# CB radio slang



## binky

Does anyone here know some CB radio slang, I am interested in being able to understand the people I can hear on my CB radio better.


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## ke4sky

*International Telecommunication Union Procedural Words*

Rather than learning "CB slang" you should listen to public safety, aviation, marine and amateur radio services to learn correct radio procedures and the use of plain language, accuracy, brevity and clarity in voice communications. This link provides a good inrtroduction to proper voice communications: http://www.fcc.gov/pshs/clearinghouse/cert.html

Here are the procedural words used in real world disaster communications:

*PROWORDS - Procedural words or "prowords" are words or phrases that have special meaning to expedite the flow and accuracy of voice communications. Prowords used in the heading or text of a message, are not counted in the group count and are not written into the message when it is prepared for delivery to the addressee*.

*PROWORD(S)* *EXPLANATION*

*AFFIRMATIVE* YOU ARE CORRECT. WHAT YOU HAVE TRANSMITTED IS 
CORRECT. YES.

*ALL AFTER* THE PORTION OF THE MESSAGE TO WHICH I REFER IS 
THAT PORTION WHICH FOLLOWS- - - -

*ALL BEFORE* THE PORTION OF THE MESSAGE TO WHICH I REFER IS
THAT PORTION WHICH PRECEDES- - - -

*AUTHENTICATE* SPELL PHONETICALLY THE ORIGINATING STATION'S
AUTHENTICATION CODE WHICH APPLIES TO THIS 
MESSAGE.

*BREAK	* INDICATES THE VOICED SEPARATION OF MESSAGE TEXT
FROM OTHER PORTIONS OF THE MESSAGE.

*CORRECT * YOU ARE CORRECT. WHAT YOU HAVE TRANSMITTED IS
CORRECT.

*CORRECTION* AN ERROR HAS BEEN MADE IN THIS TRANSMISSION. 
THE CORRECT VERSION IS- - - - -.

*DISREGARD, OUT.* THIS TRANSMISSION IS IN ERROR.
DISREGARD IT.

*DO NOT ANSWER* STATIONS CALLED WILL NOT ANSWER THIS CALL
OR TRANSMIT REGARDING THIS TRANSMISSION.

*FROM	* THE ORIGINATOR OF THIS MESSAGE FOLLOWS.

*GROUPS * THE TEXT OF THIS MESSAGE CONTAINS (XX) GROUPS.

*I AUTHENTICATE* AUTHENTICATION CODE FOLLOWS

*IMMEDIATE* THIS MESSAGE HAS A PRECEDENCE OF IMMEDIATE

*INFO	* THE ADDRESSEES FOLLOWING ARE ADDRESSED FOR
INFORMATION ONLY.

*INITIAL(S)* A GROUP OF ONE OR MORE CHARACTERS, THE FIRST
OF WHICH IS A LETTER, FOLLOWS.

*I READ BACK* THE FOLLOWING IS A RESPONSE TO YOUR INSTRUCTIONS
TO "READ BACK".

*I SAY AGAIN* I AM REPEATING THE TRANSMISSION OR PORTION
INDICATED.

*I SPELL* I WILL SPELL THE NEXT WORD PHONETICALLY.

*I VERIFY	* THAT WHICH FOLLOWS IS VERIFIED PER YOUR REQUEST.

*MAYDAY(repeat 3x)* I AM IN SERIOUS DANGER AND
REQUIRE IMMEDIATE HELP.

*MORE TO FOLLOW	* I HAVE MORE MESSAGES, TRAFFIC OR
INFORMATION FOR YOU.

*NEGATIVE* NOT RECEIVED. NO.

*NO TRAFFIC* I HAVE NO TRAFFIC TO SEND.

*NOTHING HEARD* THE STATION CALLED DID NOT RESPOND.

*OUT* END TRANSMISSION NO ANSWER IS REQUIRED OR
EXPECTED.

*OVER* END OF MY TRANSMISSION, I AM READY 
TO COPY YOUR REPLY .

*PAN(repeat 3x) *I HAVE AN URGENT SITUATION, OR TRAFFIC

*PRIORITY* MESSAGE HAS PRECEDENCE OF PRIORITY"

*READ BACK * REPEAT THIS TRANSMISSION EXACTLY AS RECEIVED.

*RELAY (TO)* TRANSMIT THIS MESSAGE TO ALL ADDRESSEES
OR ADDRESSEES IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING

*RELAY THROUGH * RELAY THIS MESSAGE THROUGH CALLSIGN______.

*ROGER * I HAVE RECEIVED AND UNDERSTAND YOUR LAST 
TRANSMISSION.

*ROUTINE* THIS MESSAGE HAS A PRECEDENCE OF "ROUTINE".

*SAY AGAIN * REPEAT ALL OF YOUR LAST TRANSMISSION.

