Will NFM Save CB???

Yep, already has.

Sales are taking off, millions of units are being sold.

 

I'm not hearing anybody on FM 19. Continuing to monitor

 

He meant to say in china.

 

I'm not convinced CB needs saving. It is still an invaluable tool for those who wish to avail themselves. It is simply used in a different way these days

 

I actually don’t think it really matters to those companies, once a product slides below a specific sales level, they just drop it. With the branding system in electronics, it is easy to get a product in the market with a name brand.

 

I think FM is something that is looonnngg overdue for CB. I have said many times in the past that the FCC messed up about four things when they created Class D CB in the late 1950's.
1) 11m band. Did nobody in the FCC's vast wealth of technical knowledge have any idea that skip would possibly be a problem at that wavelength? Seriously?

2) Channel spacing. Should have been AT LEAST 15 KHz between channels, preferably 20 KHz.

3) AM mode. Even with the state-of-the-art FM of that day being considered "Wideband" by today's standards, it would have worked with 15-20 KHz spacing. FM has so many advantages over AM, to include but not limited to noise squelch, capture effect, and CTCSS compatibility. Shoulda made it FM from the start.

4) 5 Watts input power. This was and is a ridiculous power limit for reliable comms across town or in rural areas where longer range may be needed. 5 Watts in ham radio is called QRP or low-power. There are aspects of the hobby devoted to seeing how far you can reach on such low power, for the helluvit. This is not a power level for reliable comms not on a network. If the FCC had set the maximum power output at something realistic, say 25-30 Watts, I believe many would have found its range satisfactory for their needs as-is and probably would not have felt it necessary to buy illegal amplifiers as much as they have. Sure, there will always be someone trying to get a little more range than they have or need, but I think a realistic output would have seen way fewer CB'ers investing in amps.

The first FCC type-accepted FM capable CB is great news. It is disappointing that it does not have CTCSS/DCS capability. Such will allow for monitoring for long hours with less fatigue by people on bases, mobiles, and portables. A family, group of friends, other group, or even the whole of CB can use an agreed upon CTCSS/DCS code for their comms and not be annoyed by constant interruptions from skip, other traffic, static, etc. Think about it. If an FM version of Channel 9 (emergency) were agreed upon, a CTCSS code could be suggested or designated by the FCC, say 141.3 Hz. If FM capability caught on, someone could monitor whatever channel and not hear endless Spanish when skip is running as they now do on Channel 9.