Content Sponsored by Cedar Electronics
If you’ve taken a look at the electronics aisle at your favorite truck stop lately, you might have noticed a big change — truck stops across the U.S. are now selling CB Radios that provide both AM and FM capabilities.
The inclusion of FM mode on CB Radio was approved by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 2021 and has been called the biggest change to the CB Radio industry in decades. How did this change happen, and how could it impact the trucking industry as the new devices become more commonly used by drivers across the country?
Cobra Electronics (a major brand of parent company Cedar Electronics) has been in the CB Radio game since the 1960s, and were instrumental in securing federal approval for FM mode on CBs, so CDLLife reached out to their expert team to learn more about how the dual-mode AM/FM option will change the way truckers communicate for many years to come.
Q & A with the Cobra Team
Q: What should truckers know about Cobra helping to gain FCC approval for FM mode on the CB? Why is it a big deal?
A: The Cobra team began the FCC petitioning process in 2016, asking federal authorities for a rule change that would allow the legal use of FM mode on CB Radios for the first time in the U.S. The FCC granted the petition in 2021, opening the door to a “best-of-both-worlds” experience for CB Radio users.
“For the record Cobra petitioned the FCC with a proposed technical solution that would greatly improve the CB Radio user experience without impacting the existing frequency allocation. By using FM in the CB Band we could increase the quality of the sound and greatly reduce the noise. By using dual mode, we could have both types of CB Radios users operate on the CB band at the same time and provide a longer timeline for migration to FM,” explained Cobra VP of Strategic Planning Mark Karnes.
Q: What response have you seen from the trucking community to the dual-mode CB Radios?
A: “At the recent MATS show, truckers were overwhelmingly interested in the new FM mode innovation and how it will help improve communication with better sound quality and clarity,” said Carey Romano, Product Director of Power & Communications.
Q: What are some differences between AM and FM modes for CB users? For truck drivers unfamiliar with FM mode, what can they expect?
A: Karnes outlined three major advantages of FM mode:
- Better stability in the volume level of the overall signal with less fade in the voice as the vehicles move away from each other
- Much lower background noise, so less overall listener fatigue
- Greatly increased voice quality, for better conversations
Q: Can the new dual-mode CBs provide increased highway safety for truck drivers?
“Getting the trucker to use the CB Radio more often because it always sounds better will improve the sharing of information. Improving the quality of sound will also allow for more timely and accurate information to be shared. In general truckers having a greater ability to share timely and accurate information will improve highway safety,” Karnes said.
Check out the video below for a demonstration on the audio clarity offered by the new Cobra Electronics dual-mode AM/FM CB Radios.
Cobra’s Dual-Mode AM/FM CB Radios Available for Purchase Now
Cobra Electronics is the nation’s premier provider of CB Radio products, which are available for purchase at Travel Centers of America, Pilot Companies, and Love’s Travel Centers stores across the U.S.
You can also click here to shop Cobra’s online selection of CB Radio products for professional drivers, including dual AM/FM mode-equipped models of Cobra’s best-selling 29 LTD Classic, 29 LTD Chrome, and the revolutionary wireless CB Radio, 75 All Road.
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