International CB radio

USA

It is no longer required to have a license to operate a CB radio in the United States. The FCC (Federal Communications Commission) did at one time require a Class "D" license for for Citizen's Band which required nothing more than filling out a form and sending it in to the FCC with the license fee. The FCC then sent you a call sign which might look like "KPS 2720" or something similar. During the CB craze in the mid-70's, the FCC decided that the paper-work burden outweighed the benefits and put CB under blanket authorization.

The FCC permits the use of the following to identify yourself:
1. Your old Class D callsign, if you have one.
2. K, your first and last initials, and your zip code (i.e. KPS 68123)
3. your name (i.e. "Paul")
4. some unique nickname or Handle (i.e. "Cobra", "Rubber Duck", etc.)

A rule change in May 1992 now allows one-way transmissions about highway conditions on CB. This was intended to allow local authorities to use unattended audio warnings about road construction or other hazards.

In the USA, there are two additional radio bands besides CB which are intended
for use with minimal regulation by individuals.
1. GMRS, the General Mobile Radio Service, is located in the 460-470 MHz
band. A license is required. More information is included in Part 4.
2. The FCC has recently opened up the 31.0-31.3 GHz microwave band to
licensed users of several fixed and mobile radio services including GMRS.

Legal CB transmitters use the operator's choice of AM (amplitude modulation)
(with 4 watts maximum power) or single sideband (with 12 watts maximum power)
on the following frequencies.

26.965 - 27.405 AM/SSB
40 channels, max power 4W AM, 12W SSB

Channel	Frequency	Channel	Frequency	Channel	Frequency	Channel	Frequency
1	26.965	11	27.085	21	27.215	31	27.315
2	26.975	12	27.105	22	27.225	32	27.325
3	26.985	13	27.115	23	27.255	33	27.335
4	27.005	14	27.125	24	27.235	34	27.345
5	27.015	15	27.135	25	27.245	35	27.355
6	27.025	16	27.155	26	27.265	36	27.365
7	27.035	17	27.165	27	27.275	37	27.375
8	27.055	18	27.175	28	27.285	38	27.385
9	27.065	19	27.185	29	27.295	39	27.395
10	27.075	20	27.205	30	27.305	40	27.405

Special-use channels:
9 - emergency, monitored in some areas by "REACT" and/or a volunteer group coordinated by the local Sheriff's office.
17 - unofficial "trucker's" channel (California & western states.)
19 - official "trucker's" channel for traffic and speed trap advisories
30-40 - Often are used for single sideband (SSB) activity

460 - 470 FM
General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) license required.
31.0-31.3 GHz
Any mode microwave band now open for individuals to use, requires GMRS license.

Note that US regulations disallow "DX" long-distance communications (over 150 miles in this case) with CB. However, directional antennas may be used to enhance communications within the legal range.

Canada

No license is required. You may identify yourself by your name or a handle of your choice.

The CB frequencies, modulation, and power limits are the same as the 26-27 MHz CB band in the USA.

UK

A license is required in the UK.

For licensing information and/or a set of "CB information sheets" you may contact the DTI (Department of Trade and Industry) at the following address: CB Licensing Section, Radiocommunications Agency, Room 613, Waterloo Bridge House, Waterloo Road, London SE1 8UA, UK. The telephone number is (+44) 71 215 2171.

The UK will honor licenses from other countries using CEPT-approved radios. (See the CB Frequencies section below on CEPT for more information.) Your license may be used under the terms from the country which issued it.

