Rec.radio.cb Frequently Asked Questions (Part 1: Getting Started) ----------------------------------------------------------------- [Last modified 12/18/91] 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. To keep the size of each article down, the FAQ has been split into 3 parts: Part 1: Getting Started Part 2: Communication Part 3: Technical Trivia If you are a new reader on rec.radio.cb, we suggest that you print and review the FAQ articles. If you are new to NetNews, please also see the news.newusers newsgroup. Questions discussed in this article: (dates indicate last modification) * Do I need a license to operate a CB radio? (7/91) * What are the CB Frequencies? (12/91) * What are the common brands of CB radios? (7/91) * What should I consider when choosing a location for my antenna? (12/91) * Once I hook up my CB and antenna, is the radio ready to use? (11/91) * What are good antenna characteristics and what are some good antennas? (7/91) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Note 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 because we don't want this FAQ itself to become a net bandwidth hog. Also, if you suggest a question for this list, please include the answer. If you feel that your suggestion passes these criteria, send it to one of the following people: Michael Larish KD6CTZ nomad@ecst.csuchico.edu (Chico, CA, USA) Ian Kluft ikluft@uts.amdahl.com (Sunnyvale, CA, USA) International readers: It's probably obvious that this article originates from the United States. When you see something specific to the U.S. but the info on your country (particularly Canada, the UK and Australia) 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 this article: Paul Schleck KD3FU (ACM005@zeus.unomaha.edu, Omaha, NE, USA) - [a lot of] input during initial review - original material on antennas and amplifiers 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 Neil Robertson (conjgr@lut.ac.uk, Leicestershire, UK) - CB frequencies in the UK Rob (topfm@darwin.ntu.edu.AU, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia) - CB frequencies in Australia --Rec.radio.cb Frequently-asked Questions-----------------------------Part 1-- * Do I need a license to operate a CB radio? -------------------------------------------- You are no longer required to have a license to operate a CB radio in the United States. (Other countries however, may have different rules regarding CBs). The FCC (U.S. 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 simi- lar. During the CB craze in the mid-70's, the FCC decided that the paperwork burden outweighed the benefits and put CB under blanket authorization. The FCC permits the use of the following to identify yourself: a. Your old Class D callsign, if you have one. b. K, your first and last initials, and your zip code (i.e. KPS 68123) c. your name (i.e. "Paul") d. some unique nickname or Handle (i.e. "Cobra", "Rubber Duck", etc.) There are FCC rules and regulations that must be complied with while using CB. If you don't have a list of those rules (which most likely were included with your CB), you may find them at a local radio store. * What are the CB Frequencies? ------------------------------ The answer to this question depends on the country you reside in. At this time, we only have information on the USA, UK, and Australia. --- CB in the USA Legal CB transmitters use the operator's choice of AM (amplitude modulation) or single sideband on the following frequencies. 1..........26.965 21.........27.215 2..........26.975 22.........27.225 3..........26.985 23.........27.255 * 4..........27.005 24.........27.235 * 5..........27.015 25.........27.245 * 6..........27.025 26.........27.265 7..........27.035 27.........27.275 8..........27.055 28.........27.285 9..........27.065 ** 29.........27.295 10.........27.075 30.........27.305 11.........27.085 31.........27.315 12.........27.105 32.........27.325 13.........27.115 33.........27.335 14.........27.125 34.........27.345 15.........27.135 35.........27.355 16.........27.155 36.........27.365 17.........27.165 37.........27.375 18.........27.175 38.........27.385 19.........27.185 39.........27.395 20.........27.205 40.........27.405 * 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. ** Channel 9 is the official Emergency channel. It is restricted for emerg- ency use only. (This applies in most countries.) In the U.S., Channel 9 is often monitored around urban areas by REACT which is a voluntary public service corps of CB operators who report traffic problems, emergencies, etc. If you are interested in joining the REACT group in your area, they are often run through the local Sheriff's office. Other channels that are of significance are as follows: 17 - unofficial "trucker's" channel (California & western U.S.) 19 - official "trucker's" channel for traffic and speed trap advisories 30-40 - Often are used for "Single Sideband" (SSB) activity --- CB in the UK The UK has 2 bands for CB as follows: Legal CB transmitters use FM (frequency modulation) in either of 2 bands: frequencies (MHz) modulation description 26.965 - 27.405 FM 40 channels, same frequencies as USA 27.6 - 27.99 FM 40 channels, 0.01 MHz (10 kHz) spacing AM and FM are not compatible so a US-legal CB cannot communicate with a 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. --- CB in Australia Australia has 2 bands for CB. The use of AM or FM depends on the band. frequencies (MHz) modulation description 26.965 - 27.405 AM & SSB 40 channels, same frequencies as USA max power: 4W AM, 12W SSB (same as USA) 476.500 - 477.475 FM 40 channels, .025 MHz (25 kHz) spacing As the first of the two bands above shows, made-for-the-US CB radios are legal in Australia. The following AM/SSB band frequencies have special uses either by regulation or by common usage: Channel 8 Road channel (truckers) Channel 9 Emergency (same as USA) Channel 11 AM calling Channel 16/LSB SSB calling, also used for DX (distance) Channel 35/LSB unofficial additional SSB calling, also for DX * What are the common brands of CB radios? ------------------------------------------ Some of the more common brands that you will find out on the market are as follows: Uniden Cobra Midland Realistic (Radio Shack) Archer (Radio Shack) and others... * 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, use a magnet mount, or use 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 trunk and both 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." 