The Short Answer
“What’s Your 20 mean?” is a CB slang use for “What’s your location?”.
A comprehensive Insight into what’s your 20 in CB Radio?
Have you heard what 20 means. On CB radio, dive now into reading and exploring the interesting truck industry of America and familiarise yourself with the slangs or language of American freight drivers.
As the American culture grew, transportation increased resultantly, and their trucker lingo codes
emerged, conveying a large message through truck driver slang became a common practice, and most truckers relied on it to remain focused on their driving.
The groups of each truck transportation had their CB radio lingos regarding CB Radio by using them, and they talked to each other. The event of fuel price increases in 1972 was the tiger, which forced them to adopt the CB radio to communicate.
At that time, communication was carried out by using slang because there were hard security checks. The transportation industry was suspended due to fuel price increases and low profits. There was strict communication scrutiny to save the country from any propaganda. Now, go towards exploring CB Radio’s meaning in detail.
What Does CB Radio Mean In Text In The American Truck Industry?
CB Radio is a two-way communication device used to communicate with each other during work. It stands for Citizen Band. Founded by AI Gross in 1945, it was a further extension of the walkie-talkies, which were used by the militaries to communicate their messages.
CB Meaning In Urban Dictionary
CB Radio is a two-way communication device without a licence. The maximum allowed output is 5 watt, with a maximum communication distance of 5 miles and topographical considerations.
CB Radio And Its Types
CB Radio is available in markets are categorized slowly based on function and needs:
Mobile CB Radio
Description: It can be used on floors or the vehicle dashboard. It comes in different sizes and features. These features include compactness, durability, channel, browsing, and scanning, and they work well for antenna settings and noise reduction.
Uses: It is mainly used in the truck industry and by off-road users who need to communicate without network coverage.
Features: Like Cobra 29 LTD, its model has functionalities such as SWR Calibration, RF access control, and weather updates.
Handheld CB Radio
Description: It can be used like walkie-talkies, is available in different sizes, and is employed for communication with its lighter weight. However, special arrangements can be made to convert it into a car-based radio.
It can be used in vehicles with external battery sources and antenna adapters.
Uses: Tt is most famous for hunting, adventure, and road communication, especially the model 75-822, for its versatility in function.
Features: It has coverage up to 5 miles but can be affected in complex areas with much blockage.
Base Station CB Radio
Description: It is for use at the base station, and all the components are installed in one place. It works by connecting it through a cable with an antenna.
Uses: They are used to connect with other people in real-time situations. This communication channel allows you to share updates with good network coverage because it is separately maintained with special arrangements; therefore, it’s an efficient device for honest communication.
Features: The Galaxy DX-959B is most popular for two-way communication and frequency counter.
Significance Of CB Radio
No Network Required: It works independently without network coverage, making it ideal for operating in rural or backward areas.
Slang Use: This radio boosts strong mutual communication and understanding through slang and codes.
Safety Check: It ensures safety by communicating the predicted emergencies.
Unrestricted use: It operates without charges; no subscriptions work for it.
CB Radio And Users
CB Radio helps various people from different departments carry out their work smoothly through trucker jargon. A list of users is given below for your quick review:
Truck Drivers: Use it to coordinate the road situation, share secret codes, chitchat, etc.
RV Owners: These groups opt for camping and far-away adventures for communication.
Motorcyclists: Use it for group riding and safety ensuring.
Fishers and Hunters: Hunters use it to communicate when mobile networks do not work.
Hikers Off-Roaders: They adopt it for communication because they require better and instant coordination in areas where mobile networks are not feasible.
Farm Pickers: Used to manage field working and departmental operations.
Remote Workers: Use for communication in remote work where security is a top priority.
A Quick Review ON CB Radio Components And Its Working
It works like other radios. From one end, the speaker speaks and sends the messages. It is converted into electric-magnetic or radio signals, then at the receiver end, it is transformed again into voice, and in such a way, the message is decoded.
Components of CB Radio:
Microphone: Use for sending audio to other CB Radios
Transceiver: It receives and sends the information
Squelch: Control Button: Block the background noise.
Antenna: Monitoring sending and receiving the signals.
Speaker: Source for listening to the voice or message.
Power Source: For charging the radio.
Cases: Keeping the radio apparatus.
Controls: Adjust the signals and select the channels.
Let’s head towards discussing misconceptions regarding CB slang.
A few Common Misconceptions regarding CB Radio Terminologies and Citizen Band Codes
- There is a misconception that these terms are solely related to truck drivers. Still, other radio enthusiasts, adopted by even these, have found their use in military and secret agency communication as well.
