CB Radio Usage in the United States

CB radio, also called Citizens Band radio, is a personal radio service that was defined by the FCC’s Part 95 rules. This type of radio can be used for personal or business communication, and has a pretty standard operating range of several miles. The exact distance over which CB radios are effective, however, heavily relies on what types of radios you are using, what type of antenna you are using, and on other factors.

In the U.S., CB radio is used commonly by truckers to relay information and converse with one another. They might talk about anything from the weather, to speed traps, to the condition of the roads...they might also just engage in friendly conversation over the radio as a means to pass the time on long trips.

In the United States, pretty much anyone can use CB radios for personal or business use. For example, a service company might use CB radios to talk to its servicemen from the business headquarters, much like a taxi service might communicate with its drivers over CB radio. CB amplifiers are not permitted in the US.

CB radio is public, so it is not secure....anyone could listen to it, and anyone could broadcast on it. The only exception to this is channel 9, which is reserved for emergency communication or assistance for travelers.

There are no age, license, or citizenship requirements to say who may or may not use the 40 CB channels in the United States. Pretty much anyone who buys a CB radio may use them. It is not permitted, however, for other countries, governments, or representatives to use the citizen’s radio bands within the United States. CB transmitters must be FCC certified, and may not be modified to increase power output or to broadcast on different, unauthorized frequencies. 

Additional information on this topic can be found at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CB_usage_in_the_United_States.