TheSpaceMan
Member
Just curious as to how many old time CBers were on here?
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Anyone here on CB since the 1960s?
- Thread starter TheSpaceMan
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milkman21218
Member
I started on CB in 1968.
I was active with CB in the 60's starting right before the FCC changed the call signs. We had 19B0681 and later KLM3401. Stopped in the 70's. Just recently listened on my scanner and all I heard was foul language.
prcguy
Member
I started around 1969 but have not been active for the last 20yrs due to having too much fun on amateur radio.
prcguy
prcguy
doctordialtone
Member
Yeah. CB in the 1960's and 70's was like the Internet of today, only local.
My circle of friends operated on channel 2. 40 channels was a new thing. Remember channel 22A?
I operated a Cobra CAM88 with a 3-element beam on a tower and a Super Magnum. There were Coffee Breaks and Jamborees. I miss those days. We socialized on the air - then in person. We were in constant contact. Those were the days... KDL 2694 - Whirlybird - That's me.
My circle of friends operated on channel 2. 40 channels was a new thing. Remember channel 22A?
I operated a Cobra CAM88 with a 3-element beam on a tower and a Super Magnum. There were Coffee Breaks and Jamborees. I miss those days. We socialized on the air - then in person. We were in constant contact. Those were the days... KDL 2694 - Whirlybird - That's me.
W8RMH
Feed Provider Since 2012
I started in CB around 1970 as well. In high school we used them in our cars. In those days there we not that many users so you could easily talk for miles.
Later I used CB as truck driver and as a volunteer fireman to communicate to other members responding to incidents in our POVs.
After "Smokey and the Bandit" came out CBs got so popular that the overcrowding dramatically hurt the effective operational range. I used a SSB at times to overcome some of the range issues although local use was limited. Most SSB users were working DX/skip.
Later as a LEO I had one in my cruiser well up into the '90s to monitor 9 and 19 for emergencies, assist motorists, monitor traffic information and trucker activity, although the performance was terrible, they came in very handy at times. Occasionaly used them to talk to other officers and even busted hookers at the truck stops using them. I haven't used one (a CB that is) since the mid 90s.
Later I used CB as truck driver and as a volunteer fireman to communicate to other members responding to incidents in our POVs.
After "Smokey and the Bandit" came out CBs got so popular that the overcrowding dramatically hurt the effective operational range. I used a SSB at times to overcome some of the range issues although local use was limited. Most SSB users were working DX/skip.
Later as a LEO I had one in my cruiser well up into the '90s to monitor 9 and 19 for emergencies, assist motorists, monitor traffic information and trucker activity, although the performance was terrible, they came in very handy at times. Occasionaly used them to talk to other officers and even busted hookers at the truck stops using them. I haven't used one (a CB that is) since the mid 90s.
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russellmaher
KC1ANC
I got into CB while in High School and my family had rigs at the house, all our cars, and at our family business, and in those days the band wasn't totally crowded and working skip was an event. Made lots of contacts locally and met many friendly folks because of CB. We used the callsign KMA 1539. The chatter back then (the 1960's) was helpful, social, and a pleasure to work with. Having a meet and greet with people you never knew was interesting and fun.
At what point in time that it all changed I can't recall but the character of the people on CB drastically changed and altered the way it was used and how nasty and rude the speech became. I'm no prude - I was a sailor, so I know "salty" language - but why it's necessary to use the F word in every sentence, I just don't understand. Some people cannot complete a sentence without it and they think it just helps to get their point across while others use it for the shock value. I think that's just sad.
At the present time, although I have a CB in storage in the attic, I am not active on the band but from time to time use my scanner to listen to the chatter in the hopes that CB has changed. Then another loud mouthed idiot splashes across two channels and confirms my fears that it hasn't changed at all.
Russell
At what point in time that it all changed I can't recall but the character of the people on CB drastically changed and altered the way it was used and how nasty and rude the speech became. I'm no prude - I was a sailor, so I know "salty" language - but why it's necessary to use the F word in every sentence, I just don't understand. Some people cannot complete a sentence without it and they think it just helps to get their point across while others use it for the shock value. I think that's just sad.
At the present time, although I have a CB in storage in the attic, I am not active on the band but from time to time use my scanner to listen to the chatter in the hopes that CB has changed. Then another loud mouthed idiot splashes across two channels and confirms my fears that it hasn't changed at all.
Russell
Same here albeit towards the end of the 60s decade. When CB moved from family friendly I moved to ham radio.
Started in the mid 60s Had a tube set that ran real "HOT" Used to talk skip to a guy in Las Vagas all most every
day. Had a commercial fiberglass ant that I nailed to the side of the house. My father did not see it for a while!
Kind of stopped listening with in the last 2 years.Still got 2 rigs that I hook up in the bed room and listen to the skip once in a while but its all crap now. Do remember the FCC trying to track "who " it is running so much power here in the Boston area! ( me and another guy).
Smartened up since those days was a Ham for a long while but not now.
Steve
day. Had a commercial fiberglass ant that I nailed to the side of the house. My father did not see it for a while!
Kind of stopped listening with in the last 2 years.Still got 2 rigs that I hook up in the bed room and listen to the skip once in a while but its all crap now. Do remember the FCC trying to track "who " it is running so much power here in the Boston area! ( me and another guy).
Smartened up since those days was a Ham for a long while but not now.
Steve
I started in '74 when I was a TV bench tech in Central Indiana.
