CB FAQ.

What is CB?
CB is a band of radio frequencies set aside for use by (as it says) citizens. Unlike so many other bands, CB has few regulations and (unlike Amateur radio) does not require any technical knowledge.

Do I need a licence?
Not in America or England. Some other countries may still require a licence.

What distance can you get?
The distance you will get contacts over will depend on several factors. Things that may affect distance include your height, surroundings, antenna type and power output.
If you live in a valley, the hills may block your signal. If on the side of a hill, you will get greater distances in some directions than others.
The large buildings in cities may block signals, limiting the range from inside the city.
There are many different antennas available, some work better than others. The height of your antenna is also important. Generally, higher is better.
In some countries, such as America, there may be laws regarding how far you can communicate. For more information, see the reference section.

Who is it for?
ANYONE. It's really that simple, it is there for anyone and everyone.

What is it for?
The Citizens Band was set up for general communication between members of the public. CB can be used both from fixed base stations and from vehicles such as cars, trucks, motorcycles... even bicycles, or on foot.
There are so many possible uses for CB, which can include:
  Chatting to friends.
  Chatting to other people.
  Making new friends.
  Games (like chess).
  As a hobby.
  Keeping in contact while in a vehicle.
  Traffic reports.
  Help in an emergency.
  Games (like direction finding - known as "Fox Hunting").

What is it not for?
You are not supposed to use CB on board an aircraft. Also, there may be restrictions if you live near an airport.
It is not intended for private communications, it is more like a community.
It is not intended for long distance communications, although there are times when contact can be made with people in other countries.

Business use.
Although businesses can usually use CB, you must remember that the service does NOT provide private communications... so your business will be heard by anyone else with a CB. One example may be a Taxi business - some rival firm may listen in and get there first.
You must also remember that, if you give out personal details (name, address, etc) of a customer, that will be heard by anyone and may leave you open to prosecution under data protection laws.

What do I need?
This will depend upon what you want to use CB for and how involved you want to get.
For a list of requirements in different situations, check out the equipment section on this site.

What about CB language?
On CB, people usually just speak normally now. The old 10 codes are not often used, I doubt if many CBers would even know more than the really common ones.
Sometimes, you may hear three letter codes used, beginning with a "Q". These are called the Q codes. Although not often used on CB, it can be useful to know the common ones.

What are the frequencies?
These depend upon the country. Please see the reference section for more details of frequencies and standards.

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