Re: Can a guy still find wattage boosters for CB\'s?
They can be bought online yes.... but they still aren't legal.
Technically, all of the online places that are selling them are breaking the law. They try to get around it by saying they are for "export" only.
(Disclaimer: I'm not judging right or wrong or what I use or don't use... just stating what I know.)
Here's a little info.
Part 95 rule 11:
{C} The FCC will presume you have used a linear or other external [RF] power amplifier if-
[1] It is in your possession or on your premises; and
[2] There is OTHER EVIDENCE that you have operated your CB station with more power than allowed by CB Rule 10.
In 1978, the FCC banned the manufacture and sale of any external RF amplifier or amplifier kit capable of operating below 144 MHz without a grant of certification from the FCC. The rules specifically prohibit manufacture and sale of amps that operate between 24 and 35 MHz as a means to stem the flow of illegal Citizens Band amplifiers
§2.815(c) of the FCC's rules requires all external RF power amplifier kits that can operate below 144 MHz after assembly be FCC-certificated before they can be made, sold, leased, marketed, imported, shipped or distributed
Any and all marketing of external RF power amplifiers or amplifier kits capable of operation below 144 MHz must be in strict compliance with §2.815 of the Commission's rules
§97.313 Transmitter power standards.
(a) An amateur station must use the minimum transmitter power necessary to carry out the desired communications.
(b) No station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 1.5 kW PEP.
(c) No station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 200 W PEP on:
(1) The 3.675-3.725 MHz, 7.10-7.15 MHz, 10.10-10.15 MHz and 21.1-21.2 MHz segments;
(2) The 28.1-28.5 MHz segment when the control operator is a Novice Class operator or a Technician Class operator who has received credit for proficiency in telegraphy in accordance with the international requirements; or
(3) The 7.050-7.075 MHz segment when the station is within ITU Regions 1 or 3.
(d) No station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 25 W PEP on the VHF 1.25 m band when the control operator is a Novice operator.
(e) No station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 5 W PEP on the UHF 23 cm band when the control operator is a Novice operator.
(f) No station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 50 W PEP on the UHF 70 cm band from an area specified in footnote US7 to §2.106 of the FCC Rules, unless expressly authorized by the FCC after mutual agreement, on a case-by-case basis, between the EIC of the applicable field facility and the military area frequency coordinator at the applicable military base. An Earth station or telecommand station, however, may transmit on the 435-438 MHz segment with a maximum of 611 W effective radiated power (1 kW equivalent isotropically radiated power) without the authorization otherwise required. The transmitting antenna elevation angle between the lower half-power (-3 dB relative to the peak or antenna bore sight) point and the horizon must always be greater than 10°.
(g) No station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 50 W PEP on the 33 cm band from within 241 km of the boundaries of the White Sands Missile Range. Its boundaries are those portions of Texas and New Mexico bounded on the south by latitude 31° 41' North, on the east by longitude 104° 11' West, on the north by latitude 34° 30' North, and on the west by longitude 107° 30' West.
(h) No station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 50 W PEP on the 219-220 MHz segment of the 1.25 m band.
§97.315 Certification of external RF power amplifiers.
(a) No more than 1 unit of 1 model of an external RF power amplifier capable of operation below 144 MHz may be constructed or modified during any calendar year by an amateur operator for use at a station without a grant of certification. No amplifier capable of operation below 144 MHz may be constructed or modified by a non-amateur operator without a grant of certification from the FCC.
(b) Any external RF power amplifier or external RF power amplifier kit (see §2.815 of the FCC Rules), manufactured, imported or modified for use in a station or attached at any station must be certificated for use in the amateur service in accordance with Subpart J of Part 2 of the FCC Rules. This requirement does not apply if one or more of the following conditions are met:
(1) The amplifier is not capable of operation on frequencies below 144 MHz. For the purpose of this part, an amplifier will be deemed to be incapable of operation below 144 MHz if it is not capable of being easily modified to increase its amplification characteristics below 120 MHz and either:
(i) The mean output power of the amplifier decreases, as frequency decreases from 144 MHz, to a point where 0 dB or less gain is exhibited at 120 MHz; or
(ii) The amplifier is not capable of amplifying signals below 120 MHz even for brief periods without sustaining permanent damage to its amplification circuitry.
