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2. CB Info
3. Emergency Channels

CB Emergency Channels

The Australian Government has legislated certain channels on the CB bands for emergency use only. The use of these channels for non-emergency communications can not only incur heavy penalties under the CBRS Class Licence and Radiocommunications Act, it could also cost someone their life if a call for help is missed due to interference.

View how to call for help.

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The UHF CB band used in Australia is unique to Australia and New Zealand. In Australia both channels 5 AND 35 have been legislated as emergency channels. Why? Very simply, channel 35 is used by repeaters operating on channel 5 as an input channel, so any transmissions on channel 35 can totally block any nearby channel 5/35 emergency repeater. In other regions, channel 35 is allocated for use as a secondary emergency channel.

Many people do not realise that UHF 35 is also an allocated emergency channel, and so they use it to chat between themselves potentially blocking any emergency call from being received on a repeater they probably don't even know exists! But an even bigger problem is the use of 5 and 35 by those totally unaware they even have a UHF CB. ALL of the now popular UHF hand-held units, sometimes called Communicators, FRS, Personal UHF Radio, or simply 40 channel UHF Radio, operate on the UHF CB band and are subject to these allocations. These sets are becoming more popular as toys for children, or for families to use to chat from car-to-car while travelling.

Emergency Repeater Locations

There are a number of repeaters operating on UHF 5 and 35 across Australia. These are licensed as Emergency Channel repeaters and are provided by a number of different organisations and businesses. To locate repeaters in any region of Australia visit the TropiNet website.

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Legally Allocated!

Some people claim that the emergency channels are not legally allocated by any government legislation, or are nothing more than a "gentlemans agreement" that does not need to be observed or can not be enforced. This is totally incorrect!

Since the legalisation of CB in Australia certain channels have been allocated for use for specific purposes. These were call channels and emergency channels, with road channels (commonly called truckies channel) legally recommended for such use. When individual licences were abolished these regulations were not removed, they were implemented into the Class Licence that automatically covers every person that uses a CB. The Radiocommunications (Citizens Band Radio Stations) Class Licence is federal legislation that replaces the need for each person or station to hold an individual licence, but it still governs how CB can and can not be used, and sets penalties for improper use. The Class Licence is made under the powers of the (federal) Radiocommunications Act 1992, and is enforced under that Act. The following is an extract from the Radiocommunications (Citizens Band Radio Stations) Class Licence 2002.

The frequencies referred to above are:

For those that would like to read the text from the original source, you can view the legislation:

• Class Licence and CB Info Paper
• Radiocommunications Act

The ACMA define an emergency in the Radiocommunications (Interpretation) Determination 2000, Schedule 1:

Operating in a manner that contravenes the conditions of the Class Licence is punishable under the Radiocommunications Act due to subsection 132, paragraph 3, of the Act, which specifies:

So, in essence, if you operate contrary to the provisions specified within the Class Licence, you could be liable to prosecution for operating an unlicensed radiocommunications device:

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Heavy Penalties

In January 2007 ACREM sought information from the ACMA on the current penalties for misuse of the emergency channels. The response from the ACMA advises that the following penalties can apply:

• For misuse of the emergency channels such as using for non-emergency purposes, the operator can be prosecuted for operating without a licence, as indicated above. Maximum penalty is 2 years imprisonment, or a fine of up to $165,000. Alternatively the ACMA can issue an infringement notice for an amount of $220 for minor offences.
  
  
• For interference to an emergency call in progress then section 193 of the Radiocommunications Act provides for a maximum penalty of 5 years imprisonment or $550,000. This offence can only be dealt with via court.

Section 193 of the Radiocommunications Act 1992:

Our thanks to the NSW Regional Office of the ACMA for providing this information.

More information on this subject can be obtained from the federal agency that enforces the Class Licence and the Radiocommunications Act - the Australian Communications & Media Authority (ACMA). Although many people think that the ACMA don't care, ACREM has been involved in a number of instances where, following information provided by ACREM members, operators causing interference to the emergency channels have been located by ACMA field staff using Radio Direction Finding equipment and issued infringement notices or charged to appear before a court. Even mobile stations or those using low powered hand held equipment can be tracked and located, and a number of operators using this kind of equipment were located in late 2006 by ACMA staff in Brisbane and issued infringement notices due to their operation on the UHF emergency channels. ACREM continues to work with the ACMA to help keep these channels clear for their allocated use, in the interests of everyone's safety.

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Monitors

Throughout Australia there are various volunteer groups, like ACREM, that monitor the emergency channels relaying calls for assistance from the community to the required services.

In some country regions Police and other emergency services may also monitor and/or use UHF channel 5, however this is not guaranteed as circumstances vary from region to region.

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Report Misuse of Emergency Channels

As part of our ongoing commitment to promoting the CB emergency channels, ACREM has embarked on a campaign to identify and educate businesses or government agencies using the emergency channels for routine communications. An example of the type of businesses already identified and contacted include:

• Traffic Controllers;
• Road Works crews;
• Cranes loading/unloading ships;
• Security;
• Council workers.

If you know of a company, organisation or government agency that is incorrectly using the emergency channels, please help us to reduce interference by sending us the details. ACREM will contact the company/organisation/agency and provide information regarding the emergency channels and other legally allocated channels on the CB bands. You can use the Contact Form to send this information to us, or visit the Contact Directory to find the email addresses used.

Please make sure the following information is included in your message:

• The name of the company/organisation/agency;
• The location that operations were conducted from/to;
• The date(s) and time(s) that the transmissions occured;
• Any names or other forms of identification heard;
• Any other information that may be relevant.

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Retailer Education

Another ongoing campaign is to provide retailers with accurate information regarding the CB bands. With UHF CB equipment now being sold by discount stores, hardware stores, car spares stores, as well as electronics retailers, it is not surprising that some sales staff have limited knowledge about the CB emergency channels, or the entire Class Licence.

ACREM is seeking to identify retailers that provide incorrect information about the CB bands, so that we can send the retailer and, where appropriate, their head office, information for distribution to sales staff. Retailers of particular interest include those where sales staff advise:

• that there are no laws or regulations governing the use of CB in Australia;
• that you can use any channel you wish on CB bands;
• that there are absolutely no restrictions regarding channel uses;
• that the 'licence-free' UHF hand-helds are not CB;
• any other information that could cause a new user to misuse the emergency channels or other legally allocated channels.

If you have recently visited a retailer and have found that sales staff provide incorrect information about CB, please consider sending us the details. You can use the Contact Form to send a message to this programme, or visit the Contact Directory to find the email addresses used. The information you send should include:

• The name and address of the retailer;
• If possible, the name of the sales person spoken to (or a brief description);
• The date you visited the store;
• The information provided by the sales person.

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How to call for Help

To call for help simply follow this procedure:

REMEMBER! Emergency Monitors are volunteers often using their own radio equipment to listen for people needing help. It is impossible for any volunteer group to guarantee 100% coverage 24/7 without a large number of volunteers and funds. ACREM is constantly seeking new members and/or donations so they can expand operations and provide better coverage on the emergency channels, especially during major incidents. CB does save lives so if you have a CB at home and some spare time, no matter how little or how much, or even just a couple of dollars, why not help us to help you! Contact us for more information.

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