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[roadranger]

Is Cb in Australia Am or Fm? What kinds of radios are used? How many watts?

[ecps92]

Citizens' band radio - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Before CB was authorized in Australia, there were hand held 27 MHz "walkie-talkies" that utilised several frequencies in between the present CB channels, such as 27.240 MHz.[11][12] By the mid-1970s, hobbyists were experimenting with these handheld radios, as well as with unauthorized American CB radios. At that time in Australia, the 11-meter band was still used by licenced ham operators[13] but not yet available for CB-type use.
A number of CB clubs had formed by this time, which assigned callsigns to members, exchanged QSL cards, and lobbied for the legalization of CB. In 1977, CB was legalized with an 18-channel bandplan. [14] Later, in 1980, the American 40-channel bandplan was adopted. From the outset, the Government attempted to regulate CB radio with licence fees and call-signs etc, but some years later abandoned this approach.
The first CB club in Australia was the Charlie Brown Touring Car Club (CBTCC)[citation needed], which formed in Morwell, Victoria in 1967 and consisted of members who were mainly four-wheel drive enthusiasts. The club used the prefix GL (for Gippsland) due to the fact that "CB" could not be used. After July 1 1977, the club changed its name to Citizens Band Two Way Communication Club (CBTCC).[citation needed] Other early clubs were the LV (Latrobe Valley) and the WB named after Wayne Britain. Members of these clubs are still about and have also become amateur radio operators.
With the introduction of UHF CB radios in 1977, many operators used both UHF and HF radios and formed groups to own and operate local FM repeaters.
Members of the CBTCC formed what became known as Australian Citizens Radio Movement (ACRM) in the early 1970s and this organisation became the mouthpiece for CB radio legalisation throughout Australia.
After peaking in the 1970s and early 1980s, the use of 27 MHz CB in Australia has fallen dramatically in the last decade. The later introduction of 477 MHz UHF CB, with FM and repeaters, and the proliferation of cheap, compact handheld UHF transceivers have been part of the reason. But other technologies such as mobile telephones and the Internet have provided people with other choices for communications.

UHF CB - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Originally Posted by roadranger

Is Cb in Australia Am or Fm? What kinds of radios are used? How many watts?

[roadranger]

Thanks for the useful info, Patriot!

[kb2vxa]

"After peaking in the 1970s and early 1980s, the use of 27 MHz CB in Australia has fallen dramatically in the last decade."

Wiki is often misleading or incorrect, being anything but authoritative always take it with a grain of salt. Having discussed the issue with a number of Ozzies involved in all sorts of job, volunteer and Amateur related operations involving radio communications word has it 11M CB never really took off. That "peak" was more like a small bump most unlike the madhouse that happened in the US. FYI, it was the same in the UK, it never was popular. UHF CB however is somewhat popular but only in major cities due to limited range and those wide open spaces Australia is noted for, you can drive for hundreds of kilometres and not see another human face.