Midland 75822 Channel Mod -

The Midland 75-822 is famous for its flexibility (it runs on AA batteries or a vehicle power cord). However, like many standard CB radios, it is locked by the FCC to 40 channels. Enthusiasts often perform "mods" (modifications) to unlock additional frequencies, commonly known as "Extra Channels" or "Expanded Band."

⚠️ Disclaimer: Modifying your radio to transmit on frequencies outside the standard 40 CB channels may violate FCC regulations (Part 95) in the United States. Transmitting on restricted bands (such as government or amateur radio allocations) can result in significant fines. This guide is for educational and theoretical purposes only.

Some versions of the 75-822 have a diode that limits the band to 40 channels. Locate a diode labeled "CH OFF" or "BAND LIMIT." Remove it by heating one pad at a time and pulling the diode out with tweezers.

"Freeband" users (27.5–27.9 MHz) are often other hobbyists with modified gear. Many actively hunt for and report illegal operators. Plus, your off-frequency transmission will sound distorted and off-channel. midland 75822 channel mod

The 10-meter band (28.0-28.5 MHz) behaves similarly to CB on good days. With a $35 exam fee and 35-question test, you gain access to 50+ channels legally with 200 watts PEP on sideband. Radios like the Yaesu FT-891 or Icom IC-718 blow any CB mod out of the water.

If you still want to experiment for purely educational bench testing (into a dummy load, never on air), ask yourself:

If you answered no to any of those – don’t do it. The Midland 75-822 is famous for its flexibility

This is the step where most people fail. The Voltage Controlled Oscillator (VCO) will unlock when you flip a switch.

To understand the mod, you must understand how your radio decides what frequency to transmit on. Every CB radio has a PLL chip (Phase-Locked Loop). This chip takes a crystal reference frequency and multiplies/divides it to produce the needed transmit and receive frequencies.

The Midland 75822 uses a common PLL chip, often an LC7137 or similar. This chip has several "binary code" input pins. By changing which of these pins receive voltage (high or low), you change the channel number. Some versions of the 75-822 have a diode

In stock form, a set of diodes or jumpers on the circuit board locks the PLL to only produce frequencies for channels 1-40.

The Modification Concept:

In theory, you can access frequencies from around 26 MHz to 28 MHz. However, the radio’s internal filters and antenna matching network are tuned only for 26.965-27.405 MHz. Going outside this range drastically reduces performance.