10 Meter

10 Meter Radios are not CB Radios.

There are some big differences between 10 Meter Radios (10 Meter) and CB Radios (11 Meter).

10 Meter Radios are not designed to communicate with CB Radios.
10 Meter Radios are Amateur Radios, also known as Ham Radios.
Unlike a CB Radio, you need to have a license to operate a 10 Meter Radio. The reason for this is because the 10 Meter Radios are allowed to have more wattage/power output than CB Radios. According to FCC regulations, CB radios are allowed a max output of 4 watts. Since the 10 Meter Band is intended for long range communication, more wattage is needed. The potentially very high power output (radio energy) of 10 Meter Radios can actually damage soft tissue and organs (similar to a microwave) so proper use is important! The FCC wants to make sure that 10 Meter Radio operators understand the importance of operating the equipment properly and following the rules. Her is a link to the FCC website that will provide you additional information: FCC website article
Another important aspect of operating a 10 Meter Radio is that they don't want disruption of other important communications. With their high power output, 10 Meter Radios can overpower CB transmissions and other important local communications.
Both 10 Meter and 11 Meter (CB) operate on AM but within different frequencies. The 10 Meter Band consists of frequencies stretching from 28.000 to 29.700 MHz and the 11 Meter Band (CB) is 26.965 to 27.405 MHz. Since they are on different frequencies, 10 meters do not talk with 11 meter radios unless they are modified, which is illegal. This means that you can still use a standard CB antenna- just be sure to get an antenna that has a power rating that will handle the power output of your 10 meter radio.
Out of the box, you will not get Channel 19 with a 10 Meter Radio.
CB Radios operate on the 11 Meter Band around 27 MHz with 40 channels. Unlike the 10 Meter Band, access to these frequencies are unrestricted by the FCC, hence the name "Citizen's Band". Just keep in mind that, even for CB Radios, the FCC requires users to follow certain codes of conduct and equipment restrictions.
Many of them have a band selector knob. There is a 40 channel bank per band.
We also offer 10 meter transmitters. 10 meter transmitters are not necessary. They are amplifiers. For example, if you have a 45 watt 10 meter radio and pair that radio with a DX350 10 Meter Transmitter, it will increase your power output to 350 watts. You can run both a 10 meter radio and a CB radio in the same vehicle but we recommend having different antenna systems for each radio since your antennas will need to be tuned specifically for the different frequency bands. Most standard antennas will cover both the CB and 10 Meter bands (like the Wilson 2000 antennas), however, some antennas are specifically designed for 10 Meter. Check out the Firestik TM3. There could possibly be interference if you run both radios at the same time. To negate that, keep the CB antenna/s and 10 meter antenna/s as far apart from each other as possible.
Lastly, please note our return policies regarding 10 Meter Radios!
HAM Study Guide by Signal Staff.