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You are here:>> My Interests >> Citizen's Band Introduction

Welcome to my dedicated section on 'Citizen's Band Radio'. How many of you have every heard about Citizen's Band (CB)? How many of you are reading and are already familiar with CB radios?

The Citizen's Band (CB) is a tiny portion of the Radio Spectrum that the Radio Communicatoins Agency reluctantly legalised for the benefit of early day pirates. The CB is a virtually free, short range communications method used by many people all over the world. When this method of communicating was first introduced to England, UK it was illegal, so those who operated over this period were known as Radio Pirates. Over the years the veterans battled away to have the Citizen's Band legalised, and there was a sigh off relief in 1981 when their hard work was somewhat rewarded. Since legalisation, and prior to, everyone and his dog had a CB Radio. Eleven years after legalisation and CB was still going strong. The old "veteran CBers" will tell anyone who will listen to them that CBers should have been given AM and not FM and that the original test results were possibly rigged or plainly wrong. In simple terms - CBers were robbed even when it looked as though they had succeeded!

Despite being robbed of frequency and transmission mode allocations, the CB community flurished and had developed into a hobby that was both fun and deadly serious. The benefits of fun and friendship were there for everyone to see and enjoy. In past times, breakers only needed to ask for assistance and they would have been showered with offers. In some geographic areas, although quite rare now, volunteers would monitor the air waves day and night just incase someone needed help or information. To elderly or house-bound 'breakers' CB was just another window to the world.

In the past groups of breakers commonly hosted quiz nights on channels, or networked in groups in such a way that there was always someone to talk to. On the serious side of Citizen's Band, this method of communicating which is virtually cost free has been know to assist in saving lives and recovering stolen goods.

40 channels in the 27MHz frequency range in FM mode was allocated in 1981 for CB use, providing users owned a license to transmit. More recently an extra 40 channels had been reluctantly allocated to CBers, since the use of non legal frequencies didn't decrease after the first attempt to brush off CBers with rediculous compromises. Nevertheless, all this had been achieved with much effort and it would be polite to assume that all users of the CB carry themselves over the air in a respectable manner. Huh!.. Dreams may sometimes come true..but not in this episode.

Owning a Citizen' Band radio opens up a variety of uses, only hindered by one's imagination. To Find out more about Citizen's Band radio, follow the links along the near bottom of the Citizen's Band Radio pages.