The Difference between 10 Meter Radio and CB Radio

Over the past decade or so, the traditional CB radio and 10 meter radio have almost become one in the same to many folks. It’s not uncommon to hear the term  “10 Meter CB Radio”  and it’s clear that many users (and some radio salesmen) have no idea what the real differences are.

A traditional CB operates on the 11 meter band at about 27 MHz. This gives it 40 channels ranging from 26.965 MHz on channel 1 to 27.405 MHz on channel 40. Access to these frequencies is unrestricted by the FCC and available to anyone that is using unmodified Factory-Made equipment which is why it is called the “Citizens Band”.

Even though access to those frequencies is unrestricted, the FCC requires users to adhere to certain codes of conduct and  equipment limitations. CB radio manufacturers “build-in” a maximum output power of  4 watts.  Base stations use a good antenna system to increase their radio’s range but increasing output by almost any other means is prohibited.

10 meter radios operate on frequencies ranging from 28 MHz to 29.7 MHz. These frequencies are contained in the Amateur Radio 10 meter frequency band and the FCC requires that the radio operator obtain a license.  Unlike CB communications the FCC considers the 10 meter band acceptable for long range communication, many radios offer over 100 times the transmitting power of a traditional CB transmitter.

So what’s the problem?

Some CB users try to bypass the regulations placed on CB radio service. There may be legitimate reasons behind this like lack of range or crowded airwaves. CBers discovered that some radio manufacturers produce 10 meter radios that look and operate exactly like a standard CB but are meant to be marketed outside of the US. These non-US certified radios are easily modified to operate on the U.S. Citizen’s Band radio frequencies at a higher power than the FCC has established, often at 150 watts or more.

At that level of output, radio energy has the ability to damage soft tissue and organs (just like a microwave oven). The nearer a person is the antenna, the higher the likelyhood that RF energy will affect them. The higher a radio’s output, the more likely it is that injury will occur. I know that I don’t want an untrained, unlicensed operator setting up a high power radio station anywhere near my home, how about you?

The FCC also regards the CB radio service as a short range communication device and does not want high powered transmissions interrupting local communications between other operators and potentially other, more important, radio frequencies.

CB radio has it’s benefits for the prepper . Handheld CB radios can be used effectively to communicate within a decent range such as a large neighborhood. We regularly reach a 9 mile radius between base stations using unaltered mobile CB radios and elevated antennas. It’s not unusual to reach over 1 mile consistently between base station and handheld.

You can read about using CB radio for disaster preparedness and neighborhood security in our “Setting Up CB Comms for Your Group or Neighborhood Series”

By knowing the difference between 10 meter and CB radio, and how you intend to use your new equipment, determining which is the right model for you should be clear…… If you want to use the 10 meter band, get some training and understand the risks.

See our article: “Go Ahead and Use That Radio Without a License”

Ben