Truck Drivers On 26.735 MHz AM Truckers On Free Band CB 1855 UTC 15 March 2024

[R4002]

SIO 333 signals, received locally (Richmond, VA).  Talking about different trucking companies and general informal chatter.  Nice sounding AM signals, no overmodulation, splatter or insane amounts of echo. 

26735 kHz AM 26.735MHz AM.  U.S. truckers on export radios out of band CB radio free band CB 11 meter truck radios. 

26.735 MHz AM is CB radio channel 19 "down one band"....which is one of the reasons why 26.735 MHz AM is so popular for long-haul truckers.  Same with channel 19 "up one band" - 27.635 MHz AM.

26735kHz free band CB radio frequency "low channels" or "Band C". 

[N2MLP]

26735 kHz AM 26.735MHz AM.  U.S. truckers on export radios out of band CB radio free band CB 11 meter truck radios.


HEAR THEM ALOT

[R4002]

They seem to be coming in more frequent this solar cycle, that or I'm simply hearing them more. 

27.635 MHz AM is another popular one (channel 19 up one band, so Band E on most export radios).

I've noticed a fair amount of U.S. based chatter, some of it base stations but most of it mobiles...up in the higher part of the 27.415 MHz - 27.855 MHz band (Band E) and the lower part of the 27.865 MHz - 28.305 MHz band (Band F).  27.885 MHz, 27.905 MHz, 27.915 MHz and 27.925 MHz seem to be the most popular ones. 

The lower channels - 25.615 MHz to 26.955 MHz...lots and lots of U.S. based users, mostly truckers but also random business land mobile users, freebanders and so on.   There's also the popular DX frequencies on the lower channels, below CB radio channel 1.

26.915 MHz AM - Band C Channel 36 - AM calling frequency (alternates: up or down 10 kHz to 26.955, down to 26.515)
26.805 MHz FM - Band C Channel 23 - FM calling frequency
26.715 MHz AM - Band C Channel 17 - AM calling channel DX frequency for Latin America
26.705 MHz AM - Band C Channel 16 - AM calling channel DX frequency for Latin America
26.585 MHz AM - Band C Channel 7 - Mexican truckers / truck drivers (see also: 26.565 MHz, 26.575 MHz, 26.595 MHz)
26.555 MHz LSB - Band C Channel 4 - SSB Calling DX frequency for Spanish language, see also 27.455 MHz USB
26.285 MHz USB - Band B Channel 19 - Alternate calling frequency to 27.555 MHz USB 27.555 USB
26.285 MHz AM - Band B Channel 19 - AM mode, U.S. truckers / truck drivers noted on this frequency
26.225 MHz USB - Band B Channel 14 - SSB activity, Mexico / Latin America
25.835 MHz AM - Band A Channel 19 - US truckers truck drivers, also see 26.285 MHz, 26.735 MHz, 27.635 MHz all AM

Of course there are tons of Latin American users on those frequencies too. 

[RadioMon]

Had a few hits on 26.735 today. Don't know if skip or not.

[R4002]

What are they talking about on 26.735? 

[RadioMon]

What are they talking about on 26.735?

Typical road blather, the idiot up ahead of them driving stupidly, who's running which load where, how well the truck is running (or not). I've heard activity like this all the way down to around 26.000 but usually not much above Ch40.

Will monitor 735 again today and over the weekend. If no activity then, it's probably local deliveries and their outfit (or customers) close for the weekend.

[R4002]

Hearing truckers on 26.735 MHz AM right now 1130 local / 1530 UTC.  Multiple carriers noted on frequency.

And yep, they're all over the band.  Some activity on 27.905 MHz AM and 27.915 MHz AM, U.S. stations, but could be base stations vs. mobiles. 

Most export rigs are 6-band radios (25.615 MHz - 28.305 MHz) with the bands labeled A-B-C-D-E-F, and a band switch in addition to the usual 40 channel selector.  There's usually also a +10 kHz switch that allows access to the 5 skipped channels in each band.

The legal CB band is "Band D", so there's more available channels below channel 1 vs. above channel 40.  Since there's more SSB activity above channel 40, it makes sense that more activity is on bands A/B/C. 

This is true for the classic export radios like the Connex 3300 series, General Lee, General HP40W, Galaxy DX29, Galaxy DX33, Superstar 3900 etc.  Some of the nicer radios like the Galaxy DX99 are 8 band radios (25.165 MHz - 28.755 MHz), either with the bands labeled A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H and the legal CB band being Band E.  Some of these rigs have a LOW BAND/HIGH BAND switch plus a band switch (A/B/C or A/B/C/D or A-D/B-E/C-F).  The Galaxy DX99 is a good example of this, with the legal CB band being High Band A. 

