The CB radio: how to use it and which are its advantages?
WHAT IS A CB RADIO?
The CB radio is a radio waves transceiver to talk and share information under every condition and circumstances.
In fact, the radio signal is guaranteed in every remote area as the antenna on the vehicle produces it and there's no danger of signal shortage as with mobile phone signal coverage.
What does that mean?
It means that you can always be reachable with a CB radio: on high altitude, in the woods, in the desert. And you can save money too: the CB radio is ready to use and with no additional fees, both abroad and with no limit of people.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
The frequency is set on 27 Megahertz.
All settings and keys are on the frontal part: you can turn up or down the volume, erase the background noises with Squelch, search channels and read them.
HOW DO YOU USE IT?
CB radio universe has, as well, a dedicated language with numbers and special acronyms. The latters partially find their origins in the Q alphabet, used by radio-amateurs and partially from NATO alphabet (yes, the one of war movies!), producing a language code with no secrets for the enthusiasts.
For whom is new to CB language, no worries: you can communicate with no acronyms and abbreviations!
Here are some practical advises.
To start communicating on a channel, you must talk one at a time: if you push the PTT button to transmit while other are talking, nobody will be able to listen and we stop the conversation. So, the etiquette first and foremost!
Technically when doing so, we "overmodulate", so we transmit at the same time and we produce background noises only.
Here are some further tips.
Short pauses when transmitting are useful to recognise when start talking; Get the microphone close to your mouth but don't touch it with your lips: the voice signal will gain more clarity and quality;
No need to shout;
If you press the PTT button one second before talking, all the parts of your conversation will not be missed (and do the same as well when you finish);
Don't say bad words or insult anyone: the atmosphere is nice, be always respectful; The channel can be a useful resource to communicate emergencies, so avoid transmitting for too long;
A lot of people talking on CB channels later became friends, but please remind that these radio frequencies are free and public, everybody can listen to you. So avoid giving privacy information about your buddies and you.
Channels are like squares: every one has a bunch people sharing common passions or do the same job.
In Italy, channel 5 is used by truckers, channel 19 is the realm of off-road drivers, while motorhome enthusiasts chat about holidays and maintenance on channels 11 and 15.
WANT TO CHOOSE? To choose the best CB radio, think about how you would use it and which vehicle you drive. If the streets are part of your daily job, we suggest:
Are you the king of the fields?
Travelling is your true passion? With motorhome:
With 4x4:
