sign to a new member.  Joining a club is a great way to meet others with the same interest and many clubs have some kind of forum or Facebook group etc whee you can share ideas and stories with other members of the club.

 

 

 

 

 

I jinxed the Charlie Tango DX Group based in the UK around a year ago and was immediately impressed by the warm welcome I received.  I asked a few questions about getting set up and asking for information about buying an aerial and a few of the members were only too happy to help.

 

The Charlie Tango group also run a weekly net which attracts hundreds of members to get together on the airwaves from up and down the country.  There are those within the club who go out most weekends to do extreme activations from hard to reach places up in the hills or other sites where good signals are expected.

 

There are also a number of other DX Groups who would be happy to issue with your own call sign and although I have no experience of them, a simple search of DX Groups in google gave me the list below of clubs that are always looking for new members.

 

 

 

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Good Practices When Calling CQ on the Calling Channels

It is not good practice to maintain a QSO on a calling frequency even though propagation may appear poor, it may not be poor for radio users in other parts of the world.

After you make a general call on a calling frequency it would be considered best to QSY to another frequency then put out another general call on your selected frequency to get responses from anyone who may have copied your original call on the calling channel.

If you standby for responses on the calling channel you are creating additional QRM for other radio users on the calling frequency which is often all ready busy with other general calls from other radio users.

You should also avoid using radio frequencies which are close to a calling frequency.  For example, if you QSY from 27.555 to 27.560 or 27.565 and your signal is 9+ to other stations in Europe you may well be creating interference on the calling frequency when you transmit on adjacent frequencies.

If someone is making a specific CQ Call such as CQ Germany, CQ USA or CQ DX you should only answer a call of that type if you are in the area being targeted.  You shouldn't really respond if you are not in the targeted area since this was the type of response being requested.

Some radio operators may not understand the real meaning of DX. In Europe, for example we can consider stations in other continents such as South America or Russia as a DX but would also include countries which are generally harder to reach or are not often on air.



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How To Call CQ

The Q codes are widely used on SSB radio as well on many other bands and are used specifically when giving instructions on the radio.

 

Calling 'CQ' is the understood way to say 'I am calling any station' on a frequency.

CQ DX

Probably the most commonly heard is  'CQ DX' meaning calling any long distance station.

 

There are some variations such as 'CQ 11 Metres' or 'CQ Any US stations' where one is saying anyone me in the 11Metre band and the other any US Stations.

 

 

Division Codes

You may add division codes. For example 'any division 26 (Two Six) stations' meaning any U.K. stations.

 

You would normally include your call sign as part of the CQ call so people will know who to respond to

 

For example 'This is Two Six Charlie Tango One Nine Nine Four calling CQ and standing by'

 

You would then wait to hear a response such as Charlie Tango station.... or Someone may announce their call sign when responding 'this is Alpha Papa Two zero calling Charlie Tango One Nine nine four'.

 

You then will have made a contact.

 

 

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What are the CB Radio Frequencies?

Since the early American rigs began finding there way to these shores, the demand for Citizen Band radio was met by a number of changes in legislation.  

It is no longer necessary to hold a licence to operate a CB Radio and over the years additional modes have been added.

The following charts display the relevant frequencies for each of these modes and are also available to download on he link at the bottom of this post.




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CB Radio on YouTube

This is a post that I have really looking forward to doing as it was the guys on YouTube who reignited my interest in CB Radio and share their own experiences and adventures with CB Radio nowadays.

I've been fortunate to have been able to talk to a number of them both on the Radio itself when out at one of the 'Nets' or online either on Facebook or on YouTube itself. 

Its thanks to the guys who post their videos on YouTube  that I got back into the hobby again and have shared my own videos on YouTube for two years now.

So here's a list of good CB Radio YouTube Channels you might enjoy yourself!

Please understand that I've not listed them in any particular order so please don't think of this as a 'Top Ten' with the last listed channel being my No.1. 

This is just a list of channels that I've come across and enjoyed in the past 

No doubt there are other great CB Radio YouTube channels which I've missed or not listed here and this is only because I've not come across it before.