Other radios, like the Superstar 121, General Grant Export, Superstar GR, etc. are 3-band radios.  That is, LOW/MID/HIGH (or C/D/E).  Mid band is the legal CB band, 26.965 MHz - 27.405 MHz.  High band (Band E) is 27.415 MHz - 27.855 MHz and low band (Band C) is 26.515 MHz - 26.955 MHz. 

There are variants of the Superstar 121 that were sold to the hunting market, the Connex Deer Hunter and Connex Coyote Hunter.  The Deer Hunter is a three band radio, with the bands labeled B/C/D.  So that highest band is the legal CB band - coverage being 26.065 MHz to 27.405 MHz.  The Coyote Hunter is identical except it has four bands, A/B/C/D, you guessed it, D is the legal CB band, coverage is 25.615 MHz to 27.405 MHz.  This fits with hunters and truck drivers and other users usually using the lower channels (as there are more channels to work with - 120 channels (3 bands of 40 channels, 3 bands of 45 channels if you count the +10 kHz switch), vs. around 65 channels available on the higher bands (and more SSB QRM). 



Confusing, I know.  Extra confusing when the radio does not have a frequency counter or frequency display.  The standard 6-band 25.615 MHz - 28.305 MHz format is common enough that it's become the de facto standard. 


There are, or were, truckers involved with logging in my area that hung out on 25.835 MHz AM.  That's Channel 19 on band A.  Local operators often use their home channel up or down one band as a "secret" channel...examples include using 26.885 MHz AM instead of 27.335 MHz AM (Channel 33 down one band).  Another one is locals who use "Channel 50" (27.505 MHz AM) as a "side channel".  Of course, its actually Channel 8 up one band. 

Really helps to have a frequency display...or at least a printout of the channel plan.   

I've been listening to two groups of truckers on 26.735MHz AM as I've been typing this.  It's now 1147 local time - 1547 UTC and 26735 is very much active. 

[RadioMon]

I have a DX48T on the bench for one of the locals at the moment. It'll come with the usual "Stay off 10M unless licensed" warnings.

Also volunteered to host study classes for a few of the drivers who are interested in getting their tickets. Those I talked to regarding CB usage say they do a lot more monitoring of road conditions and offloading facility stations than actually chatting with one another so this may open up some possibilities.

Couple hams I knew years ago were OTR drivers and had a lot of fun running HF mobile.

[R4002]

Yep, most drivers stay below 28 MHz. 

Those Galaxy rigs are nice.  I’ve had both the DX 949 and later a DX 959.  The 959 had a nice 120 channel “channel kit” installed, making it a 3-band radio low channels/mid channels (legal CB band) and high channels.  26.515 - 27.855 MHz.  It also had an opened clarifier +10 kHz/-5 kHz transmit and receive, some parts of the receiver updated…and so on.  No, the modulation limiter was not removed. 

I ran it with an Astatic M6B-D104 power mic and an Astatic 636L mic. 

The 949 and 959 are the same radio, the only difference is the 959 has a built in frequency counter.  I know the Galaxy rigs aren’t the best SSB rigs, but they absolutely scream on AM.  With the power mic, I would run the radio’s mic gain setting at 50% or so and the modulation peaks would still be slightly over 100%.  With the 636L, I would set it at 75% or so and it would give me that nice loud punchy audio without distortion. 

Real classic AM “trucker radios” - like the Cobra 25, Cobra 29 and Uniden PC66/PC68/PC76/PC78.  The Galaxy radios have lots of audio and really punchy if you set them up right with a quality microphone.  Same with the classic Cobra and Uniden rigs. 

CB is very much a useful tool for over the road work.  Just being able to listen to channel 19 is quite useful, especially during adverse conditions. 

In the state I live in, the state DOT roadside assistance trucks all have Uniden CB radios and K40 antennas as part of their standard radio setup.  Many of the other DOT vehicles have CB equipment as well, but the motorist assistance guys see the CB as a requirement to do their job.

Many loading facilities, etc. require that all trucks have CB gear for the dispatcher (“guard shack”) to talk to the trucks directly.  I know that one of the local quarries they have the “DISPATCH OFFICE CB CH 23” sign right at the main gate where dump trucks come in to get loaded.  The dispatch office has a nice 5/8 wave base antenna and a very commanding signal. 


They also have their company radios (VHF high band) for talking to their company trucks.  Ironically enough, all the company trucks have CB gear in them as well as company radios. 


