CB Radio citizens band 27MHz 11 metres 27.555 SSB AM FM

It’s 2023 and CB radio is not dead!

CB isn’t amateur radio, obviously, but I feel that it deserves a mention. Whether we’re talking about the pirate ships in the North Sea, 6.6 megs Echo Charlie, clandestine radio stations from certain countries, CB radio… As far as I’m concerned, it’s all radio. Long gone are the so-called bucket mouths and the music. Now, you can enjoy sensible conversations and even make new friends on the mostly-quiet legal FM channels. As we approach the sunspot maximum, predicted in 2025, propagation is really beginning to open up the 11 metre band. More about the sunspot maximum here. So, it might be worth dragging your old CB radio out and firing it up. The UK now has 80 channels so there’s plenty of room for everyone.

The 11 Metre Citizens’ band:

The 11 metre band now appears, unofficially, to cover anything from 25 to 28MHz. Warning: It is illegal to use frequencies and modes not specified for use in your country by licensing authorities. Here is a very useful document from Ofcom concerning CB spectrum use, information and operation in the UK. Although SSB, FM, AM and various digital modes are used world wide on frequencies between 25 and 28MHz, I strongly suggest you stick to the legal channels in your country.

Bands and frequency list:

Here you’ll find a lidt of the various bands and frequencies.

26.285MHz and 27.555MHz:

These are SSB calling frequencies which, by the way, are illegal to use in the U.K. The most popular world wide calling frequency is 27.555MHz. However, 26.285MHz is preferred by some as it’s so much quieter.

The Superbowl on 27.025MHz AM:

The Superbowl is a gathering of friendly competitors trying to come out on top by running massive power. It’s fascinating, and annoying, to listen to!

The 11 Metre broadcast band:

There is a short wave broadcast band covering 25.670 to 26.100MHz. Unfortunately, there is very little broadcast activity on this band, if any. I’ve listened to the band many times and heard nothing but, it is still officially a world wide broadcast band.

11 metre nets?

I monitor 27.815MHz which is channel 19 on band D known as the ‘mids’. I’m not aware of any nets in my area. Are there any in West Sussex? If you know of a net, please let me know.

The President Ronald:

I have a President Ronald 10/12 metre FM AM radio which, when opened up, as mine has been, covers 24.700 to 30.100 MHz. That’s all CB channels plus the 10 and 12 meter amateur bands. On FM, the RF output is a healthy 35 Watts (*note1).

Cybernet Beta 2000 + Burner:

Just found this is the loft. It’s a Cybernet Beta 2000 strapped to a Ham International LA60 linear amplifier. I’ve tested it, on a dummy load, obviously, and it works! I’ve had a listen around the channels and the receiver is lively enough.

The Anytone AT5555 transceiver:

This is a lovely rig covering the 10 and 12 metre amateur bands. The frequency coverage is approximately 24.890 to 29.700MHz. Transmit power: AM : 12 Watts, FM 30 Watts, SSB 30 Watts PEP. Modes: AM/FM/LSB/USB. Frequency steps: 100Hz/1kHz/10kHz/100kHz/1MHz.

AnyTone AT555 10 metre all mode

CRT-SS9900 Superstar 9900 radio:

This is a fantastic little transceiver. All modes, AM FM SSB, covering the 10 and 12 metre amateur bands as well as all 11 metre frequencies in between. I’m thinking about putting this one in my car.

What are mids, lows and highs:

There’s some confusion over which bands are legal in the UK. 1981 saw the introduction of 40 CB channels. The radios were FM only with a maximum of 4 Watts and were labeled CB27/81. The daft thing was that our 40 channels were from 27.60125 to 27.99125MHz which is completely different from any other country in the world. These radios are still in use today. Later, we were allocated an extra 40 channels. These are in line with European CB channels and are known as CEPT, 26.9650 to 27.4050MHz. I believe it was 2011, or was it 2014, when Ofcom allowed SSB and AM modes to be used in the UK. FM and AM max power is 4 Watts, SSB is 12 Watts. I believe that the original 40 U.K. channels are still FM only. It can be confusing!

The real confusion sets in because many CB radios have six 40 channel bands. Band A, B, C, D, E and F. The original UK 40 FM channels are not part of the six bands. The only bands we are allowed to use, totalling 80 channels, are the UK and the EU, known as the mids. Radios such as the Anytone AT555 shown above are not allowed to be used in the UK. Neither is amateur radio gear! However, anarchy seems to rule world wide as thousands of operators use whatever gear they like on whatever frequency they like running whatever power they like.

	Band A	Band B	Band C	Band D	Band E	Band F	UK
Name	Super Super Low	Super Low	Low	Mids	High	Super High	Crazy!
From	25.615	26.065	26.515	26.965	27.415	27.865	27.60125
To	26.055	26.505	26.955	27.405	27.855	28.305	27.99125

CB Bands list:

11 metre frequencies from 25MHz to 28MHz have been listed in six 40 channel bands – A to F. Thanks to Ed for this bands and frequencies list here.