So with that said lets take a look at the channels I've selected:-



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CB Radio Base Station

Most CB Radios that have been produced over the years have been specifically designed for Mobile use.  For decades CB Radios have been most commonly found and used in vehicles of all shapes and sizes.

From truckers to farmers and 4 x 4's  to Camper vans the CB Radio has been a regular feature in all of these. Less common these days are the bigger brother of these radios known as Home base or Base Station Radios.

Along with the drivers of the CB World there were many who had these Homebase CB Radios usually in pride of place  of their living room or kitchen allowing them to speak with friends and neighbours with similar equipment in their own homes.



These Homebase CB Radios tended to be much larger than thier mobile counterparts and most had additional features which thier mobile brothers rarely came with.  MOst Homebase CB Radios have much larger front facing speakers as well as headphone jacks and most had integrated SWR Meters and other features like RF Gain and Mic Gain which were generally only found on higher end Mobile CB Rigs.

The key differences with Homebase CB Radios and thier Mobile equivalents was their ability to plug directly into the electrical mains supply where mobile units were designed to run on 12 Volts through a car battery.



Most Homebase CB Radios also benefited by the addition of a desk Microphone rather than a handheld mic found on mobile CB Radios.  These Desk Mics often came with additional features and some were also 'Power Mics' which made them sound better and easier to use than the handheld Mics they were usually supplied with.  Some Desk Mics also allowed you to add echo or other sound effects to your transmitted signal.



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CB Radio Shops

Getting hold of a CB Radio is a pretty straightforward task these days especially with the advent of online shopping but there are still a good number of traditional 'brick & mortar' shops which specialise in Radio equipment of all types and offer a good range of CB Radio equipment and accessories .

A lot of these shops have been inn the Business for a long time and their staff have excellent knowledge and experience in using CB Radio equipment so can offer really good advice to anyone looking to get into CB Radio as a hobby.

Fortunately there are CB Radio shops up and down the country so you may find there is one close to where you live and as well each having their own websites are also available on the phone or available for you to pop along for a visit.

Here are a few of the best B Radio shops in the UK


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CB Radio Brands – President Electronics

CB Radio has a number of world renowned brands, one of these is President Electronics.
The PRESIDENT name is closely linked to the CB radio world and their web site states PRESIDENT is the representative of a Citizen Band which brings purist CB users and technology amateurs of the whole world together.

First formed in 1969 by Claude & Lysiane Schmitz in Paris and later joined by Albert Bertrana as Manager of Technical Development in 1973 producing Microphones in their manufacturing factory in Spain as far back as 1975 and began importing to the USA in 1976.

The Groupe President Electronics (GPE) head office was opened in Balaruc in the South of France  in 1978 with their first subsidiary in Spain.
The creation of PRESIDENT POLAND subsidiary was created in 1992.


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Handheld CB Radio

Handheld CB Radios have been around for as long as there has been a 'Citizen Band' and early versions of the handheld variety were pretty bulky and cumbersome.  The technology of the age couldn't quite provide the minimal type of walkie-talkies that are available these days so things were slight more upscale compared to more modern varieties of handheld CB Radio.




The first handheld CB Radios I saw in the 80's had huge extendable antennas and needed upwards of a dozen AA batteries to function which added quite some considerable weight as well as then need to shell out a fair amount of money every time you needed to replace the batteries.



In a bid to slim down the devices themselves a number of cheaper and generally smaller handheld CB Radios were on the market but didn't give access to all 40 channels.  Most of the cheaper Handheld CB Radios only gave you access to 2 channels via a little switch on the front.  Normally just channel 14 (The calling channel in it's day) and one other which limited their usability somewhat.
No doubt these early handheld CB Radios had their uses and might have been useful for talking to folk who were mobile or home based nearby but because of their limited aerials and lower power had very poor range.

As a kid, me and a few of my friends had one of the cheap two channel ones and we used to love running around our street talking to each other so as toys they were great fun.  When the channels were a lot busier you could speak to people in the local area but for most 'real' CBer's they didn't provide the full experience so most people stayed mobile with a rig in their cars rather than going portable.





