Production Year 1964 at $79.95 

The Hallicrafters Little Fone CB-11 is a compact, single channel walkie-talkie transceiver that operates in the 27 MHz citizen band(CB) frequencies. It is a crystal controlled transceiver that employs 9 transistors in its circuit. The CB-11 is some what similar to the Hallicrafters CB-6. The Intermediate Frequency(IF) is 455 kHz. The transceiver has been equipped and adjusted at the factory to operate on 27.065 MHz, which is channel 9 of the citizen band.

From the factory, the CB-11 is only able to operate on one frequency. The user is not able to simply spin a dial to change frequencies. Although it is possible for the transceiver to operate on any of the lower 23 channels of the citizen band. In order for it to do so, the unit will need to be disassembled and the plug in quartz crystals will need to be replaced with those of the proper frequency. As was so often the case, there are two of these plug in crystals, one for receive and the other for transmit. Should the crystals be replaced for operation on one of the citizen band channels 2 through 23, no transmitter adjustments are required. The loudspeaker which faces out towards the front of the unit is of the permanent magnet moving coil design. Received signals exit through a perforated section on the front of the unit. The speaker is rated at 8 ohms and has an audio output rating of 125 Milliwatts. The speaker doubles as a microphone and should be held about four inches away from the speakers mouth when transmitting. The entire transceiver is housed in a sturdy metal cabinet.

The CB-6 has a built in 39 inch telescoping whip antenna located on the top of the transceiver. On the left side of the transceiver is a Push-To-Talk(PTT) button, while the right side sports the On/Off plus Volume control dial. A plug for a set of low impedance earphones can be found on the bottom of the CB-11. The transmitter section is rated at 100 Milliwatts input and is able to produce an Amplitude Modulated(AM) signal at a modulation rate of 85%. This transceiver requires a common 9 volt battery as the power source. Under normal operating conditions, the battery is expected to last up to 12 hours. Battery replacement will be more frequent when operating the unit under 32 degrees Fahrenheit. The battery cover plate which is held on by a single screw will need to be removed for battery replacement. A battery condition meter is located on the bottom left hand corner of the front panel.

The Hallicrafters Little Fone CB-11 was manufactured in Japan. It weighs in at 10 ounces without the battery. The physical dimensions are 6 3/8 inches long by 2 3/4 inches wide by 1 1/2 inches deep. The CB-11 was sold in pairs and included with them was a set of earphones and carrying straps. The Hallicrafters company also produced a model CB-11A which had an extra transistor, bringing the total to ten.

The photograph on the left is of the front and back of the transceiver. The picture on the right shows both the top and bottom of the CB-11 transceiver.

The photograph on the left is of the left side of the Hallicrafters CB-11. The Push-To-Talk button is located at the lowest part of the mirrored surface.

The photograph on the right is of the right side of the transceiver. The On/Off and volume control is located at the lowest part of the mirrored surface. The carrying strap is connected to the right side bracket in this picture.  

The photograph on the left is of the back of the CB-11 with the battery cover plate removed. The gray plastic item in this photograph is for the 9 volt power source. The picture on the right is a view of the circuit board with the entire back cover removed from the CB-11. The two quartz crystals that are required to be changed in order for the unit to operate on another frequency is located under the PTT switch.

When a 27 MHz signal is received from the antenna, it is first amplified in the Radio Frequency(RF) stage by a 2SA350 transistor. The amplified signal is then combined in the RF mixer stage which also consists of a 2SA350 transistor, with the oscillator signal from the crystal oscillator(27 MHz - 455 KHz) which is another 2SA350 transistor, to produce the Intermediate Frequency(IF) of 455 KHz. This relatively small IF signal is then amplified by a pair of 2SA12  transistors to a level that is suitable for detection by a 1N60 diode. Through the volume control, the signal is then fed to the audio amplifier 2SB75 transistor and then to a pair of Audio Frequency(AF) power output 2SB77 transistors, which are arranged in a push-pull configuration. From here the signal is applied to the speaker. An Automatic Volume Control(AVC) circuit controls the gain of the IF amplifier 2SA12 transistor and the 2SA350 RF amplifier transistor.

During transmit when the Push To Talk(PTT) switch is depressed, the speaker now serves as a microphone and is connected to a 2SB75 transistor and a pair of 2SB77 transistors. The modulating voltage from the two Audio Frequency(AF) 2SB77 output transistors is supplied to the final amplifier, which is a 2SA74 transistor to produce an Amplified Modulated(AM) signal at the crystal frequency. The output of the 2SA74 transistor is connected to the whip antenna through the transmitter antenna coil.

The picture on the left is a close up view of the lower front portion of the CB-11. When power is applied, the operator can get a visual indication of the charge left in battery by the round power level meter.  

The photograph on the right is a close up of the Hallicrafters sticker that is located on the back of the transceiver. This sticker is made from metal and reads as follows, "This device complies to specifications of part 15, Paragraph 15.205 of the FCC Regulations. It may be operated, unlicensed, for voice communication with other units of the same type. This device must be used, as supplied, with a single element antenna not exceeding 60 inches in length. Modification of this equipment will void this certification. CHAN 9 MFGD unreadable SER. NO. unreadable hallicrafters".

Resources:

Radios by Hallicrafters with Price Guide by Chuck Dachis

Hallicrafters owners manual

Sam's photofacts by Howard W. Sams & Co., Inc.