*SECURITE' *_(repeat 3x)_ I HAVE A NAVIGATION PROBLEM OR I AM EXPECTING A
STATE OF EMERGENCY TO DEVELOP OR I HAVE 
INFORMATION REGARDING A HAZARD TO NAVIGATION.

*SERVICE * THIS IS A SERVICE MESSAGE AND 
HAS NO GROUP COUNT.

*SEND SLOWER * YOUR TRANSMISSION SPEED IS TOO FAST TO COPY.
REDUCE SPEED.

*THIS IS * THIS TRANSMISSION IS FROM THE STATION WHOSE
CALLSIGN FOLLOWS.

*THIS IS A DIRECTED NET * FROM NOW UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE THIS NET IS DIRECTED.

*THIS IS A FREE NET* FROM NOW UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE THIS NET IS FREE.

*TIME * FOLLOWING IS THE TIME OR DATE/TIME/GROUP OF
THIS MESSAGE.

*TO * THE FOLLOWING ADDRESSEE(S) ARE ADDRESSED 
FOR ACTION.

*UNKNOWN STATION* THE IDENTITY OF THE STATION IS UNKNOWN. 
IDENTIFY AND SAY AGAIN.

*URGENT* THIS MESSAGE HAS A PRECEDENCE OF "URGENT".

*VERIFY* VERIFY ENTIRE MESSAGE (OR PORTION INDICATED) 
WITH THE ORIGINATOR AND SEND THE CORRECT VERSION.
*
WAIT * I MUST PAUSE FOR A FEW SECONDS.
DO NOT TRANSMIT.
*
WAIT OUT * I MUST PAUSE FOR A PERIOD OF TIME. 
CONTINUE WITH THE NET AND I CALL AGAIN LATER. 
(does not require an answer).
*
WILCO * I HAVE RECEIVED AND WILL COMPLY WITH YOUR
LAST TRANSMISSION. _The meaning of "ROGER" is 
included in "WILCO" and the two prowords are
never used together._
*WORD AFTER* THE WORD I NEED A FILL OF IS THE WORD AFTER - - - -.

*WORD BEFORE* THE WORD I NEED A FILL OF IS THE WORD PRECEDING ---

*WORDS TWICE* COMMUNICATION IS DIFFICULT. TRANSMIT EACH
GROUP OR PHRASE TWICE.

*WRONG * YOUR LAST TRANSMISSION WAS INCORRECT. THE 
CORRECT VERSION IS- - - .

A copy of the ITU phonetic alphabet and this proword list should be kept at the radio operating position until they are committed to memory.


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## NeeNee

Good to know, ke4sky! Thanks!


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## ke4sky

*Correct Voice Communication Procedure*

Some more helpful links:

Communications Template - USCG Navigation Center
http://www.soarelsinore.org/docs/BASIC_AIRCRAFT_RADIO.pdf
http://www.arinc.com/downloads/voice_services_operating_procedures.pdf
http://nacs.uci.edu/network/Radio_Use_Procedures.pdf


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## gumby

Reminds me of Simple Mail Transfer Protocol:

S: 220 smtp.example.com ESMTP Postfix
C: HELO relay.example.org
S: 250 Hello relay.example.org, I am glad to meet you
C: MAIL FROM:<[email protected]>
S: 250 Ok
C: RCPT TO:<[email protected]>
S: 250 Ok
C: RCPT TO:<[email protected]>
S: 250 Ok
C: DATA
S: 354 End data with <CR><LF>.<CR><LF>
C: From: "Bob Example" <[email protected]>
C: To: Alice Example <[email protected]>
C: Cc: [email protected]
C: Date: Tue, 15 Jan 2008 16:02:43 -0500
C: Subject: Test message
C:
C: Hello Alice.
C: This is a test message with 5 headers and 4 lines in the body.
C: Your friend,
C: Bob
C: .
S: 250 Ok: queued as 12345
C: QUIT
S: 221 Bye


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## Tex

Obscenities are the slang of choice around here. I can't even listen to my CB when my 7 yr old is around. Most new CBs come with a chart that lists the number codes for CB talk. example 10-20 is your location, 10-36 is the time, etc.... But since most people don't know the language, it's a waste of time.


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## Magus

People still use CB radios?


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## funkrider

I am having to glue my CB antenna back together because it broke also the plugin for it broke and shattered in my trunk somewhere... but I want to set up a base station. Does anyone know how to wire up a CB, which is the negative color?


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## Sinzitu

Magus said:


> People still use CB radios?


Every trucker in North America and many off-road enthusiasts.

I've found it extremely helpful when traveling especially to avoid closed roads due to accidents,etc. In most organized off-road club events/trail rides you are required to have them.