A number of manufacturers produced a handheld CB Radio packs for use in an emergency in the 80's which were designed to be kept in your car in case of a breakdown or an accident.  These were supplied in a carry case and had additional accessories including a cable to power it from your cigarette lighter socket in the car and a small external aerial to go on the roof of your car temporarily

Generally most handheld CB Radios will give you a fairly abysmal range although like everything CB Radio this has a lot more to do with your general altitude and terrain.  Since I was always in a built up area and never on open high ground my personal experiences were just mucking about with my mates on the next street.  Trying to get any signals whilst indoors though was pretty much impossible.

Much like CB Radio itself, things have moved on somewhat even for the handheld variety which now come with different types of aerial, rechargeable batteries and the ability to connect external mics and aerials etc improves the experience somewhat.




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What Should I know when buying a CB Radio?

Citizens' Band (CB) radio is a system of short distance radio communication between individuals on a collection of 40 channels within the 27 MHz band, and may be used by private individuals or companies. This radio service was created in 1945 to enable people a radio band for personal communication and was controlled by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). CB radios became particularly prominent in the 1970s.

The 1973 oil crisis saw fuel rationing and shortages, and the introduction of a 55 mph nationwide speed limit. Truck drivers began using CB radios to check the best fuel stockpiles in specific places or to let one another find out about speed traps. These radios were also featured in popular movies and TV shows, like "Smokey and the Bandit" and "The Dukes of Hazard."

CB radio originally demanded a license that could be purchased a fee, but when the FCC started to get over a million license requests a month this requirement was ceased.

 The 40 channel band plan was introduced in 1977 (with 23 channels being available previously). Channel 9 was reserved for emergency communications by the FCC in 1969, and channel 19 was the highway communication (or truckers') channel. These channels should still used for emergencies and travel information today. One will find up to date information about radar traps, road conditions, and accidents on channel 19.



CB radios are all limited to 4 watts of transmission power by FCC regulations. The differences between the wide range of models available from radio communication shops or from online sources like eBay, are found primarily in the features provided. Some features are good to have, while others are seen as vital by a lot of radio users.

This is often a matter of opinion and the features one needs may change according to what the radio is being used for. Understanding which features are available will allow you to make a more educated buying decision.



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CB Radio Brands - Cobra Electronics

CB Radio has a number of world renowned brands, one of these is Cobra Electronics.
Cobra Electronics Corporation is a leading global designer and marketer of mobile communications and navigation products in the United States, Canada, Europe and throughout the world.

With its creation of the world’s first CB radio over 50 years ago, Cobra Electronics continues to grow by developing a large array of innovative products suitable for professional drivers, driving enthusiasts, outdoor recreational enthusiasts, and recreational boaters.

In 1948, Carl Korn founded Central Television Service Company in his garage with his partner to provide repair service for the fledgling television industry. The industry expanded so quickly that service equipment soon became outdated. Thus, Carl and his associates began designing, producing and marketing their own test equipment. Soon, B&K Electronics was born.

Throughout the 50s and early 60s, B&K Electronics, along with many other small electronics companies, joined forces to form Dynascan Corporation. In 1963, Dynascan engineers developed the world’s first citizens band (CB) radio, the Sidewinder, which was shortly followed by the Cobra. With widespread acceptance of CB Radios in the marketplace, the Cobra name caught on with consumers and eventually evolved into the symbol and brand name for this signature product.




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CB Radio Forums

When I first got back into CB Radio it took several weeks before I started to receive any decent signals and initially was dismayed that I had wasted money on an old relic that no one else was using any more.

In an effort to get help with my first set up I trawled the internet for any useful websites where I could get more information about how to set up my new antenna and ask various questions about how to get better performance from my 30 odd year old CB Radio basically, before it went in the bin!
The good news was that there are a raft of really useful websites and forums dedicated to CB Radio and I was wildly impressed by the responses and general helpfulness of those who were kind enough to respond to my obviously 'newbie' questions.