SSB FM AM modes:

It is now permissible to use SSB and AM on UK CB frequencies. This Information from Ofcom explains everything.

Country call sign prefixes:

Each country has its own CB call sign prefix. For example, the prefix for England is 26. Thanks to Ed for this call sign prefix list here.

CB Antennas:

I use a Sigma Venom 5/8 wave vertical. Considering the base is only 6 feet above the ground, it works extremely well on the 10, 11 and 12 metre bands. See photo below.

A video about the 11 metre band:

Calling frequencies and channels:

This is something I’ve put together that you might find helpful. Don’t rely on its accuracy! I’ll be adding to the list as I discover more.

Country	Frequency	Modes	Channel	Band
EU	27.265	AM – FM – USB	26	D
EU	27.315	FM	31	D
UK	27.275	USB	27	D
USA	27.385	AM – LSB	38	D
INT	27.385	LSB	38	D
INT	26.285	USB	19	B
INT	27.555	USB	12	E
The ‘mids’	27.815	FM AM SSB	19	D	Calling
UK 19	27.78125	FM	33	E
USA super bowl	27.025	FM AM SSB	6	D
UK net	27.305	USB	30	D

American CB channels and frequencies:

You might be interested in receiving American CB stations when the band opens up. It’s great fun listening to the American CBers. I’ve found that, if they are using SSB, it’s usually lower sideband. Stations today, 21st Feb 2023, have been very strong from the Gulf of Mexico, and many east and west coast states. Have a tune around and see what you can hear. You may have noticed that the USA CB frequencies are the same as the EU CB frequencies. This makes it difficult to work European stations here in the UK when the band is open to the USA.

1	26.965	AM/SSB
2	26.975	AM/SSB
3	26.985	AM/SSB
4	27.005	AM/SSB	Off-roading
5	27.015	AM/SSB
6	27.025	AM/SSB	Considered the “Super Bowl” channel.
7	27.035	AM/SSB
8	27.055	AM/SSB
9	27.065	AM/SSB	Emergency
10	27.075	AM/SSB	Truckers on regional roads
11	27.085	AM/SSB
12	27.105	AM/SSB
13	27.115	AM/SSB	Marine & RV
14	27.125	AM/SSB	Vintage walkie-talkies
15	27.135	AM/SSB
16	27.155	AM/SSB	Off-roading
17	27.165	AM/SSB	Truckers traveling north or south
18	27.175	AM/SSB
19	27.185	AM/SSB	Truckers traveling east or west
20	27.205	AM/SSB
21	27.215	AM/SSB
22	27.225	AM/SSB
23	27.255	AM/SSB
24	27.235	AM/SSB
25	27.245	AM/SSB
26	27.265	AM/SSB
27	27.275	AM/SSB
28	27.285	AM/SSB
29	27.295	AM/SSB
30	27.305	AM/SSB
31	27.315	AM/SSB
32	27.325	AM/SSB
33	27.335	AM/SSB
34	27.345	AM/SSB
35	27.355	AM/SSB
36	27.365	AM/SSB
37	27.375	AM/SSB
38	27.385	AM/SSB	LSB calling channel
39	27.395	AM/SSB
40	27.405	AM/SSB

EU and UK CB channels and frequencies:

We now have 80 channels in the U.K., which include the EU channels. For your reference…

Channel	EU + UK	UK
1	26.965	27.60125
2	26.975	27.61125
3	26.985	27.62125
4	27.005	27.63125
5	27.015	27.64125
6	27.025	27.65125
7	27.035	27.66125
8	27.055	27.67125
9	27.065	27.68125
10	27.075	27.69125
11	27.085	27.70125
12	27.105	27.71125
13	27.115	27.72125
14	27.125	27.73125
15	27.135	27.74125
16	27.155	27.75125
17	27.165	27.76125
18	27.175	27.77125
19	27.185	27.78125
20	27.205	27.79125
21	27.215	27.80125
22	27.225	27.81125
23	27.255	27.82125
24	27.235	27.83125
25	27.245	27.84125
26	27.265	27.85125
27	27.275	27.86125
28	27.285	27.87125
29	27.295	27.88125
30	27.305	27.89125
31	27.315	27.90125
32	27.325	27.91125
33	27.335	27.92125
34	27.345	27.93125
35	27.355	27.94125
36	27.365	27.95125
37	27.375	27.96125
38	27.385	27.97125
39	27.395	27.98125
40	27.405	27.99125

*note1: The maximum power permitted on CB frequencies is 4 Watts. This restriction does not apply to the amateur bands.

Warning: It is illegal to use frequencies and modes not specified for use in your country by licensing authorities. Here is a very useful document from Ofcom concerning CB spectrum use, information and operation in the UK.