Yes, you are correct...you are not allowed to transmit on that frequency...but not illegal to monitor. I didn't even notice that the A-F Band switch was set one band prior to the standard 19 (27.185 MHz).
Personally I don't see why anyone would want to transmit in the free-band this day an age, regardless of being illegal....since the advent of cell phones and internet.....there is virtually no congestion anymore in the standard CB frequencies. I rarely even here any one on Ch 19...most truckers have moved to cell & business band radios or none at all (or at least don't turn them on, unless it's an emergency). You still here a few on SSB on CB ch 38-40...but even that is rare.
I use the radio in the jeep primarily for 10 Meter HF legal licensed ham frequencies and for monitoring channel 19 or other CB channel for highway driving or jeeping. Nice thing about this radio is you can easily set to run low power on the 11 meter and the higher capable power on the 10 Meter ham frequencies at a click of a button.
Next radio to go in (remote head style above the Sony head unit) will be either a Dual-Band 144/440 or Tri-band 144/223/440...just waiting to find a good deal on a nice used one that meets my desires.