Editing Citizens band radio (section)

===={{anchor|Present day usage}}21st-century use====
CB has lost much of its original appeal due to development of [[mobile phone]]s, the [[internet]] and the [[Family Radio Service]]. Changing [[radio propagation]] for long-distance communications due to the 11&ndash;year [[sunspot cycle]] is a factor at these frequencies. In addition, CB may have become a victim of its own popularity; with millions of users on a finite number of frequencies during the mid-to-late 1970s and early 1980s, channels often were noisy and communication difficult, which reduced interest among hobbyists. Business users (such as tow-truck operators, plumbers, and electricians) moved to the VHF and UHF business band frequencies. The business band requires an FCC license, and usually results in an assignment to a single frequency. The advantages of fewer users sharing a frequency, greater authorized output power, clarity of [[Frequency modulation|FM]] transmission, lack of interference by distant stations due to [[Skywave|skip propagation]], and consistent communications made the VHF ([[Very high frequency|Very High Frequency]]) radio an attractive alternative to the overcrowded CB channels.

With these factors in play, CB radio has once again gained popularity in recent years, an uptick not seen since the '90s. Manufacturers report an increase in sales, while social media sites like YouTube show a growing popularity in CB radio content, mainly as a hobby. The technology has also given way to more compact CB radios with far more features afforded in older models.  {{citation needed|date=March 2023}}

The FCC restricts channel&nbsp;9 to emergency communications and roadside assistance.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/citizens-band-cb-service |title=Citizens Band Radio Service (CBRS) |date=4 August 2011 |website=fcc.gov |access-date=8 May 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151204202207/https://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/citizens-band-cb-service |archive-date=4 December 2015}}</ref> Most highway travelers monitor channel&nbsp;19. Truck drivers still use CB, which is an effective means of obtaining information about road construction, accidents and [[Speed limit enforcement|police speed traps]].