Citizens Band Radio Service Honor

Vocational Activities

Requirements

  1. Where and for what purpose was the Citizens Band Radio Service (or PX) created?

    Answer: The Citizens Band Radio Service (PX, or Citizens Band - CB) was created in the United States, around the 1940s-1950s, regulated by the FCC, with the purpose of offering ordinary people a short-distance radio communication service, free and accessible, for personal, commercial, and emergency use — without needing to be a professional radio amateur. — CB was created to give the ordinary citizen a simple communication radio — useful for everyday life and for emergencies.

  2. Be familiar with the requirements for obtaining a CB station operator license.
  3. Know the upper and lower frequencies of CB HF (High Frequency) and UHF (Ultra High Frequency) radios. Know the following frequencies:
    • Emergency channels (HF and UHF)
    • Highway channels
    • Calling and listening channels (HF, AM, SSB, and UHF)
    • Maritime emergency call

    Answer: 1) Emergency channels (HF and UHF): in Brazilian CB (the HF/CB band from 26.9 to 27.4 MHz, the 40 channels) channel 9 is the emergency channel (distress and safety). In the UHF CB band, there are channels equally reserved for emergencies according to ANATEL regulations. 2) Highway channels: these are the channels used by truckers and travelers on the roads for communication about traffic, road conditions, and assistance. Traditionally channel 11 is the highway/road channel on 27 MHz CB. 3) Calling and listening channels (HF, AM, SSB, and UHF): these are the channels used to establish initial contact and to monitor. On CB (HF), channel 19 is the most used calling and listening channel; there are specific channels for the AM and SSB (single sideband) modes, and in the UHF band there are also designated calling channels according to ANATEL. 4) Maritime emergency call: the international maritime distress and calling frequency on VHF is channel 16 (156.8 MHz), monitored by vessels and coastal stations for distress calls. — CB operates mainly in the 27 MHz band (HF), with dedicated channels for emergency, highway, and calling.

  4. Know the function of the following controls:
    • Channel selector
    • Volume
    • RF gain (amplifier)
    • Squelch (attenuator/silencer)
    • NB filter switch

    Answer: 1) Channel selector: chooses the radio's operating channel/frequency. 2) Volume: adjusts the sound level (audio intensity) coming from the speaker. 3) RF gain (amplifier): adjusts the reception sensitivity of the radiofrequency signal, increasing or decreasing how much the receiver picks up weak or strong signals. 4) Squelch (muting): eliminates the background hiss/noise when there is no transmission, opening the sound only when a signal of sufficient strength arrives. 5) NB (Noise Blanker) switch: turns on the circuit that reduces short-duration noise and interference, such as that caused by engines and vehicle ignition. — Knowing the controls — channel, volume, gain, squelch, and filter — is the basics for operating the CB radio well.

  5. Correctly install a fixed or mobile Citizens Band Radio Service, including the antenna.
  6. What is the International Phonetic Code and what is its importance for CB operators? Cite from memory 15 terms of this code, among the most used.

    Answer: The International Phonetic Code (the NATO phonetic alphabet) is a system that gives a name to each letter, to spell words clearly on the radio and avoid confusion (e.g., 'B' and 'D', which sound similar). It is important so that the message is understood even with noise. Fifteen terms: Alfa, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot, Golf, Hotel, India, Juliet, Kilo, Lima, Mike, November, and Oscar (followed by Papa, Quebec, Romeo, Sierra, Tango...). — The phonetic code (Alfa, Bravo, Charlie...) makes the message understood even with noise — spelling without confusion is vital on the radio.

  7. Demonstrate the ability to correctly respond to a CB call and transmission, by HF or UHF, using the international phonetic code.