- It is believed they are outdated in the present modern world, but this is not true. In reality, they are still relevant for use in areas without network coverage or in sensitive areas where network coverage is blocked.
- These radios are free for use, and it has been regulated by U.S Federal Communication Commission (FCC)
After building the basics, we will switch to understanding or decoding what your 20 in the CB Radio context.
What’s your 20 Decoding The Most Renowned Phrase or Talks In CB Radio
The code What is your 20 was used by the police to identify the caller’s location, or where are you located? This has become common among truck drivers and is used primarily for communicating with drivers with the same meaning.
The APPCO group developed the What’s your 20
Handle in 1930. At that time, signals were weak, and little time was assigned to communicating, so this code with comprehensive meaning was employed.
The Police Director in America founded it to communicate the message quickly due to the limited time allocated for communication. Let’s see its practical use.
What’s your 20 And Today’s World
It is used in the present world in the same manner as in the old days. It is mainly used to communicate location by the people, military, truck drivers, and even taxi drivers. It has been found that it’s used in movies or events.
What’s Your 20 and Its Variations
Yes, there exist variations of the “what’s your 20” or “10/20” or “10-20”, but they are all the same, with the same intent to communicate or ask each other location. Now, switch to discussing another handle.
10-4 Good Buddy Meaning: A Prominent Phrase In CB Radio
It was another famous slang term in CB Radio. It tells the sender that “message received and understood” means the receiving message has arrived at the desired location and is understood. “Good Buddy” puts a friendly touch on the message or acknowledges the sender’s message.
The Illinois police developed the 110-4 Good Buddy code for radio communication and then adopted it by other social circles in America.
The popularity has been assigned to this since 1970, and they are related to the 10 codes list.
The alternative for the text’s 10-4 Good Buddy is ten four, the same as the previous one. The main difference between the previous one and the latter is in the digits, and the latter is the text version. Now, switch to another CB Radio slang and try to understand it.
What is the use of Breaker Breaker 1-9 On A CB Radio?
The 1-9 or breaker 1-9 is commonly used to avoid interruption during the conversion or request for joining. Still, it has many other meanings, like “joining the conversation without disturbing the participants” or “joining without interrupting the flow of conversation.”
This slang is very important in CB Radio protocols as it ensures smooth and instant conversion among truck driver conferences. It gained its popularity from the movie Bandit, Smokey.
Its form has undergone a transition; actually, it originated from the protocols of CB Radio, which was “break, channel 19,” and then it was transformed to “Breaker 1 9.” Let’s discuss how the CB handles its impact on truck culture.
Truck Culture And CB Handles: The Entertaining Aspect Of CB Radio
As we know, CB Radio traces its origin to 1940, when the Federal Communication Commission introduced it just for professional use. Then, with time, others adopted it, like truck drivers, who employed them, gave them alternations, and made them funny and entertaining.
CB handles boomed in 1970 when they were employed in movies, and truck drivers, besides the CB formal codes, started using CB slang. The reason was to communicate formally but to boost yourself for doing more work or to have a little chitchat during work.
Below are a few of the commonly used CB Radio funny sayings and the secret 10 codes list
- Bear – Police
- Supersteak- sports car
- Choke and Puke – Restaurant
- Evil Knevel- Motocope
- Chicken Coop- Weigh Station
Now, below is the CB Radio 10 Codes or Terminologies List
- 10-1 Receiving poorly
- 10-2 Receiving well
- 10-3 Stop Transmitting
- 10-4 ok, message received
- 10-5 Relay Message
- 10-6 Busy, Stand By
- 10-7 Out of service, leaving air
- 10-8 In service , subject to call
- 10-9 Repeat Message
- 10-10 Transmission completed, Standing By
Here is the list of the most common CB Handles:
- Angry Bull: Fierce, Aggressive, Stubborn
- Blue Anteater Character: Unique, calm, steady
- Cadiilac Dragon: Luxurious and fierce
- Hot Road JAMMER: Stylish, Fast
Conclusion
CB Radio is a chat medium, but I have found its much use in the truck industry. There, it has been customized for sending and receiving signals, but it also allows for funny chitchat and real-time entertainment.
FAQS
What does 20 slang mean?
They are part of the 10 code protocols of radio, and they mean, “What is your location?” and are commonly known as “What are you 20”
What’s your 10 Meaning?
The slang is 10-20, but its corrupted form is 10.
What is the 20 Military meaning?
It means finding out “your location” in the same way as “what’s your location?
What’s your 10-4?
It is the code in the police radio communication, meaning “received.”
What is 10-10 slang?
It means, “Are you listening.”
What does 10-100 mean in slang?
It is used in communication systems, especially in the truck industry, for assistance seeking.
