Basic controls:
Volume knob — controls the audio level of your radio; it is frequently an on/off switch as well (all the way down, or to the left, is off).
Squelch — squelch sets the sensitivity on your receiver so that static can be filtered out. If you are only interested in hearing strong signals or don’t want to hear static you will turn up your squelch (clockwise / to the right) until the static disappears. Getting rid of static will also allow you to perform a channel scan to look for active channels with strong signals. If you want to listen to distant signals (also known as DXing) or shoot skip (talk to distant CB’ers) you should turn your squelch all the way down (to the left / counter clockwise).
RF gain — RF gain also controls the sensitivity on your radio so you can filter out distant or weak signals. For example, if there are multiple broadcasters on a channel and you only want to hear strong signals you can turn down (counter clockwise / to the left) your RF gain until you only hear strong signals. Generally speaking, you should always leave your RF gain all the way up (clockwise / to the right) so that you are not filtering anyone out.
Channel selector — in most modern radios you will be able to select from 40 channels; some older radios might only have 23 channels. * SEE OUR CHANNEL LIST AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE.
When you are ready to test your CB you will want to go to a popular channel — like channel 19, the channel truckers use — and say “can I get a radio check?” Usually someone will respond with a simple “it’s working,” and at that point you can ask their location and how well they are receiving your signal.
Also see the section below on CB lingo and 10 codes so you can talk the talk!
FOLLOW THIS LINK FOR INFORMATION ON USING YOUR CB FOR LONG DISTANCE COMMUNICATION — AKA SHOOTING SKIP.
Channel List:
(Note: the citizens band radio spectrum is also called the 11 meter band because this is the length of a CB radio’s transmission wave.)
| Channel | Frequency (MHz) | Typical Use (US) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 26.965 | Used by truckers in eastern USA & Canadian maritime provinces |
| 2 | 26.975 | |
| 3 | 26.985 | |
| 4 | 27.005 | Often used for 4x4s/Off-roading |
| 5 | 27.015 | |
| 6 | 27.025 | Considered the “Super Bowl” channel for shooting skip |
| 7 | 27.035 | |
| 8 | 27.055 | |
| 9 | 27.065 | Emergency communications or traveler assistance |
| 10 | 27.075 | Often used by truckers for regional roads |
| 11 | 27.085 | |
| 12 | 27.105 | |
| 13 | 27.115 | Considered the Marine/RV channel |
| 14 | 27.125 | Commonly included transmit/receive crystal in many vintage kids’ walkie-talkies |
| 15 | 27.135 | |
| 16 | 27.155 | |
| 17 | 27.165 | |
| 18 | 27.175 | |
| 19 | 27.185 | Unofficial “Highway Information” channel. Used by truck drivers and travelers on US Interstates. |
| 20 | 27.205 | |
| 21 | 27.215 | |
| 22 | 27.225 | |
| 23 | 27.255 | |
| 24 | 27.235 | |
| 25 | 27.245 | |
| 26 | 27.265 | |
| 27 | 27.275 | |
| 28 | 27.285 | |
| 29 | 27.295 | |
| 30 | 27.305 | |
| 31 | 27.315 | |
| 32 | 27.325 | |
| 33 | 27.335 | |
| 34 | 27.345 | |
| 35 | 27.355 | |
| 36 | 27.365 | |
| 37 | 27.375 | |
| 38 | 27.385 | Frequently used for single side band (SSB) — especially lower side band (LSB) transmissions. SSB / LSB transmission can increase range / power drastically. Only certain CBs can transmit in SSB modes. |
| 39 | 27.395 | |
| 40 | 27.405 |
(Note: CB transmissions may interfere with the nearby frequencies used below by RC hobbyists; exercise caution on these frequencies.)
| 3A | 26.995 MHz |
| 7A | 27.045 MHz |
| 11A | 27.095 MHz |
| 15A | 27.145 MHz |
| 19A | 27.195 MHz |
CB Lingo and 10 Codes
- 10-1 — reception is poor
- 10-2 — reception is good
- 10-4 — OK, affirmative, understood, or message received
- 10-9 — repeat / come again
- 10-12 — no sensitive info / visitors present
- 10-13 — road or weather conditions
- 10-20 — what is your location?