The UK has 3 bands for CB as follows:
26.965 - 27.405 FM
40 channels, same frequencies as USA 4W max power
Radios using this band are marked "PR 27 GB" or "CEPT PR 27 GB" and are CEPT-approved
27.6 - 27.99 FM
40 channels, 0.01 MHz (10 kHz) spacing 4W max power
Radios using this band are marked "27/81-UK" and are only legal in the UK

Channel	Frequency	Channel	Frequency	Channel	Frequency	Channel	Frequency
01	27.60125	02	27.61125	03	27.62125	04	27.63125
05	27.64125	06	27.65125	07	27.66125	08	27.67125
09	27.68125	10	27.69125	11	27.70125	12	27.71125
13	27.72125	14	27.73125	15	27.74125	16	27.75125
17	27.76125	18	27.77125	19	27.78125	20	27.79125
21	27.80125	22	27.81125	23	27.82125	24	27.83125
25	27.84125	26	27.85125	27	27.86125	28	27.87125
29	27.88125	30	27.89125	31	27.90125	32	27.91125
33	27.92125	34	27.93125	35	27.94125	36	27.95125
37	27.96125	38	27.97125	39	27.98125	40	27.99125

934.0125-934.9625 FM
20 channels, 0.05 MHz (50 kHz) spacing
4W max power
Radios using this band are marked "CB 934/81" and are only legal in the UK, no new radios of this type are being made but existing equipment may continue to be used legally.

Antennas must be omnidirectional - beams and yagis are prohibited. Antennas must stand vertically, no higher than 1.65m (not including ground plane.)

AM and FM are not compatible so a US-legal CB cannot communicate with any UK-legal CB even though they may use the same frequencies. And each is illegal on the others' soil so this only prevents use of atmospheric skip between them.

Japan

No license is required. You may identify yourself by your name or a handle of your choice.

Japan has 3 radio bands that do not require licenses. Two of them are limited to extremely short-range use because of low power limits. The other, with maximum power output of 5 watts, is more like CB as it is known in North America, Europe and Australia.

26.968 - 27.144 AM (no SSB) Maximum power 0.5W
Channels 1-8 on 26.968, 26.967, 27.040,
27.080, 27.088, 27.112, 27.120, and 27.144.
Other channels in between these are assigned to fishing vessels (with 1W max power).
422.200 - 422.300 FM
Specific Low Power Radio", also known as "UHF CB" maximum power 0.01W (10mW)
9 channels with 12.5 kHz spacing.
Newly-authorized in 1989, mostly used for handy-talkies and ski patrols
903.0125-904.9875 FM
"Personal Radio" maximum power 5W
158 channels with 12.5 kHz spacing
External antennas are permitted.
Radios must be equipped with a control ROM for automatic ID.

As in Europe, made-for-the-USA CB radios are illegal in Japan. There have been cases where such radios have caused interference with maritime emergency traffic.

France

A license is to be obtained but there is no examination. At the time of this writing, the license costs 190FF every 5 years. You have to send France Telecom the "agreement number" from your radio. Once on the air, you may identify yourself by your name or a handle of your choice.

France will honor licenses from other countries using CEPT-approved radios. Your license may be used under the terms from the country which issued it.

Germany

A license is required whether you plan to use FM or both AM and FM. The "agreement card" costs more if your radio also has AM. You may identify yourself by your name or a handle of your choice.

Germany will honor licenses from other countries using CEPT-approved radios. Your license may be used under the terms from the country which issued it.

New Zealand

New Zealand has it's own 40 channels, not on 27MHz at all.

Channel	Frequency	Channel	Frequency	Channel	Frequency	Channel	Frequency
1	26.330	11	26.450	21	26.580	31	26.680
2	26.340	12	26.470	22	26.590	32	26.690
3	26.355	13	26.480	23	26.620	33	26.700
4	26.370	14	26.490	24	26.600	34	26.710
5	26.380	15	26.500	25	26.610	35	26.720
6	26.390	16	26.520	26	26.630	36	26.730
7	26.400	17	26.530	27	26.640	37	26.740
8	26.420	18	26.540	28	26.650	38	26.750
9	26.430	19	26.660	29	26.660	39	26.760
10	26.440	20	26.570	30	26.670	40	26.770

As far as I know it also comprises of AM/SSB operation.