CB Radio is Going FM! Why is the FCC Doing It?

Hello, welcome to the k0lwc hamshack tonight, we are talking about a very interesting topic. cb

radio

and fm. Yes, the FCC seems ready to finally bring FM legally to 11 meters. Let's get into it now. You should know that I love 11 meters where I grew up. 11 meters, a lot of people in the ham

radio

community don't want to say that they were ever in the chicken gang, well I grew up thinking that in the 90s we had a base station, we had it in the car, I mean this is before you. I know cell phones are available so cb really was my method of communication with my family.

Now, of course, growing up, I had access to two ways to modulate my signal. I'm in the band, that's right. FM was not a feature on cb radios in my day. on 11 meters, but now the FCC wants to allow manufacturers to include FM in their radios. This will bring a lot of good things, I think for professional users of the CV radio band, that means truckers, you know, because a lot of times when the jump is really rolling the cycle is at its peak sometimes they can interfere with the communication of truckers along the highways fm will really reduce that will provide better signal clarity and just better short range communication without having to worry about people all over the country and really all over the world when the cycle is on its peak interferes while you're trying to talk a few miles up and down the interstate, that's a good thing, it's a benefit, but it seems a little strange that they're adding FM now and I think it's

going

to be a disaster for a while.

Let me tell you why, so the FCC comes out and passes this new change to part 95. All of a sudden, now we are. They have FM radios that are sold at every truck stop in the country, which is

going

to happen well, people are going to buy new radios, those are the most frequent users of 11 meters and they are going to start using them and of course they are going to If you want to use them correctly new features, a new way to modulate your signal, so you will have FM mixing with AM on the same 40 channels that 11 meters have had for a longer time, which will cause interference for a lot of people. they have an old radio that only has am and sideband, I mean everyone has grandpa's old CB radio in their basement and guess what it has am on sideband so they go to turn it on and suddenly they hear things that they are not familiar with with them they can't understand the signal hmm, what am I going to do?

I really want to use the CB radio. I wonder what they're going to do and that's where it gets really interesting because it's really not the FCC that really wants it. to do this, who really wanted this to happen? Who pressured the FCC to make this happen? Well, that's simple. Cobra Electronics yes, Cobra is the one that asked the FCC to make this change. In fact, it's been three years in the making, in 2017 they introduced this. reconsideration petition, that's how long this has been moving through the government's bureaucratic wheels, let's take a look and see what they actually said in their petition to the FCC.

Now this is what cobra says in his petition. Allowing FM capability in radios would allow users to enjoy the benefits of FM if they so choose while ensuring that each new radio sold can communicate with all existing radios in the field. Cobra also suggests that an FM option will benefit both the professional and recreational CB radio user and provide better quality and clarity. of communication now cobra was not alone with this lobbying, they enlisted the help of one of their friends in the industry to make this happen yes, they went to president radio who also commented on this petition with cobra president electronics usa says they agree that Soy and FM have unique advantages and together they provide a better user experience for CB radios, then FM becomes a thing.

People take out their radios and start hearing unintelligible signals that they can't understand, they get frustrated with the channels they use. i have always used now they have some sign they can't even understand what is being said i wonder what they are going to do oh that's right they are going to buy a new radio and they will probably buy a cobra in at least here in the states maybe a president also, that's what's behind this change, nothing has really changed on 11 meters in a long time, in fact the last time the fcc considered the part 95 changes they decided not to change and include fm, which took to this request first many years ago it's about sales it's about selling new radios some kind of new marketing to stimulate sales for the cobra president and others who will have to adjust their radios to include FM which means more products the door, more income in the bank, okay, all good and well again, I think there are some advantages, especially for truckers, when it comes to the top of the solar cycle, however, one thing I think is being Missing here is the opportunity to maybe expand the channels a little maybe give them a little more spectrum or designate certain channels that can be used FM and now I can't, let's be honest, this is 11 meters, so people follow the rules , I don't know if that's exactly the place, I think.

Well you know, 11 meters following the rules, I'm not so sure, but at least try to come up with some kind of plan for how FM could be used on 11 meters, because if you're going to make it a free game. all in 40 channels again, it will have exactly the desired effect that cobra wants it to have, if they were smart about it they would again make a petition to want to include more channels, but again their goal is to interfere, people are wondering what is going on about that. What are those signals and then people buy new radios?

That's what Cobra wants out of this, but that's my opinion. Tell me what you think. Leave me a comment below. Let me know if you haven't subscribed, hit the like button. I'll see you again next time.