It turns out that there are a number of forums particularly in the UK which are fiercely active and not only are these great places to get help obtaining answers to most radio related questions but a great place to share stories and make new friends online.

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Why do HAM Radio operators hate CB Radio?

When talking with other Radio enthusiasts, one question which frequently arises when talking about CB Radio is why HAM Radio operators feel so strongly about CB Radio users.
There seems to be a clear divide between the two camps with a lot of HAM Radio users looking down on CB Radio users with disdane, labelling them as 'idiots', 'fools' and other more colourful terms which can't be used here.

Even some CB Radio users would agree that its easy to see why the UK 40 FM Channels gets the name 'Muppet Band' and we all know the level of stupidity that features on the CB Radio quite often but it is far to say that for some HAM Radio hobbyists feelings do indeed run deep and in some cases just as much between the CB Radio camp and their counterparts in the HAM Radio fraternity.

On one Radio forum there is one HAM Radio user who has posted reports of threats to himself and his family including doing unspeakable things to his dog and threatening to 'burn out his car' because of a comment he made on a YouTube video
.
He reports in the forum that a group of CB Radio users banded together and over several weeks received death threats from each of them.  There's not much information about what his comment actually was that could inflame such deep feelings of anger but it goes to demonstrate that tempers can run high on the matter.

It is fair to say that getting into CB Radio is incredibly easy.  They are cheap, very easy to obtain and require no training or special licences to use.  Add to that the availability of high power amplifiers and equipment that can be relatively easy to modify to get on to other frequencies which would normally be reserved for licensed users and the opportunity for misuse is too much for some.



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Whats the Difference between HAM Radio and CB Radio?

A question that occasionally gets asked by people considering buying a radio is 'What's the difference between HAM Radio and CB Radio?'.  Whilst on the surface there would appear to be little difference in that both are a means for two people to receive and transmit messages over the airwaves there are a number of distinct differences both in terms of radio hardware and the ranges achievable by the different types of Radio as well as how they can be used.

A subset of the same conversation is more to do with the types of people that use either CB Radio or HAM Radio and as part of this, the quality of communications that are achievable.

To begin with a radio enthusiast must pass specific radio exams in order to legally use HAM Radio equipment legally and as part of this must demonstrate a good understanding of specific Radio theory and understand the appropriate ways to communicate on the allowed frequencies.

After passing further examinations more frequencies are permitted to be used and additional power is allowed to be transmitted which again facilitates a far greater range than with cheaper lower powered radios.



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CB Radio Magazines

As a child I remember taking regular trips to my local WH Smith to check out the magazines on offer and occasionally used my pocket money to buy some kind of hobby magazine particularly around motorcycles or custom cars.

In the days of the Internet and websites offering content of all types and flavours it may be difficult to remember now how many different magazines there were out there and what a vast range of hobbies they covered.  Everything from Fishing to Golf or PC magazines with pages and pages of programs to enter into your own little computer at home to get it to run a game.

In the early 80's CB Radio was just such a hobby that had its own array of regular magazines and though now no longer produced still feature occasionally on EBay as people rediscover their hoard of old magazines in a loft or garden shed somewhere.

Since CB Radio originated in the USA, the first CB Radio magazines began to appear in the States with a number of these first being produced as far back as 1961 with titles such as S9, 10-4, CB Digest, CB Horizons and CB Magazine.




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CB Radio For Preppers

Citizens Band Radio (CB Radio for Short) is mostly employed for short-range radio communication. Using the 11 meter band with frequencies between 26.965 MHz and 27.405 MHz, this two-way voice communication service is an ideal tool for localised emergency communication during disasters, highway communication between truckers, and of course, good old-fashioned fun for radio hobbyists and enthusiasts.

Made prominent during the 1970s, because of films like Smokey and the Bandit, for decades C.B. Radio was among the most popular kinds of short distance communications. Its popularity has faded during recent years, largely due to the development of mobile phones, the internet, and the Family Radio Service, it still remains a highly popular option for truckers, radio hobbyists, and survivalists.