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## wd4nyl

Here, in no particular order are a few that I remember:

Police – Bears, Local Yokels, County Mounties, Local Constabulary

“Taking Pictures” – police using radar
“Bear in the air” – police helicopter
“Beaver” – female
“Buffalo” – male
“Lot Lizards” – prostitutes at truck stops
“Portable Parking Lot” - truck carrying autos
“Pregnant Rollerskate” – Volkswagon
“Super Slab” – interstate
“Malfunction Junction” – (possibly local usage) – a bad interchange
“ (insert group being insulted) Funeral Wagon” – garbage truck
10-4 – ok
10-9 – what?
10-10 – I’m listening
10-10- & Listening in – I’m monitoring the channel
10-11 – no
10-33 – emergency
10-36 – time of day
10-200 – going to bathroom
“wall to wall & tree top tall” – you have a good signal
“white line fever” – someone being hypnotized by continuous driving
“Willy The Weaver” – a driver weaving all over the road
“Suicide Jockey” – a trucker hauling dangerous cargo – i.e. dynamite
“Bobtail” – truck with no trailer
“Dead Head” – truck with no cargo
“Swindle Sheets” – a truckers required ICC logbook
“Come On” – go ahead 
“QRT and on the side” – I'm listening – (note the reverse meaning of QRT, which among hams means signing off)
“Keep her between the ditches, keep the shiney side up & the dirty side down & I'll catch you on the flip flop”. – drive carefully until we meet again.

Hope that helps.

Every ham operator or person interested in Eergency Communications should have a CB or FRS radio. They are cheap & had heavy usage during Katrina. 

And, this is from a fellow that has been a ham 30 years & is heavily involved in emergency communications. 

CB gets a bad name for all the shenanigans one hears on Channel 19. More times than not on other channels I hear people talking about like I hear on the local repeaters here. If you are near a city,the behavior is much worse, if in a rural area, not bad at all. And during an emergency there is more emphasis on surviving the emergency than "slinging lingo" to each other.

It's said that "when all else fails there's Amateur Radio". And that's very true - except when the repeater blows down, or you are stuck on the road broken down, between repeaters, cell phone says "No Signal" and you are 15 miles between exits.

So, then adding a CB to you arsenal proves not to be a such bad idea at all. 

Mark


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## marrydavidson101

thanks for sharing this all


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## Grizz

*Channels*

I will be mounting a CB on my pickup this summer, for emergencies and to talk to others in the back country. Is there a list of who uses what channels for what. I live in north east Calif. We travel the east side of the sierras and the high deserts of Oregon and Nevada. What are the Emergency channels, what are the trucker channels and what are the recreational channels. I know we can use what ever channel we want other than the emergency channel, however what are the most used channels? Thanks


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## NaeKid

Channel 9 is monitor'd for emergencies. The rest are open to anyone.

Now, most off-roaders will use channel 4 or channel 16 to communicate amongst themselves when on trail-rides and such.

The trucker's channel is normally 19


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## Grizz

Thank you for the info


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## 101airborne

wd4nyl said:


> Here, in no particular order are a few that I remember:
> 
> Police - Bears, Local Yokels, County Mounties, Local Constabulary
> 
> "Taking Pictures" - police using radar
> "Bear in the air" - police helicopter
> "Beaver" - female
> "Buffalo" - male
> "Lot Lizards" - prostitutes at truck stops
> "Portable Parking Lot" - truck carrying autos
> "Pregnant Rollerskate" - Volkswagon
> "Super Slab" - interstate
> "Malfunction Junction" - (possibly local usage) - a bad interchange
> " (insert group being insulted) Funeral Wagon" - garbage truck
> 10-4 - ok
> 10-9 - what?
> 10-10 - I'm listening
> 10-10- & Listening in - I'm monitoring the channel
> 10-11 - no
> 10-33 - emergency
> 10-36 - time of day
> 10-200 - going to bathroom
> "wall to wall & tree top tall" - you have a good signal
> "white line fever" - someone being hypnotized by continuous driving
> "Willy The Weaver" - a driver weaving all over the road
> "Suicide Jockey" - a trucker hauling dangerous cargo - i.e. dynamite
> "Bobtail" - truck with no trailer
> "Dead Head" - truck with no cargo
> "Swindle Sheets" - a truckers required ICC logbook
> "Come On" - go ahead
> "QRT and on the side" - I'm listening - (note the reverse meaning of QRT, which among hams means signing off)
> "Keep her between the ditches, keep the shiney side up & the dirty side down & I'll catch you on the flip flop". - drive carefully until we meet again.
> 
> Most of these are correct although many are kinda outdated. But still understood however many have changed to slang you don't want to use. For example a "Good buddy" used to mean sorta friend driver, now being called a "good buddy" will likely start a fight. Now it's "hand" when refering to a fellow driver/trucker. "bird dog' is a radar detector. Pickle park" is a highway rest area. There are literaly hundreds more, Try googling CB slang and see if you can find it.


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