AM CB Channel and Frequency List (26 MHz)
AM CB, sometimes still called Citizens Band or "the truckers' channels", runs on New Zealand's own 26 MHz allocation. It's an older band than UHF PRS and still genuinely useful for long-distance, ground-hugging range in open country, which is exactly why it never disappeared from farm utes and trucks.
| Ch | Frequency | Ch | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 26.330 MHz | 11 | 26.450 MHz |
| 2 | 26.340 MHz | 12 | 26.470 MHz |
| 3 | 26.355 MHz | 13 | 26.480 MHz |
| 4 | 26.370 MHz | 14 | 26.490 MHz |
| 5 | 26.380 MHz | 15 | 26.500 MHz |
| 6 | 26.390 MHz | 16 | 26.520 MHz |
| 7 | 26.400 MHz | 17 | 26.530 MHz |
| 8 | 26.420 MHz | 18 | 26.540 MHz |
| 9 | 26.430 MHz | 19 | 26.550 MHz |
| 10 | 26.440 MHz | 20 | 26.570 MHz |
| 21 | 26.580 MHz | 31 | 26.680 MHz |
| 22 | 26.590 MHz | 32 | 26.690 MHz |
| 23 | 26.620 MHz | 33 | 26.700 MHz |
| 24 | 26.600 MHz | 34 | 26.710 MHz |
| 25 | 26.610 MHz | 35 | 26.720 MHz |
| 26 | 26.630 MHz | 36 | 26.730 MHz |
| 27 | 26.640 MHz | 37 | 26.740 MHz |
| 28 | 26.650 MHz | 38 | 26.750 MHz |
| 29 | 26.660 MHz | 39 | 26.760 MHz |
| 30 | 26.670 MHz | 40 | 26.770 MHz |
- Channels 1 to 17 and 25 to 40 can be used for both AM and SSB (single sideband) transmission.
- Channels 18 to 24 are AM transmission only.
- Channel 11 is widely used by trucking and heavy transport.
- Maximum legal power is 4 watts on AM CB.
UHF PRS Channel and Frequency List (477 MHz)
UHF PRS, commonly called UHF CB, is the newer and now more popular of the two bands. It handles obstructions like buildings and hill country better than 26 MHz, which is why it's become the default choice for construction sites, farms and 4WD convoys. The band expanded from 40 to 80 channels in 2011, when New Zealand and Australia both narrowed the channel spacing and interleaved new channels between the old ones.
| Ch | Frequency (MHz) | Ch | Frequency (MHz) |
|---|---|---|---|
| PRS01 | 476.4250 | PRS41 | 476.4375 |
| PRS02 | 476.4500 | PRS42 | 476.4625 |
| PRS03 | 476.4750 | PRS43 | 476.4875 |
| PRS04 | 476.5000 | PRS44 | 476.5125 |
| PRS05 | 476.5250 | PRS45 | 476.5375 |
| PRS06 | 476.5500 | PRS46 | 476.5625 |
| PRS07 | 476.5750 | PRS47 | 476.5875 |
| PRS08 | 476.6000 | PRS48 | 476.6125 |
| PRS09 | 476.6250 | PRS49 | 476.6375 |
| PRS10 | 476.6500 | PRS50 | 476.6625 |
| PRS11 | 476.6750 | PRS51 | 476.6875 |
| PRS12 | 476.7000 | PRS52 | 476.7125 |
| PRS13 | 476.7250 | PRS53 | 476.7375 |
| PRS14 | 476.7500 | PRS54 | 476.7625 |
| PRS15 | 476.7750 | PRS55 | 476.7875 |
| PRS16 | 476.8000 | PRS56 | 476.8125 |
| PRS17 | 476.8250 | PRS57 | 476.8375 |
| PRS18 | 476.8500 | PRS58 | 476.8625 |
| PRS19 | 476.8750 | PRS59 | 476.8875 |
| PRS20 | 476.9000 | PRS60 | 476.9125 |
| PRS21 | 476.9250 | PRS61 | 476.9375 |
| PRS22 | 476.9500 | PRS62 | 476.9625 |
| PRS23 | 476.9750 | PRS63 | 476.9875 |
| PRS24 | 477.0000 | PRS64 | 477.0125 |
| PRS25 | 477.0250 | PRS65 | 477.0375 |
| PRS26 | 477.0500 | PRS66 | 477.0625 |
| PRS27 | 477.0750 | PRS67 | 477.0875 |
| PRS28 | 477.1000 | PRS68 | 477.1125 |
| PRS29 | 477.1250 | PRS69 | 477.1375 |
| PRS30 | 477.1500 | PRS70 | 477.1625 |
| PRS31 | 477.1750 | PRS71 | 477.1875 |
| PRS32 | 477.2000 | PRS72 | 477.2125 |
| PRS33 | 477.2250 | PRS73 | 477.2375 |
| PRS34 | 477.2500 | PRS74 | 477.2625 |
| PRS35 | 477.2750 | PRS75 | 477.2875 |
| PRS36 | 477.3000 | PRS76 | 477.3125 |
| PRS37 | 477.3250 | PRS77 | 477.3375 |
| PRS38 | 477.3500 | PRS78 | 477.3625 |
| PRS39 | 477.3750 | PRS79 | 477.3875 |
| PRS40 | 477.4000 | PRS80 | 477.4125 |
- Channel 11 is the widely used calling channel, where you make first contact before agreeing a clear channel to talk on.
- Channel 40 is the unofficial highway channel for truck and transport drivers.
- Channels 22 and 23 are reserved for data use rather than voice.
- Maximum legal power is 5 watts on UHF PRS.
Repeater Channels and the Channels 5/35 Myth
Repeaters extend UHF PRS range dramatically, sometimes to well over 100 kilometres, by receiving a transmission on a high site and instantly rebroadcasting it. To use one, your radio needs to be switched to duplex mode on the correct channel pair.
| Repeater Output | Repeater Input | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Channels 1 to 8 | Channels 31 to 38 | First repeater block, in duplex mode |
| Channels 41 to 48 | Channels 71 to 78 | Second repeater block, in duplex mode |
Avoid using any of these channels in simplex (radio-to-radio) mode where possible, since a simplex transmission on a repeater's input channel can interfere with the repeater itself and block it for everyone else nearby.
Do You Need a Licence to Use These Frequencies?
No, and that's genuinely the point of both bands. AM CB and UHF PRS both operate under a General User Radio Licence (GURL) issued by Radio Spectrum Management (RSM), which means you can own and use compliant radios on these frequencies without applying for an individual licence or paying any fee.
The trade-off is that you're sharing the channels with everyone else using a CB or PRS radio at the same time, so there's no protection from interference the way there is on a licensed commercial frequency. If your business genuinely needs a private, interference-free channel, for a large site or a fleet operation, that's a different conversation entirely, and one worth having with a licensed radio supplier rather than relying on shared, licence-free channels.
- Radios must be RSM-approved and carry an RCM mark or R-NZ label to be used legally in New Zealand.
- You must not cause interference to other licensed services, and must stop transmitting if you do.
- There is no fee, application, or paperwork required for either band under the GURL.