One reason these communication devices are still popular is because they are very reliable during emergency situations. Unlike conventional telephone lines and cell towers that could stop working during severe weather, Citizens Band Radio functions even when other types of communication have failed.

On the keeping it totally legal front, the best suggestion I have is to focus on your antenna. A good antenna can make even a bad radio transmit better, but a good radio paired with a bad antenna is guaranteed failure.

While Ham radio would usually be the first line of emergency radio communications because of its greater range, a C.B. Radio should be another important part of any good survival communications plan. One advantage these radios have over Ham Radios is they do not require a license to operate, making them a good option for kids or people who prefer not to take the Ham Test.


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CB Radio and The Law

Here are some questions regarding CB Radio and the Law:-

How is CB radio defined in Law?

CB radio functions within the 27 MHz band and is a short range radio service for either Business or Personal use. It is permitted to be used by anyone without the need for technical qualifications as long as it does not cause interference to other radio users. Therefore, only radios which meet specific requirements are permitted to be used.

Why has Ofcom de-regulated the use of CB radio equipment?

OfCom de-regulated the use of CB radio equipment to reduce the regulatory burden for both CB radio users and Ofcom themselves. Since a licence to operate a CB Radio is no longer required, it is not necessary to contact Ofcom in order to apply for and to subsequently maintain a CB radio licence and it is no longer necessary to pay for a new licence each year.

Is CB Radio legal to use without a licence?

Since 8 December 2006, it is no longer necessary to hold a WT Act licence in order to operate CB radio equipment as long as it is used in accordance with the requirements of the WT (Exemption) (Amendment) Regulations 2006, which come into force on that day.

These Regulations, on which Ofcom consulted in June 2006, exempt CB radio equipment users from the need to hold a WT Act licence. The use of CB radio equipment which is not consistent with these Regulations will however be considered an offence.

CB Radio users share a spectrum which is in a frequency band managed by the Ministry of Defence (MOD). This use is secondary to that of the MOD (the primary spectrum user) and it should be noted that CB Radio users must be prepared to accept incoming interference caused by continuing use of this spectrum by the MOD.

CB Radio Users must understand that CB radio equipment must be operated on a 'non-interference, non-protected' basis; meaning that, it must not interference to or claim protection from any other radio services.

The WT (Content of Transmission) Regulations 1988 make it an offence to use any station for wireless telegraphy or any wireless telegraphy apparatus to send a message, communication or other matter in whatever form that is grossly offensive or of an indecent, obscene or menacing nature.




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CB Radio Most Frequent Questions

When people approach me about getting into CB Radio, there are a number of questions which are regularly asked.

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions:-

What is CB Radio?
Citizens band radio (also known as CB radio) is, in many countries, a system of short-distance radio communications between individuals typically on a selection of 40 channels within the 27 MHz (11 m) band.

 DO I NEED A LICENSE TO OPERATE A CB Radio?
Not nowadays, since the early 1980's, the FCC stopped requiring licenses for USA CB radio use. OfCom in the UK also disbanded the need for licences a few years later.
Users must still abide by all of the rules regarding the CB Band and use authorised equipment, however.

What kind of Range Can You Get From CB Radio?
A - "Generally Speaking", range for a mobile CB Radio could be anywhere from 1 or 2 miles, to even 20 to 25 Miles or more, depending on the terrain, type of antennas used, & other factors. The "typical" range to expect from a mobile CB, with a good antenna, is about 2 to 5 miles, but you will actually get both more & less than this, in certian areas & terrain, & as you drive around. Home Base Station CB setups, with larger building roof mounted Base antennas, will usually give more range than the ground level mobile units do, & the small handheld "walkie-Talkie styles will usually give much less.

