CB radios have been quietly popular for 30 years. When they first came on the scene, CB radios were liberating. They gave housewives, bored commuters, and students of human nature a new language: CB. "Ten-four" became an abused term. After the wild interest moved on to the Internet chat rooms, CB continued to serve its initial purpose: two-way communication on a budget. Here's how to fix a CB, good buddy.

How Does It Work?

Citizens band radios are miniature receivers and transmittersthat fall under the jurisdiction of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Work on the transmitter components should be done only by an FCC radiotelephone-licensed service person.

A citizens band (CB) radio is both a receiver and a transmitter. A radio receiver is an electronic device that receives audio signals through an antenna, then amplifies and sends the sound to speakers. A transmitter does the opposite: it takes microphone (a reverse speaker) signals, converts them into electronic signals, and distributes them via an antenna. CB radios have 40 channels on which you can speak and/or listen. Some, such as channel 9, are set aside for special purposes (emergency assistance), but most are open to whatever you want to talk about. Mobile radios and mobile telephones work approximately the same way.

What Can Go Wrong?

Mobile CB radios, those installed in cars and trucks, run on car battery power. Base stations are corded radio transmitters and receivers. A battery or cord may need replacing. Many CBs have fuses that can be replaced, often from the back of the unit. Contacts can be bent of corroded. Controls and switches may be dirty. Antennas can break or become disconnected.

Because CB radios transmit electronic signals, they come under the jurisdiction of the Federal Communications Commission. You'll need an FCC technician's license to work on a CB or mobile radio, other than a few tasks that can't impact transmission. Cleaning a CB is okay, as is replacing an antenna. And you can replace a Fuse.