Why Does My CB Bleed Over My Neighbor's Phone?

Strong Signal

• The Federal Communications Commission imposes limits on CB radio strength to reduce bleedover. However, amplifiers are available, some of them in illegal strengths. Overly-strong amplifiers increase the risk of a CB signal bleeding over onto another CB channel. In severe cases, an over-powered CB radio amplifier can even cause the signal to bleed over onto other devices, including phones and stereo speakers. Choose amplifiers carefully; the wrong one could broadcast conversations to neighbors and other CB users. Sending too strong a signal and overwhelming the CB channels produces what's called "front end overload."

Adjacent Channel Rejection

• This problem mostly causes trouble on CB radios themselves, rather than other devices. Poor-quality radio receivers can have trouble distinguishing between one CB channel and an adjacent one. Users of these receivers may end up hearing bits and pieces of conversation from the next channel over. Higher-powered receivers usually suffer this problem less than less-expensive, lower-powered receivers. Some manufacturers sell filters to block out very popular channels and reduce this problem.

Intermodulation Distortion

• This problem occurs when two signals mix on the same channel. The most common form of intermodulation distortion bleedover happens when AM radio or nearby television broadcasts get mixed up in a CB broadcast. However, CB radios, ordinary radio stations and television can also cause intermodulation distortion on other receivers, including inexpensive telephones and desktop computer speakers. Better-quality devices usually have some protection against this distortion.

Prevention/Solution

• CB radio owners must carefully monitor their radio amplifier power to avoid causing problems for neighbors and other CB users. According to Radio Shack, the maximum legal CB input power is 5 watts, which produces about a 4 watt power output. Increasing power outside this limit is illegal, and neighbors can file a complaint with the FCC about noise problems. If the problem radio is under the legal limit, but still causes problems, consider a better quality radio or better quality telephones and other devices, which have better buffering against bleedover.