CB radio slang and 10-codes: the lingo glossary
The words that filled the airwaves in the 1980s. Some came from American truckers and the film Convoy; others were how we said it on channel 19 in Sheffield.
Entries marked Sheffield are ones I used on the channel myself.
Getting on the channel
- Breaker one-nine
- Asking to break into the conversation on channel 19.
- Fourteen for a copySheffield
- Putting a call out to see who was about and could hear you.
- One-nine for a lady breakerSheffield
- A woman wanting to get on the channel. Everyone made room.
- Got your ears on?
- Are you listening?
- What's your handle?
- What's your CB name?
- Copy / Roger
- Message received.
The 10-codes
- 10-4
- OK, understood.
- 10-9
- Say again.
- 10-20 / What's your 20?Sheffield
- Where are you?
- 10-7
- Going off air.
- 10-8
- Back on air.
- 10-36
- What's the time?
- 10-100
- Nipping to the toilet.
People and places
- Handle
- Your CB name. Mine was Slazenger.
- Rig
- Your radio.
- Base / mobile
- A home station, or one in the car.
- Home 20
- Where you live.
- Eyeball
- Meeting another breaker in person.
- Good buddy
- A fellow breaker.
- Rubber duck
- The lead vehicle in a convoy, from the film.
- Front door / back door
- Ahead of you, or behind you, on the road.
On the road
- Smokey / bears
- The police.
- Plain wrapper
- An unmarked police car.
- Bear in the air
- A police helicopter.
On the air
- Wall to wall and treetop tall
- Coming in loud and clear.
- Bleedover / splatter
- A strong station spilling onto nearby channels.
- Burner / boots
- An illegal power amplifier.
- Skip
- Signals from far away when conditions were right.
- Ratchet jaw
- Someone who wouldn't get off the channel.
Signing off
- 73s
- Best regards.
- 88s
- Love and kisses.
- Keep it between the hedges
- Drive safe.
- Catch you on the flip side
- Talk later.
- 10-10 till we do it again
- Signing off for now.
Common questions
What does 10-4 mean on CB radio?
It means "OK, message received and understood".
What does "what's your 20" mean?
It means "where are you?", from the 10-code 10-20 for location.
What does "breaker one-nine" mean?
It's asking to break into the conversation on channel 19, the busiest calling channel.
What are 73s and 88s?
73s means best regards and 88s means love and kisses, both used when signing off.
Remember one that's missing? Every area had its own. For the stories behind these, read my CB memories.