FCC modifies rules for Citizens Band, FRS, etc.

Quote: "The FCC said changes to the decades-old Citizens Band (CB) rules will remove outdated requirements, including certain labeling requirements. DXing on Citizens Band will become legal too. Once the new rules are effective, CBers will be allowed to contact stations outside of the FCC-imposed — but widely disregarded — 155.3-mile distance limit. The revised CB rules further clarify how hands-free devices can be used with CB radios and will allow the use of wireless microphones with CB radios. “We find the record persuasive regarding the consumer demand for this feature, and it will promote safety on the highways by reducing driver distraction for those using CB [radios],” the FCC said. The FCC left in place the current power limits for the CB Radio Service."

That's a relief. I was worried the stormtroopers would breach my front door for my 4-Watt CB bouncing off Mars and getting beyond the 155.3-mile limit.

 

Yeah I posted about this I think Friday evening.

 

Sounds like a late April fool's joke.

Where's Gadfly and his 2 cents on this?

 

Why? It doesn't bother me. All I ever wanted was for unlicensed people to stay off the amateur bands with illegal transmitters, interfering with hams. That's all. What's wrong with that?
IMHO, its just another step towards diluting requirements and any distinctions between the two radio services & it follows the trend of making everything easy for the taking. Nobody wants to do any work to achieve something worthwhile anymore. Its a societal trend. We want everything for nothing. IOW "Instant gratification". Even the US education system has been dumbed down to the point that our youth can't even count change; they are totally dependent on their computers and "smart"(?) phones. Just last week, I attempted to give a young clerk change to "even up" the return change, and he refused it! Said, he'd "already rung it up" and it would make everything wrong! I replied curtly, " If you accepted the loose coins, the change would be $3.00 even"!
Y'all might not agree with me, but its what I see. We want everything FREE for the taking, we want everything GIVEN to us without any effort on our part.

Ultimately, IMHO, it will leave us looking for something else to satisfy us, and a void that still remains. We will continue to clamor for more channels. more this, more that, less personal commitment or dedication to working FOR the things we want. Other nations (China, for example) have overtaken us in education, perhaps, in work ethic. Will we be able to continue as a leader among nations if we want everything for FREE? IOW "LAZY"!

CB radio is fine. OK. It was designed as a personal radio medium before cellphone and the modern electronics. People FORCED it to become a competitor for amateur radio. I played with CB because it was simple, had few restrictions, but the ones it had, I could live with at the time.
I went to amateur radio to try to LEARN something about the medium. I resented the "outlaw" aspect of CB. By the time I am gone, will amateur radio licenses be found in Cracker Jack boxes? It looks to, tho slowly, be doing just that!

I simply think that amateur privileges should be earned by, as least, some study of the effects of radio waves on others' ability to enjoy the brand. CB should be what it is (or was supposed to be): a short-ranged, local, simple, regulated medium for people to use. What's wrong with that?

 

No, but I know you have said MANY MANY times "CB won't ever change. The FCC won't ever allow more power....and they won't let you talk anymore than 155 miles."

Yet it now appears the FCC has agreed to allow for DX working. They have yet to lift on the power requirements, although that COULD change. Yes I know you have mentioned many times about how us hams are trained to run just enough power to make the contact and you can run up to 1500 watts on certain areas of the band. You never know, the day could come when the FCC allows more than 4 watts to be ran.

 

The power things won't change, too many co-users within the band and close to it. Unlike ham, the cb'er won't care if they are asked to turn down the power, where we are required to oblige.

We are trained to use just enough power?

Seriously ever listen to contests where someone running QRO because he can and gets through the pile up or just causally listen to 40 on some days where a few live less than 50 miles apart using 1kw to talk.

 

I hope the CB 4-Watt restriction doesn't change. I'd hate to have the airwaves so cluttered that you couldn't hear about the wreck 10 miles ahead of you and instead maybe hear an argument going on between immature drivers 50 or 100 miles ahead or behind or to the side.

 

With how little of a clue most people have about antenna systems, it's unlikely they would get out 50 miles running big power. Case in point, the bull haulers that turn their antennas almost straight forward. They could run a kilowatt and still not get out 5 miles down the road.

But people are just ignoring the power restrictions anyway.

 

yeah, because all of the radios in trucks are at a 4 watt power output. i guess all of the guys with stock radios getting out 10+ miles fall here, as well? this forum seems to be full of them so i expect a large reaction.