THE CLASS D 11-METER ARCHIVES // 26.965 – 27.405 MHz
Long before Software-Defined Radios and digital reflectors, the 11-meter Citizens Band (Class D) served as the great American grassroots radio revolution of the 1970s. Authorized by the FCC in 1958 and expanded to 40 channels in 1977, it educated millions of operators in antenna theory, propagation skip, and tactical radio discipline. Far from being "sad hams," many legendary radio engineers and Extra Class operators caught their first spark soldering together Browning Golden Eagles, Cobra 29s, and homemade quad antennas to ride the sunspot cycle across oceans.
PROPAGATION & SKIP DYNAMICS
Operating just below the 10-meter amateur band, 11 meters relies heavily on sporadic-E layer ionization during summer and F2-layer bounce during solar peaks. When the band opens ("skip"), 4-watt mobile radios bounce signals halfway across the globe, proving that distance is governed by ionospheric density rather than raw transmitter power.
FREQUENCY ALLOCATION & LEGACY
Channel 9 (27.065 MHz) was designated by the FCC as the national emergency and motorist assistance channel, monitored by volunteer safety groups. Meanwhile, Channel 6 (27.025 MHz) became famous nationwide as the high-powered "Superbowl" channel where operators tested barefoot and linear-amplified audio setups.
COMPLETE CLASS D 40-CHANNEL ALLOCATION CHART
CH 1: 26.965
CH 2: 26.975
CH 3: 26.985
CH 3A: 26.995 RC
CH 4: 27.005
CH 5: 27.015
CH 6: 27.025 (BOWL)
CH 7: 27.035
CH 7A: 27.045 RC
CH 8: 27.055
CH 9: 27.065 (EMRG)
CH 10: 27.075
CH 11: 27.085
CH 11A: 27.095 RC
CH 12: 27.105
CH 13: 27.115
CH 14: 27.125
CH 15: 27.135
CH 15A: 27.145 RC
CH 16: 27.155
CH 17: 27.165
CH 18: 27.175
CH 19: 27.185 (TRK)
CH 19A: 27.195 RC
CH 20: 27.205
CH 21: 27.215
CH 22: 27.225
CH 24: 27.235
CH 25: 27.245
CH 23: 27.255
CH 26: 27.265
CH 27: 27.275
CH 28: 27.285
CH 29: 27.295
CH 30: 27.305
CH 31: 27.315
CH 32: 27.325
CH 33: 27.335
CH 34: 27.345
CH 35: 27.355
CH 36: 27.365
CH 37: 27.375
CH 38: 27.385 (LSB)
CH 39: 27.395
CH 40: 27.405
CH T-5: 27.555 USB