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Packet on CB Radio

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41a0203c

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I recently watched a video on YouTube in which an operator had a TNC hooked up to a CB radio. The set up looked good and it seemed to be handling data quite well. Does anyone else have experience with this? I like the idea, but I also would like to stay in compliance with the law too.
 

nd5y

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In the US using any digital mode on CB (one that isn't a selective calling feature) is illegal.
A few freebanders have been doing 300 and 1200 baud packet for about 30 years or so.
 

LtDoc

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Packet, or any of the other 'digital' modes can be done on almost any frequency. Will you hear any on CB radio? If you do it will be very rare, to say the least. No, it isn't legal on CB radio, or a lot of others either. So why would someone have a TNC hooked up to a CB radio? 'Wooo Batman!', I have no idea. To see if they could do it?
- 'Doc
 

sloop

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no data on CB

sorry LtDoc...digital modes are not allowed on CB or GMRS. 47 CFR part 95.631.e "no GMRS or CB transmitter shall employ a digital modulation or emission." All frequencies are controlled as to what typoes of emissions that are permitted. My suggestion is that if anyone is interested in digital...get your HAM license. They are really easy to get...even 6 year old kids can pass the test.
 

radioman2001

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????????? I thought TNC packet is FSK which is actually 2 different tones being transmitted depending on the 1 or 0. I don't believe tones are illegal on CB, it may be a stretch but think about it. Further more, you are injecting audio into the mic jack, not playing with the VCO or crystal. As long as it stays within the audio filter bandwidth, I don't see a problem. What about all those noise makers you hear on CB (whistle, etc) they are tones also.
 
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nd5y

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Ham radio TNCs normally put out audio tones that you either feed into a radio's mic jack or audio input pin on a rear connector. If the radio is in AM or FM you get ASFK. If the radio is in USB or LSB you get FSK. Some TNCs also put out mark/space signals for use with radios that have a RTTY or direct FSK mode.

It was back in the mid to late 1980s when I heard the packet on freeband. That was back before most people had computers and all packet and RTTY was hardware TNC based. Since the late 1990s or so most hams now use software that uses the computer sound card to generate and decode various digital modes. I haven't listened to the 26-28 MHz range for years. It would not surprise me if there are CBers or freebanders running PSK31, RTTY and other digital modes now.
 

KF4ZTO

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Some countries allow for packet or other digital modes on CB radio. Germany is one of them, specifically 26.565, 26.675, 26.685, 26.915, 26.925, 27.025, 27.035, 27.235, 27.245, and 27.405 MHz.

I've heard pirate packet on 27.500 and 27.550 MHz, apparently there are freebanders who operate on those frequencies for data (CW and SSTV as well) and on 27.700 MHz.

Packet is indeed illegal on CB frequencies in the U.S.A.
 

jhooten

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????????? I thought TNC packet is FSK which is actually 2 different tones being transmitted depending on the 1 or 0. I don't believe tones are illegal on CB, it may be a stretch but think about it. Further more, you are injecting audio into the mic jack, not playing with the VCO or crystal. As long as it stays within the audio filter bandwidth, I don't see a problem. What about all those noise makers you hear on CB (whistle, etc) they are tones also.


Think again:

TITLE 47--TELECOMMUNICATION

COMMISSION (CONTINUED)

PART 95--PERSONAL RADIO SERVICES--Table of Contents

Subpart E--Technical Regulations

Sec. 95.631 Emission types.

(c) A CB transmitter may transmit only emission types A1D, H1D, J1D,
R1D, A3E, H3E, J3E, R3E. A non-voice emission is limited to selective
calling or tone-operated squelch tones to establish or continue voice
communications.
 

radioman2001

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All I am saying is that the radio does meet the emission mask since the audio used is within the bandpass of the type acceptance of the radio. Now as far as the actual data?? It could be construed as selective calling, maybe a stretch, but who knows. A decision from the FCC may be in order.
Now considering how little the FCC has been going after CB'ers with the exception of ridiculous linear amps, and unless someone actually provide a complaint and location info, I doubt anything is likely to happen. It's more likely you would bagged for running too much power as opposed to TNC.
 

roadranger

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An old idea..

... a freind of mine had wanted to use packet on MURS. For what, I don't know. You couldn't use radiofacsimile, though. (Sending images.)
 
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eng101

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Apr 23, 2012
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uk
cb packet

hi, all, going back a few years 4 or 5, cb freq 26.8400 lsb was alive with packet radio, now the main freq is 27.235/ 27. 245 fm
there are still quite alot of stns which use this freq, when the band is open.
nowaday you can use a sound card to decode 300/1200 baud packet, as well as tx
yes it is ilegal, but then so was the old aunty mary days back in the late 70's / 80's
and if your interested, you can decode color pictures on 27.700 USB, again when the band is open
again using nothing more than your pc and a sound card

73
 

kb2vxa

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KISS people, keep it simple. Legal or not "exotic" modes on CB are like the proverbial bull accessories, useless for communications effectiveness, novelties. Heh, another of my stark revelations since the Statute of Limitations ran out years ago, some friends and I used to FAX each other. Upon hearing the strange sounds Joe CBer went out looking for the Mother Ship. Maybe I should have told him she hung out on channel 18.

Hey guy I'll tell you what's legal on CB, anything you can get away with. (;->)

No, seriously the FCC didn't go away and their web site has all the violations on it, plenty of CBers running illegally crying the Blues.
 

LtDoc

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Sloop,
Where did i say it was legal on CB? I said it could be -done- on any frequency, meaning it's possible. It certainly isn't legal on just any frequency.
- 'Doc
 
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