What is the best Antenna for my mobile CB Radio?
This is tough to answer, & there are many variables, but here are some good general guidelines & "Rules of Thumb" to follow. First, The Taller the antenna, the better it will work. Mount your antenna as high as possible on the vehicle, & try to get at least 50% of it over the roofline. Usually, all else being equal, the Tallest, longest antenna you are comfortable with, mounted as high as possible, will give the best performance. For Example, mounting a new 4 foot CB antenna in the same spot where you were using a 2 foot, will usually give better results. It wouldn't really matter what "brand name", colour, or style the 2 ft antenna was. Mounting Height on the vehicle, & the antenna length should be more important than other considerations. Keep in mind that, generally, CB antennas that are less than 3 feet tall, those that "stick to the glass", & the AM/FM/CB "combo" antennas & adaptors usually do not give the best performance, they are bought & sold mainly for "convenience" & "cosmetic" reasons.


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Do Truckers Still Use CB Radios?

Log in to any trucking forum and you'll usually see a number of questions from new truck drivers regarding a specific piece of equipment-- the CB radio. Of course, those young enough to have been brought up on Smartphones and Cable TV appear to consider the CB Radio as some kind of technological artefact, a bit like CRT Monitors."Do I really need a CB Radio?" these new drivers inquire. And the response from most veteran truckers is always yes, yes you do. As one experienced driver put it, "It isn't a dying tool but it is a forgotten tool by many drivers. Any trucker that gives a damn has a CB Radio."These new drivers are too young to recall, but there was a time when everyone in the country thought they simply had to have a CB Radio.

For those who weren't around at the time to experience it, the CB radio craze of the 1970s and 1980s might feel inexplicable. Why would so many people get excited about a means of communication used primarily by truckers, contractors and hobbyists? How did phrases like "10-4, good buddy" and "What's your 20?" enter the vernacular? Why did people who never drove anything with more than four wheels adopt handles?

Sometimes fads are inexplicable. Anyone remember the fascination of Pet Rocks for example? The CB radio craze was largely fuelled by the 1972 gas crisis. The federal government imposed a national speed limit of 55 mph causing frustrated truckers and other drivers to turn to their CB Radios to trade information about cheap gas and speed traps. Once the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) dropped its license requirement, it became a cheap way for non-truckers to join this exotic culture.



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The Future of CB Radio

There is a famous saying that goes "The future depends on what you do today." The popularity CB radios once enjoyed, became a symbol of success for communication. The user base was so massive back then, but we shouldn't expect CB Radio to reclaim that level of popularity because newer technologies are hitting the market on a daily basis.  This rapid innovation has totally changed the environment for the future of CB Radio.

The users of the radios also have deviated their interest towards technologies. This has resulted in a drastic change in the amount of usage we see on the old CB radios. Still, there is a hope that CB Radio communication system can't be ignored. There are still many loyal users who would love for CB Radio to return to its earlier popularity but the naked truth is that the majority of CB Radio users have moved on.

In this 'Age of the Internet', this old school type of radio service is now considered to be an outdated means of communication as there are better options available with more efficient performance available at more affordable costs nowadays that offer more than 40 channels of empty noise.  There are a few reasons that might bring CB Radio's popularity back to its peak as it was all those years ago.



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CB Radio On Motorcycles

With CB Radios once being so commonplace in cars up and down the country, there are still enough people out there with CB Radios out there to make owning a CB Radio still a useful tool to have when driving around especially when in a group of vehicles.

The 4x4 community have long been associated with CB Radio as have the owners of VW Campers and the like but what if you are on two wheels rather than four? Could CB Radio still be a viable choice for bikers wishing to keep in touch with each other or with other road users?

In the 21st Century there are a number of Intercom based systems designed for the biker that enables the rider to keep in touch with either their pillion and with more expensive sets, the ability to talk with other motorcyclists in your group albeit with a fairly limited range. The inclusion of Bluetooth in these devices makes it easier to connect everything up without the need for multiple cables.



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CB Radio Amplifiers

If you're wondering "Should I get an amplifier?" You've probably decided you need more power output, or someone you know has told you to buy one. Before we enter into a debate about acquiring an amplifier, let's start by first asking a different question. Do you actually need an amplifier?

A regular CB radio is going to have an AM carrier (also called deadkey) of approximately 3 to 4 watts. When the carrier is modulated, output on the radio may reach 10-12 watts on average with some models hitting around 15-18 watts.

