If you’re new to the CB Radio world, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the CB Slang (and CB Frequencies and Channels). Just like we wouldn’t advise that you jump into a card game with a bunch of Italian mobsters without knowing a little Italian, it’s not a great idea to start communicating broadly through your CB radio without a little local language knowledge.
The In’s and Out’s of CB Slang
With nearly 2,000 CB Slang Terms, we won’t be listing them all here, but let’s overview some of the most popular ones. If you want to really learn the lingo, there’s an entire CB Slang dictionary online.
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Ace |
Important CB operator |
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Ancient Mariner |
AM or FM user |
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Backdoor |
Vehicle behind |
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Beam |
Directional antenna |
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Big Mama |
9-foot whip antenna |
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Boat Anchor |
An old tube rig or a radio that’s unrepairable |
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Chicken Coop |
Weigh station |
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CW |
Morse code |
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Double Key |
Two stations talking at the same time |
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Foot warmer/heater/kicker/wearing socks |
Linear amplifier |
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Fox Charlie Charlie |
FCC |
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Fox hunt |
FCC hunting for illegal operators |
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Gallon |
1000 watts of power |
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Haircut palace |
Bridge or overpass with low clearance |
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Mobile |
CB radio setup in car or truck |
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Play dead |
Standby |
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Prescription |
FCC rules |
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QRM |
Noise or inference on the radio |
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QSO |
Conversation |
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Set of dials |
CB rig |
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Smile and comb your hair |
Radar trap ahead |
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Twin Huskies |
CB Radio 10 Codes
In addition to CB Slang, you’ll also hear CB operators use 10 codes, another special dialect of the CB community. Popularized and mostly used by truckers, here’s a list of the most popular 10 codes you’ll hear on the radio waves.
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10-1 |
Receiving poorly (I can’t hear you) |
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10-2 |
Receiving well (I can hear you) |
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10-3 |
Stop transmitting (aka shut up) |
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10-4 |
Affirmative/Message received |
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10-6 |
Busy/Hold on |
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10-9 |
Repeat message |
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10-10 |
Transmission completed (I’m done talking) |
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10-13 |
Weather/road conditions |
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10-17 |
Urgent business |
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10-20 |
Identifying location (often adapted to “What’s your 20?”) |
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10-27 |
I’m moving to channel [insert channel] |
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10-33 |
Emergency traffic at this station |
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10-38 |
Ambulance needed at [insert location] |
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10-45 |
All units within range please report |
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10-62 |
Unable to copy; please use phone |
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10-99 |
Mission completed |
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10-100 |
Bathroom break |
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10-200 |
Police needed at [insert location] |
With a solid knowledge of all the CB slang and 10 codes above, you should be able to understand what’s being said when you dip your foot into communicating with a broader CB audience or at least sound like a pro when you’re on the trail with your buddies.
For more introduction to CB radios, check out our popular articles and videos on CB Radio Fundamentals and Choosing the Best CB Equipment.