Channel 4 is the standard channel used by more four wheel drive clubs than any other channel. In October of 1998, I initiated an attempt to standardize a CB channel for 4X'ers. Why, you may ask? To unify all 4 wheelers when off-road. This may help you get out of trouble, by locating another 4X4.

Channel 4 was selected because of the vast amount of input from the 4 wheel drive clubs and individuals. Here is how we arrived at this selection:

Since many folks still use 23 channel CB's, it seems appropriate that the channel be in this lower range. Channel 9 is for emergencies, channel 17 north/southbound truckers, channel 19 east/west bound truckers, 16 & 35 through 40*, are single sideband channels. For this reason the 4X4=16 channel can't be used. 6, 16, 22, & 30 are skip channels and can't be used for the same reason.

*Channel 16 is already taken. 16 and 35-40 have been turf of the guys
using single sideband (SSB) for many years. Use of AM and SSB is
incompatible on the same channel. Our carriers cause a loud shriek
in their receivers, and their conversations are unintelligible on our
receivers. Since they effectively have three times the power that we
run, we lose. It's considered to be extremely discourteous to use the
SSB channels with AM equipment.

Channel 4 is THE channel then and I propose we all use 8 as a back-up. 4 + 4 = 8. If your club is currently using another channel and you are happy with it, or it is used by another function, OR it is crummy reception, then I suggest you keep doing what you like. However, if it isn't a problem, then may I suggest switching to 4 and 8 as a back-up? This is an international CB station, as a number of Australian 4X'ers sent me data.

At the bottom of this page is a rotating image named cb4.gif. Please download it to your website and link it back to this page, so folks will have an understanding what we are trying to do. I also suggest adding the words "I use CB channel 4" to your email .sig file.