Page "CB radio in the United Kingdom" Paragraph 8

Ultimately, the government hinted that they were going to give in to the CB lobby but, as it turned out, only up to a point.

CB was eventually legalised on a 27 MHz band but not the band used in the US.

Whereas the US used a band occupying the range 26. 965 to 27. 405 MHz, the UK system was to operate on 27. 60125 to 27. 99125 MHz the awkward frequencies being deliberately chosen to prevent illegal US sets from being modified outside of the type approval system.

The system was FM as expected, but one initial surprise was that the power limit was set at 4 watts.

The surprise was short lived when it was realised that antenna restrictions would limit the real radiated power to little more than a 500 mW system.

A further restriction on power applied if the antenna was elevated by more than 7 metres from the ground.

In the event: the antenna restrictions were ( and still are ) largely ignored and, in the main, unpoliced.