CB Radios are communications devices that are almost exclusively used in vehicles. They are typically used to listen to or participate in friendly conversation with others on the highway, but they can also be used to communicate with friends or report emergencies.
A typical CB radio is mounted and hard wired directly into a vehicle. An antenna is typically mounted on the outside of the vehicle. Connected to the main CB unit, will be a palm-size microphone. A button is pressed on the side of the microphone to transmit a message over the currently selected channel. Other CB owners within range will hear your message if they are tuned to your channel.
Standard CB Radios support 40 channels, and those supporting SSB (Single Side Band) support even more. Channel 9 is an emergency channel and should only be used to transmit an actual emergency. Channel 19 is the preferred highway channel in most areas. Many CB radios have "Instant Channel Access" buttons to let you quickly tune to channels 9 or 19.
CB radio range varies from a few miles to possibly thousands of miles. The type of antenna and the output power of the radio most directly affect the range, but other factors can contribute as well. Radio output power is limited to 4 watts by the FCC and most CB radios operate at this maximum. Antenna's, however, can vary widely. In general, the longer the antenna the better.
Because of the frequency range within which CB radios operate, it is possible that radio signals can bounce off the ionosphere (called "skip") and be heard hundreds or even thousands of miles away. Taking advantage of this "skip" to communicate with those hundreds of miles away is discouraged by the FCC.
CB radios are now predominately used by truckers, but there are several reasons the average person may find them convenient. For exclusive vehicle use, they may be better choice than a two way radio for communicating between vehicles on a road trip. Many offer NOAA weather channel support, which allows you to stay aware of local weather. Just being able to communicate with other travellers has many other small benefits, such as getting suggestions for where to dine or being alerted to speed traps.
CB radios can also be fun! CB radio users have their own lingo, including ten codes and slang. They can also be quite inexpensive to get started with, so why not give one a try?
CB Radios can also be the "best" radar detector on the road, in addition can help you when you need directions, get lost, or just a way to rag chew and talk and have a good time, during a long drive, or when looking for a hobby while at home. I like Peanuts CB Shop, becuase they've always treated me right.