Just like the DOT trucks, the CB gear is used for talking directly to private contractors on site, listening to truckers on 27.185 MHz AM (CB Channel 19) and talking to truckers on the same.

[RadioMon]

A lot to quote in the above, so I'll hit the high points:

Radio owner loves his 48T - got great reports with it. The other one he brought was a 29LTD Classic. The Cobra suffered from what I'll call big-truck-itis: Being bounced around on haul roads without the benefit of shock mounting makes every intermittent solder joint in a radio show itself.

In times when there isn't snow or ice on our roads I'm usually on two wheels instead of inside four. Every one of my touring or sport-touring motorcycles has at a minimum a CB rig (either OEM accessory or J&M) installed - with the exception of one. That bike has the ability to accommodate an IC-703, 706MkIIG or IC-7000 and an FTM-10R in its top box. They can be run concurrently. Two of the others also have FTM-10SRs installed.

If I'm underway and on a major thoroughfare I usually monitor Ch19 and the weather band. Having comms aboard the bikes has saved me huge headaches and kept me dry. Relatively speaking. 

[R4002]

Sadly a lot of radios have suffered the same fate ("big-truck-itis").  Lots of vibration over the years just wrecks the solder joints.  Sadly that issue is well enough known to operators and techs alike that some CB operators I've known have cautioned against using certain radios for heavy duty service because of the poorer quality of the solder and a resulting tendency to fail quickly due to the constant vibration.

The radio in question was a Voyage VR9000, which is better known as the Galaxy DX 88HML or Superstar 3900F.  It's a Superstar 3900 with a built-in frequency counter. 

I never had that issue with that particular radio, I used it mobile for many years (in a sedan though) and used it as a base station.  I sold it when I liquidated my collection of CB/11m equipment several years ago (along with several nice examples of older generation Superstar 3900 radios) and now I really hate myself for having done that.  I wish I had held onto my Superstar 3900 or my Superstar GR (which was a rebranded President Grant Export with low/mid/high bands, 26.515 MHz - 27.855 MHz, AM/FM/SSB and a 6-digit frequency counter).

[WA0093SWL]

Speaking of CB, someone is constantly jamming Channel 5 (27015kHz) a lot.

[RadioMon]

Speaking of CB, someone is constantly jamming Channel 5 (27015kHz) a lot.

That's a LatAm trucker channel (similar to CONUS Ch19). They probably have their own unique set of wingnuts who interfere with the channel just as our homegrown idiots do 19.

[R4002]

27.015 MHz (Channel 5) is almost as bad as Channel 6.

Also see: 

26.585 MHz AM
26.595 MHz AM
26.705 MHz AM
26.715 MHz AM
27.065 MHz AM (Channel 9)

26.585 MHz AM is a very popular Mexican trucker frequency.  The nearby channels, especially 26.565 MHz AM, 26.575 MHz AM, 26.595 MHz AM are also very popular, especially when the band is open.  Other honorable mentions include 26.475 MHz AM, 26.405 MHz AM, 26.375 MHz AM, 26.105 MHz AM..but 26.585MHz is a good place to start. 

CB Channel 9 as well as 26.705 MHz AM and 26.715 MHz AM are very popular calling frequencies for Spanish speaking stations.  Puerto Rico is often heard on 26.705 and 26.715.  They'll pop up on 26.695 MHz AM, 26.725 MHz AM and other nearby frequencies too. 

and, as far as SSB goes:

26.555 MHz LSB - Latin American SSB calling - see also: 26.540 MHz LSB, 26.545 MHz LSB, 26.570 MHz LSB
27.455 MHz USB - Latin American SSB calling
27.515 MHz LSB - Caribbean calling frequency
26.225 MHz USB - Latin American SSB calling - see also: 26.235 MHz USB, 26.240 MHz USB, etc.

26.285 MHz USB is designated as an alternate calling frequency, but it is rarely used for that purpose, at least in the Americas.  I've heard more AM mode chatter on 26.285 MHz (out of the Americas - including truckers - since 26.285MHz is Channel 19 down two bands) and FM mode chatter (out of Europe and Asia) then I've heard SSB DXers.   I'm listening to 26.285 MHz right now (1226 UTC on March 29th, 2024) on the G8JNJ online SDR and there is a very loud and very clear Russian land mobile system on the frequency in NFM mode.  26.285 MHz FM.  Taxi cab radio system, radio taxi dispatcher / taxi controller, YL dispatcher "Olga" RU taxi cab dispatch on 26285 FM.

[RadioMon]

Where are you hearing FM transmissions?

Two places I caught them recently are 27.605 and 27.615. Apart from that, nada.