Single Sideband models (SSB) will normally have output of 12 watts, with some models hitting about 18-20 watts after tuning. If an operator has properly set up their antenna, these output numbers are more than enough for basic local in-town communications.

When you've found yourself in the hobby long enough you'll hear many accounts of users stating their signal doesn't get very far, so they invest in higher power radios or amps not appreciating that the issue from the onset was a substandard antenna installation.

Ham radio operators love to tell tales of using 1 watt on a dipole antenna to speak to a station 9000 miles away, but what they are claiming is honestly the truth. It's definitely feasible to talk long distances and even talk pretty good distances locally with a good antenna and a legal radio.

Before you consider adding an amplifier you should sit down and think about some answers to the following questions ... I know this sounds like going back to school, but it can save you a lot of money and trouble in the long run.



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CB Radio on the Internet

The internet is often cited as being the nail in the coffin for CB Radio but since its increase in popularity for those without a radio set there are a number of websites, PC Clients and even mobile apps that offer an experience similar to CB Radio online.

If you don't have access to your own CB Radio then these can offer you an opportunity to either speak with others on a particular network which connects you with other users on the same platform or listen in on real transmissions from real CB Radio sets in different parts of the world.

Finding these sites is as simple as searching for anything on the internet and a quick search for 'CB Radio Streaming Sites' will pull up a list of websites where you can listen to actual CB Radios which have been set up to take the signals that they pick up in their area  and stream the audio from the radios through a PC or server out on to the Internet.

These are software downloads which function in the same way as any two way radio offering you a number of different 'channels' and a 'Push To Talk' button which mimics a real CB Radio and allows you to hear other users on the same network as well as the ability to talk to them.

The benefit of these types of software is that where CB Radio is limited by its range and is will usually only pick up signals in your own geographic location, these applications allow you to speak with other people from all over the world.  All thanks to the power of the Internet.

Other online platforms like YouTube and Facebook have help push CB Radio back into the forefront of peoples minds as there are a number of active CB Radio users and groups that regularly post information on these platforms for other CB Radio users to enjoy.

In particular, there are a number of CB Radio related Facebook Groups where members post information about when and where they will be on air and more frequently these days these can also include organised 'nets' using one of the platforms mentioned below.




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Muppet Band Vs Sideband Radio

Since its legalisation in the early eighties the original UK 40 Channel 27Mhz FM Band has its fair portion of strange behaviour. Generally there has definitely been individuals who would play music over channel 19 in an attempt simply to stop other radio users from reaching one another.

Typically in a belief of recovering the frequency many people installed radio amps that enabled them to broadcast at greater than lawful power levels. This would permit their signals to get transmitted 'over the top' of the obstructing transmission.

The problem in this is that somebody always has an even bigger burner and as output levels increased this made things increasingly challenging for other radio users to make use of even adjacent frequencies when somebody on the channel below is pushing 500 Watts

On the Muppet Band you also face the possibility of threats and abuse although their seems to be a little less of this these days but there are pretty frequent slanging matches happening as the 'after the pub' guys meander back home and switch on their radios.

In fact an aspect of the entertainment of the Muppet band is hearing some of the funny banter you come across an evening when there is good propagation and now and then you get an evening when things open up and you get signals from random locations. There are days when the Muppet Band is humming with a really good group of folks shouting out especially in the summer months. I've had some terrific signals in from numerous parts of Europe when conditions permit.

There are the regular nets similarly for anyone who fancy venturing outdoors to check out what they can get in the radio and particularly in the summertime this is a terrific way to enjoy your radio. Getting on to more elevated ground generally delivers improved reception and when channels are active it presents an excellent opportunity to make contact with other radio users in a variety of locations



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What is Sideband Radio?

'SSB' stands for 'single side band' but in fact isn't really a band at all. SSB is more effectively described as a mode similar to AM or FM.  SSB is an extremely reliable method of capturing your voice into a radio wave as well as the transmission of such a radio wave.

