Channel 4 is the standard channel used by more four wheel drive clubs than any other channel. In October of 1998, an attempt was initiated to standardize a CB channel for 4X'ers. Why, you may ask? To unify all 4 wheelers when off-road. This may help you get out of trouble, by locating another 4X4.

Channel 4 was selected because of the vast amount of input from the 4 wheel drive clubs and individuals. Here is how we arrived at this selection:

Since many folks still use 23 channel CB's, it seems appropriate that the channel be in this lower range. Channel 9 is for emergencies, channel 17 north/southbound truckers, channel 19 east/west bound truckers, 16 & 35 through 40*, are single sideband channels. For this reason the 4X4=16 channel can't be used. 6, 16, 22, & 30 are skip channels and can't be used for the same reason.

*Channel 16 is already taken. 16 and 35-40 have been turf of the guys
using single sideband (SSB) for many years. Use of AM and SSB is
incompatible on the same channel. Our carriers cause a loud shriek
in their receivers, and their conversations are unintelligible on our
receivers. Since they effectively have three times the power that we
run, we lose. It's considered to be extremely discourteous to use the
SSB channels with AM equipment.

The United 4WD Association has a bumper sticker that says "Channel 4 is for 4 Wheelers" If I get more info on that I will post it.

Channel 4 is THE channel, then and it has been proposed that we all use 8 as a back-up. 4 + 4 = 8. If your club is currently using another channel and you are happy with it, or it is used by another function, OR it is crummy reception, then I suggest you keep doing what you like. However, if it isn't a problem, then may I suggest switching to 4 and 8 as a back-up? This is an international CB station, as a number of Austrailian 4X'ers have said.