I am an amateur in a new CB radio for Y2K. Atre there web sites which teach you how to communicate with other radio operators? I heard people use 10-4 and all those code words? Please give me at least the basic codes? which is the emergency or police channel? Traffic report? Thanks.

-- James (Jim43@hotmail.com), December 18, 1999

Answers

If you bought a Cobra, the codes should be in the package. Most CB'ers don't use much code besides "What's yer 20?" (where are you?), and 10-4 (okay) anyway. You should be okay. Police channel is 9. Main/trucker channel is 19. You'll get more use out of it if you live by/travel the Interstate system.

Helpful hint: "Good buddy" doesn't mean what it did in the '70's.

-- TruckerGirrl (Flyinon@the.rampsend), December 18, 1999.

I don't know a lot either but here's a few...

The main trucker channel depends on where you live

Emergency = channel 9

handle = your fake name on the CB

break ("channel number") = checking to see if anyone is on the channel

go ahead breaker = yeah, i'm listening

10-4 or 4 = i hear that

over = i'm done talkin, now it's your turn

20 = location

do you copy? = did you hear?

copy that = yes i heard

i'm backing out on the side = i'll be listening, but lettin other people talk

walkin all over you = some jerk with an amp just stomped on your transmission

keep the shiny side up and the rubber side down = don't roll your rig

county mounty/smokey bear = highway patrol/statepolice

Also, if the channel is busy, don't talk for more than a couple of minutes without giving someone else a chance, or else move to another channel

Here's the rest of the codes

-- Hawk (flyin@high.again), December 18, 1999.

In addition to what everyone else has said, I'd suggest just monitoring for awhile because different areas can have their own slang, and unlike ham radio, users occasionally make up their own codes to confuse other listeners.

-- (ladybuckeye_59@yahoo.com), December 18, 1999.

It is illegal to send 'encrypted' transmissions, but here is a scheme that is not only legal, but works well.

Make sure you and your recipient have the same copy of the Bible. Then you send a series of numbers. The first is the book number, then the chapter verse, then the word. Example: "In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth:"

1:1:1:3

1Genesis1chapter1verse3word = 'beginning'

Believe it or not, this worked well in WW II because the Japanese were unfamiliar with the Bible, and the Germans used the Luther Bible which is different. It will also work with page numbers of dictionaries, whatever.

It might not work well with Feds, since they have had to start reading the Bible to deal with the Christian Right in the '90's, although obviously not too many BATF agents know the Bible very well, or they would find another line of work! :)

-- Forrest Covington (theforrest@mindspring.com), December 18, 1999.

Forrest,

Not a bad code set up if you pick an obscure book that you both have. But if you attract sufficient attention "they" might catalog your library in the middle of the night and find "that" book that is common to both of you. Common books particularly the bible will be checked first by any good cryptologist who will break the code you suggest in a matter of hours if not minutes.

-- (PGP)LM (latemarch@usa.net), December 18, 1999.

Exactly. That's why it's not an illegal encryption system. The idea is not to conceal anything from cops or police, just to be able to send a message without 99 percent of the yahoos on the CB knowing what your'e talking about.

-- Forrest Covington (theforrest@mindspring.com), December 19, 1999.

MAD Magazine had a very amusing parody of CB lingo, the setting being a conversation between the owner and host of a restaurant. It appears in "Completely Mad: A History of the Comic Book and Magazine."

-- David L (bumpkin@dnet.net), December 19, 1999.