The procedure of applying a voice to a radio wave is referred to as modulation. To modulate a radio wave is to include information to it in order that it can be received.

Most people will recognise one of the more typical types of modulation, AM (amplitude modulation), and also FM, (Frequency Modulation), providing the AM and also FM bands their usual name.

You will possibly have made use of FM or AM yourself, through children's walkie talkies or remote controlled toys.

When in AM mode, your voice modulates, (is superimposed), on a carrier wave at a specified frequency by your transceiver as well as it being transmitted across the the air waves.

The carrier wave is used to "carry" the audio signal to an AM receiver where it is received as well as converted back to an audio signal permitting the voice message sent to be understood.




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CB Radio Modes

Modulation is the procedure whereby speech, music, and other "intelligence" is put into the radio waves created by a transmitter. The various ways of modulating a radio signal are called modes.

An un-modulated radio signal is called a carrier. When you listen to "dead air" in between songs or announcements on a radio station, you are actually "hearing" the carrier.

Whilst a carrier has no intelligence, you can tell it is being broadcast given the way it quiets the background noise on your radio.

The different modes of modulation have their advantages and disadvantages. Here is a summary:

Continuous Wave (CW)

CW is the most basic type of modulation. The output of the transmitter is switched on and off, commonly to create the characters of the Morse code.

CW transmitters are basic and affordable, and the transmitted CW signal does not take up very much frequency space (typically under 500 Hz). The CW signals will be difficult to hear on a normal receiver; you'll just hear the faint quieting of the background noise as the CW signals are transmitted.

 To get over this issue, shortwave and ham radio receivers contain a beat frequency oscillator (BFO) circuit. The BFO circuit generates an internally-generated second carrier that "beats" against the received CW signal, generating a tone that turns on and off in step with the received CW signal.

This is exactly how Morse code signals are received on shortwave.



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Why Use the CB Radio?

As a pastime, entering into CB Radio is very simple. CB Radio has been unlicensed for several years now so there is no licence application or examinations to get on the CB Radio and you can set yourself up with the appropriate equipment at remarkably little expense. A previously owned CB Radio can be purchased through EBay for under ₤ 20 and the additional pieces of equipment required are similarly cheap.

Alongside genuine radio hobbyists there are people who use their CB Radio to be nothing short of irritating. Since the UK FM Band is licence free, it is also used by taxi firms who make use of the CB Frequencies rather than the more costly radios that most 'licenced' companies normally use. This by itself is not a significant irritation but in addition to these radio users there are those who use their time on the CB Radio to obstruct other radio users in several ways.

There are the aspiring DJs who having gotten access to the airwaves believe it their duty to broadcast music of a variety of styles across the airwaves for everyone to enjoy. Perhaps in their own heads they regard this a 'service to the community' but this does hinder other radio users with more legitimate intent from using the radio in the way it was genuinely designed

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How To Use A CB Radio

In earlier articles we have discussed what equipment is required in order to get set up on a CB Radio and went over a few of the mechanics surrounding setting up and installing a CB Radio. Now we are ready to turn on our new rig and start making contact with the world!

For most, this may include some level of discouragement because you will swiftly find out that these days the airwaves are not packed with boundless chitchat on every channel and reaching other CB Radio users is a tad more 'trial and error' these days. Essentially the world has evolved since they heyday of the 80s and folk get their 'social' fix in other ways nowadays. The FM frequencies that used to be so active are now silent for sizeable bits of the day

Part of the reason for this however is that the usual calibre of radio communications since the 80s decreased to such a point that most people just gave up interest in it as a method for communicating

It is part of radio history that there certainly ought to be an excellent level of formality on the airwaves which anytime a couple of stations want to correspond there is a set of recognized formalities and standards applied to assure an effective interaction. A great deal of this originates from the military use of radio across the years and especially in maritime transmissions a significant degree of formality ought to be followed
.
This is in no way less apparent than with HAM Radio hobbyists particularly on the bands which allow increased power use and consequently an improved range where operators are only concerned with serious interactions and endeavour to log every successful communications using the previously mentioned protocols



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