(2) The amplifier was manufactured before April 28, 1978, and has been issued a marketing waiver by the FCC, or the amplifier was purchased before April 28, 1978, by an amateur operator for use at that amateur operator's station.
(3) The amplifier was:
(i) Constructed by the licensee, not from an external RF power amplifier kit, for use at the licensee's station; or
(ii) Modified by the licensee for use at the licensee's station.
(4) The amplifier is sold by an amateur operator to another amateur operator or to a dealer.
(5) The amplifier is purchased in used condition by an equipment dealer from an amateur operator and the amplifier is further sold to another amateur operator for use at that operator's station.
(c) Any external RF power amplifier appearing in the Commission's database as certificated for use in the amateur service may be marketed for use in the amateur service.
§97.317 Standards for certification of external RF power amplifiers.
(a) To receive a grant of certification, the amplifier must satisfy the spurious emission standards of §97.307(d) or (e) of this Part, as applicable, when the amplifier is:
(1) Operated at its full output power;
(2) Placed in the "standby" or "off" positions, but still connected to the transmitter; and
(3) Driven with at least 50 W mean RF input power (unless higher drive level is specified).
(b) To receive a grant of certification, the amplifier must not be capable of operation on any frequency or frequencies between 24 MHz and 35 MHz. The amplifier will be deemed incapable of such operation if it:
(1) Exhibits no more than 6 dB gain between 24 MHz and 26 MHz and between 28 MHz and 35 MHz. (This gain will be determined by the ratio of the input RF driving signal (mean power measurement) to the mean RF output power of the amplifier); and
(2) Exhibits no amplification (0 dB gain) between 26 MHz and 28 MHz.
(c) Certification may be denied when denial would prevent the use of these amplifiers in services other than the amateur service. The following features will result in dismissal or denial of an application for certification:
(1) Any accessible wiring which, when altered, would permit operation of the amplifier in a manner contrary to the FCC Rules;
(2) Circuit boards or similar circuitry to facilitate the addition of components to change the amplifier's operating characteristics in a manner contrary to the FCC Rules;
(3) Instructions for operation or modification of the amplifier in a manner contrary to the FCC Rules;
(4) Any internal or external controls or adjustments to facilitate operation of the amplifier in a manner contrary to the FCC Rules;
(5) Any internal RF sensing circuitry or any external switch, the purpose of which is to place the amplifier in the transmit mode;
(6) The incorporation of more gain in the amplifier than is necessary to operate in the amateur service; for purposes of this paragraph, the amplifier must:
(i) Not be capable of achieving designed output power when driven with less than 40 W mean RF input power;
(ii) Not be capable of amplifying the input RF driving signal by more than 15 dB, unless the amplifier has a designed transmitter power of less than 1.5 kW (in such a case, gain must be reduced by the same number of dB as the transmitter power relationship to 1.5 kW; This gain limitation is determined by the ratio of the input RF driving signal to the RF output power of the amplifier where both signals are expressed in peak envelope power or mean power);
(iii) Not exhibit more gain than permitted by paragraph (c)(6)(ii) of this Section when driven by an RF input signal of less than 50 W mean power; and
(iv) Be capable of sustained operation at its designed power level.
(7) Any attenuation in the input of the amplifier which, when removed or modified, would permit the amplifier to function at its designed transmitter power when driven by an RF frequency input signal of less than 50 W mean power; or
(8) Any other features designed to facilitate operation in a telecommunication service other than the Amateur Radio Services, such as the Citizens Band (CB) Radio Service.
