Editing Citizens band radio (section)

====Origins====
[[File:QSL KHI-6261.jpg|thumb|right|A QSL card issued by a US CB station in 1963]]

The citizens band radio service originated in the United States as one of several personal radio services regulated by the [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC). These services began in 1945 to permit citizens a radio band for personal communication (e.g., radio-controlled model airplanes and family and business communications). In 1948, the original CB radios were designed for operation on the 460–470&nbsp;MHz UHF band.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.retrocom.com/wtcollect/27_megacycle_history_in_the_u.htm |access-date=2010-02-10 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101128232848/http://retrocom.com/wtcollect/27_megacycle_history_in_the_u.htm |archive-date=2010-11-28 |df=dmy-all |title=27&nbsp;Megacycle History}}</ref> There were two classes of CB radio: "A" and "B". Class&nbsp;B radios had simpler technical requirements, and were limited to a smaller frequency range. [[Alfred J. Gross|Al Gross]] established the Citizens Radio Corporation during the late 1940s to manufacture class&nbsp;B handhelds for the general public.<ref name=Kneitel1988/>{{rp|13}} Originally designed for use by the public sector, the Citizens Radio Corporation sold over 100,000 units, primarily to farmers and the US Coast Guard.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-06-25|title=Citizen Band (CB) Radio|url=https://www.nowiresradio.com/citizen-band-radio/|access-date=2020-07-06|website=No Wires Radio|language=en-US}}</ref>

[[Ultra-high frequency]] (UHF) radios, at the time, were neither practical nor affordable for the average consumer. On September 11, 1958<ref name=Kneitel1988/>{{rp|14}} CB service class&nbsp;D was created on 27&nbsp;MHz, and this band became what is commonly known today as "Citizens Band". Only 23&nbsp;channels were available at the time; the first 22 were taken from the former [[amateur radio service]] 11-meter band, and channel&nbsp;23 was shared with radio-controlled devices. Some hobbyists continue to use the designation "11&nbsp;meters" to refer to the Citizens Band and adjoining frequencies. Part&nbsp;95 of the Code of Federal Regulations regulates the class&nbsp;D CB service, on the 27&nbsp;MHz band, since the 1970s and continuing today.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://apps.fcc.gov/eas/comments/GetPublishedDocument.html?id=135&tn=472290 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210324164806/https://apps.fcc.gov/eas/comments/GetPublishedDocument.html?id=135&tn=472290 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2021-03-24 |series=FCC Part&nbsp;95 |title=Overview |access-date=2011-10-21 |df=dmy-all}}</ref> Most of the 460–470&nbsp;MHz band was reassigned for business and public-safety use; CB Class&nbsp;A is the forerunner of the [[General Mobile Radio Service]] (GMRS). CB Class&nbsp;B is a more distant ancestor of the [[Family Radio Service]]. The [[Multi-Use Radio Service]] is another two-way radio service in the [[Band III|VHF high band]]. An unsuccessful petition was filed in 1973 to create a CB Class&nbsp;E service at 220&nbsp;MHz, (part of the amateur radio [[1.25-meter band]] at the time) which was opposed by amateur radio organizations and others.<ref>{{cite news |first=Peter M. |last=Hurd |title=Amateur Radio and MARS News |magazine=Signal |date=May–June 1978 |page=112}}</ref> There are several other classes of personal radio services for specialized purposes (such as [[remote control]] devices).

During the 1960s, the service was used by small businesses (e.g., electricians, plumbers, carpenters), [[truck driver]]s and radio hobbyists. By the late 1960s, advances in [[solid state (electronics)|solid-state]] electronics allowed the weight, size, and cost of the radios to fall, giving the public access to a communications medium previously only available to specialists.<ref name="ind"/> CB clubs were formed; a [[CB slang]] language evolved alongside [[ten-code]], similar to those used in [[emergency service]]s.