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 water pipes that go into the ground will work. The best choice for a ground would be an 8-foot (2.4m) copper rod stuck in the ground near the antenna. * 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. 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 wave length 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 much more directional 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.) Good brands include (but are not necessarily limited to) Hustler, Wilson, FireStick and K-40. Rec.radio.cb Frequently Asked Questions (Part 3: Technical Trivia) ------------------------------------------------------------------ Questions discussed in this article: (dates indicate last modification) * What is single sideband? (new 1/92) * 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? (7/91) * Who is "Skip" and why can I hear him all the way across the continent? (new 12/91) --Rec.radio.cb Frequently-asked Questions-----------------------------Part 3-- * What is single sideband? -------------------------- To understand single-sideband (SSB), one must first have a picture of what's going on in a normal AM transmission. For example, on Channel 21 (in the U.S. and Australia), a "carrier" is transmitted at 27.215 MHz. Your voice (or whatever you're transmitting) is used to change (modulate) the height (amp- litude) of the signal so that it can be reconstructed as your voice on the receiving end. A side effect of this modulation process is present on some of the closest frequencies adjacent to the carrier, above and below it. These are called sidebands. Normal AM transmissions include the modulated carrier and the upper and lower sidebands. However, 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, leaving either the upper sideband (USB) or lower sideband (LSB), as selected by the CB operator. Obviously, for a conversation to take place, both the transmitting and receiv- ing 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 U.S. and Australia.] 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? ------------------------------------------------------------ It is ILLEGAL (in the U.S.) to use a linear amplifier on Citizen's Band radio. The maximum amount of power that is rated for CB is 4 watts on AM and 12 watts PEP (peak envelope power) on sideband. Linear amplifiers allow a person to transmit using much greater power than is legal. They may range from 30 watts to above 500 watts. Please do NOT discuss the use of or purchase of linear amplifiers on this newsgroup. You will probably find yourselves severely flamed... (If you need to inquire about their legality in another country, you may want to limit the distribution of the article to your country or continent.) Besides, most black-market linears are low quality and will distort your signal and interfere with consumer electronics. It is far better to run a clean radio with a clean signal into a high-quality coaxial feedline and antenna tuned for low SWR. Most radios are deliberately undertuned from the factory (to make sure that they are well within type acceptance limits). Take it down to a 2-way [radio] shop and get it a "full-legal maxout" to 4 Watts AM, 12 Watts SSB at 100% modulation. * Who is "Skip" and why can I hear him all the way across the continent? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ If you've heard the term "skip" before, it refers to a condition where a radio signal bounces (actually, refracts, but that's getting technical) off the Iono- sphere, a higher layer in the Earth's atmosphere. For all practical purposes, this only happens during daytime hours because it's the Sun's radiation that charges up the Ionoshpere and allows the signals to be bounced back to the surface. 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 East Coast states. However, skip is not a reliable means of communication. Besides, it may also be illegal to intentionally use skip for communications. For example, in the U.S. you may not use CB for communications beyond 150 miles. (150mi = 240km) 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 the U.S. and frowned upon almost everywhere. Most CB users' experiences with skip is to turn their squelch higher to cut out the heavy background noise during the daytime. This means that anyone you talk to (locally) will have to be close by to send a strong enough signal to overcome the background noise and your squelch setting. There's really no way around this so get used to it. Rec.radio.cb Frequently Asked Questions (Part 2: Communication) --------------------------------------------------------------- [Last modified 12/18/91] This is the second part of the rec.radio.cb FAQ regular posting. Questions discussed in this article: (dates indicate last modification) * Which 10-codes are most commonly used? (7/91) * What are the CB 10-codes? (7/91) * What are some of the more common Q-codes? (12/91) * What are some tips for communicating with others on the CB? (12/91) --Rec.radio.cb Frequently-asked Questions-----------------------------Part 2-- * 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 .......... * 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 slightly 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, CA): 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. * 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. U.S. 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"--MORE--(82%) 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.