- 10-21 — call me on the phone
- 73 — best regards (this one goes back to the days of telegraph communication)
- 88 — hugs and kisses
- Alligator (or gator) — piece of tire tread on the road
- Baby bear — rookie cop
- Back door — the last vehicle in a convoy (watching the rear)
- Basement — channel 1
- Bear — cop or cop car
- Bear bite — speeding ticket
- Bear cage (or bear lair) — police station
- Bear in the air — police helicopter
- Bear trap — speed trap / radar
- Big 10-4 — strong “yes” or enthusiastic agreement
- Big O — Omaha, Nebraska
- Black eye — burnt out headlight
- Blue boys — police
- Breaker — trying to join communication on a channel
- Bubble gum machine / disco ball — police car with lights flashing
- Bubble Gummer — a kid messing around on the CB
- Chicken coop — weigh station
- Copy — understood, message received
- Double nickel — 55 mph
- Down and gone — turning CB off
- Evel Knievel — motorcycle cop
- Four-wheeler — passenger car
- Front door — the lead vehicle in a convoy
- Gay Bay — San Francisco, California
- Go to channel 41 — joke to mess with novice CB’ers (CBs usually only go to channel 40)
- Good buddy — fellow CBer (note: in modern times this is sometimes used as slang for gay male prostitute)
- Got your ears on? — are you listening / is your radio on?
- Hammer down — go fast
- Handle — CBer’s nickname
- Keep the shiny side up and the greasy side down — drive safely (don’t roll over)
- Kojak with a Kodak — police officer with a radar gun
- Lot lizard — prostitute
- Make the trip — switch frequencies
- Maul — (as in, “Droppin’ the maul”) to over power weaker stations
- Mayday — help!
- Meatwagon — ambulance
- Midnight shopper — thief
- Miss Piggy — female cop
- Mobile mattress — RV / camper
- Mud — coffee
- Mud duck — CB’er with poor signal
- Negatory — no
- Plain wrapper — unmarked police car
- Pregnant roller skate — Volkswagen Beetle
- Q-bird — intermittent tone generator
- QRM or Q-R-Mary — radio interference occurring
- QRX — standby
- QSO — conversation
- QSL — card sent by CB’ers to verify contact
- QSY — change frequency
- Quiz — alcohol breath test
- Reading the mail — just listening, not talking
- Roller skate — small car
- Rubberbander — new CBer
- Rubber duck antenna — short, flexible antenna for handheld CB
- Seat cover — attractive female passenger
- Skip (or shooting skip, talking skip) — when conditions are good for communicating very long distances on CB
- Smokey (or Smokey Bear) — state trooper / police
- Smokey dozing — parked police car
- Taco stand — Border patrol stations on the Mexico–United States border
- Yardstick — mile marker
More coming soon!
Long Distance CB Radio Communications
Long distance communication (over 25 miles) is possible on CB (citizen’s band / 11 meter band radio) given certain atmospheric conditions (when sunspot activity charges the atmosphere, allowing radio signals to bounce, or skip, off of it).
When these conditions are present, and long distance communication is possible, it is referred to as “skip”, in CB radio parlance. Communicating during this time is called “shooting skip” or “DXing”. DX is old telegraph code for “long distance”; DXing also refers to the hobby of receiving distant radio / TV signals, or making long distance communications. DXers will often request QSL cards (short written verification) to verify their long-distance reception or communication.
Skip conditions are difficult to predict and they may last anywhere from a few minutes to several days. During skip it is possible to speak to people hundreds or thousands of miles away. You may even speak to people in other countries and on other continents!
The most popular channel for shooting skip in the US is 6 (also known as the “super bowl”). A popular channel in Mexico and other Spanish-speaking countries is channel 5. You may also hear many garbled voices on channels 35 through 40 (especially channel 38). These DXers are using single side band (SSB)—that is, lower side band (LSB) or upper side band (USB) — to communicate. If your CB radio is incapable of transmitting / receiving on LSB or USB you probably won’t be able to understand what they are saying. Operating on SSB allows your radio to produce a more powerful transmission that will travel farther. That said, during skip you may hear people speaking on nearly every channel, on the normal AM CB frequencies, and you don’t necessarily need to have USB / LSB capability to shoot skip.
It often takes many attempts to make a contact with distant stations, so keep trying even if you don’t receive a response right away (your signals have to bounce, or skip, just right off the atmosphere to make a contact). Many operators are using illegal amplifiers that increase the watts of power of their transmissions, so they may have more ease communicating than you do.
To make contact with other stations during skip you may use your handle (CB radio nickname — my handle is Reverend Beet aka the birdman) or you can use a call sign of your choosing — for instance, I just use my initials and 4 numbers (be2165). It helps to use the phonetic alphabet to spell out the letters of your call sign.
For example, you might say CQ DX, CQ DX, this is bravo echo 2165 Austin, Texas calling, anyone out there got a copy? CQ is another old radio code meaning “calling all stations”, but it is generally used today in DXing to mean “seeking contact”; “do you have a copy?” just means “are you receiving my transmission?”
If you are trying to talk to local contacts and don’t want to hear skip you can try adjusting your RF gain until you eliminate the skip signals.
For more information on shooting skip see: https://cbradiomagazine.com/idiots-guide-to-shooting-skip-cb-radio-11-meters-skip-conditions/