Dawn
Member
Count me and my family in on this one. My dad had a 6 channel tube Pearce Simpson Companion installed at his shop and two Sentry II mobiles installed in his paneled truck and old, blue Plymouth Satelite I think in 1965 by the radio shop that was in the boatyard he had his business in. Different times back then. Those Sentry's I'd later discover were only a hair over 2 W, but back then, he had some great coverage with whips on the vehicles and the antenna was larger then a 1/4 wave ground plane at the shop. They used the radio back then for coastal marine pre-vhf days when many pleasure craft had them for local comms and MF AM for offshore communications. The radios were also used for parts runing and they had a pair of huge, all metal walkie talkies that were 1 W that they used from the docks to the shop.
That came to an end about 1970 when CB became too congested with chit chat and many expensive channel changes and he opted for a business band radio system as the business grew. In place of the CB, he had first a Raytheon that went nuts with intermod and later a Harris VHF marine unit that looked like a business band unit installed in the office for local ship to shore. By that time, most boats adopted VHF with channelized radios.
My dad was a by-the-book type, ex-mil guy and followed FCC rules to the letter. We didn't have one at the house. CB started to get out of control from it's original concept about then. Until that time, marine occupied a good part of the day traffic as did some construction and business use with callsigns. The chit chat started at nights, primarly with the boaters out in the bay and people who had units at their homes or lived on their boats, but not like it became steadily out of control after about '72 and totally nuts after '75 when the rebel trucker phenomonen hit the scene. I wonder if the 50mph speed limit was never imposed if this would have ever happened? Even so, I was never aware of the magazines promoting hobby type operation until I started working at RS in '72 and saw how companies were promoting CB's much like you'd see in QST or CQ magazine, so there must have been a hobby component well back to the 60's when these magazines were founded. Maybe we were different down here with Marine dominating the use and most of the CB dealers were marine outfits.
That came to an end about 1970 when CB became too congested with chit chat and many expensive channel changes and he opted for a business band radio system as the business grew. In place of the CB, he had first a Raytheon that went nuts with intermod and later a Harris VHF marine unit that looked like a business band unit installed in the office for local ship to shore. By that time, most boats adopted VHF with channelized radios.
My dad was a by-the-book type, ex-mil guy and followed FCC rules to the letter. We didn't have one at the house. CB started to get out of control from it's original concept about then. Until that time, marine occupied a good part of the day traffic as did some construction and business use with callsigns. The chit chat started at nights, primarly with the boaters out in the bay and people who had units at their homes or lived on their boats, but not like it became steadily out of control after about '72 and totally nuts after '75 when the rebel trucker phenomonen hit the scene. I wonder if the 50mph speed limit was never imposed if this would have ever happened? Even so, I was never aware of the magazines promoting hobby type operation until I started working at RS in '72 and saw how companies were promoting CB's much like you'd see in QST or CQ magazine, so there must have been a hobby component well back to the 60's when these magazines were founded. Maybe we were different down here with Marine dominating the use and most of the CB dealers were marine outfits.
Like most people I started with CB radio. Mainly because it was fairly cheap and didn't require my learning a lot of things to take a test. That was in the mid 60's, still required a license but the biggy with that was the cost, not any tests.
Later I 'found' ham radio and sort of 'advanced' from CB radio, sort of. Still 'played' there, but it wasn't my main area of concentration. Along the way I accumulated more and more knowledge about electronics. That opened up a lot of possibilities in ham radio that just weren't practical with CB radio (or legal
).
I occasionally listen to the CB freqs (in both senses of that work), but there's not much activity around here now. Oh well, everybody 'moves on', you know?
Who says you can't do both? ...
- 'Doc
Later I 'found' ham radio and sort of 'advanced' from CB radio, sort of. Still 'played' there, but it wasn't my main area of concentration. Along the way I accumulated more and more knowledge about electronics. That opened up a lot of possibilities in ham radio that just weren't practical with CB radio (or legal
).I occasionally listen to the CB freqs (in both senses of that work), but there's not much activity around here now. Oh well, everybody 'moves on', you know?
Who says you can't do both? ...
- 'Doc
Probably 1974, first 23 ch mobile. Then to a Pearce Simpson Bearcat Base. Had extra crystals installed. Then to a Yaesu FT101EX which I still have today. I had 40 ft tower with a PDL 2. D&A Maverick 250 Amp. Had to go LSB. (Neighbors). Next door neighbor had a Yaesu FT101E with 60 ft tower. Moonraker 4 and Phantom 500. Yea, we didn't speak. He's dead and I have his old radio. Wish I had the rest. Last 10 or 12 yrs I was on was never on the reg 40 ch. I was ether above 40 or below 1 LSB and loved it.....17X001
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CaptDan
Member
Started in the early 60's as a kid. As a teen we moved to the NJ Shore and had one on our boat and in our cars. Back then in the winters the shore was deserted. I think I have had a CB continuously since the early 60's. When I started driving - I had a willys jeep I would take out on the beach and everyone who had a jeep or truck on the beach had a CB. Still - today - most people who actually use their jeeps off road have a CB radio - including myself. I am migrating over to GMRS and MURS with the group that I travel with primarily - however I still have the CB.
Hello Space Man: Yes since 1966 with Knight Kit C-100 walkie talkies, and then on to a Gonset G11 tube set powered by a car battery in my room, I had a blast.
Upgrading to a Pace II-S 12 channel Transistorized Radio, and 102 inch whip antenna on the roof, oh man what memories.
I went to CB Brakes, and all kinds of get togethers and such. And the CB radio hobby got me into electronics and communications industry.
When Eisenhower pushed the button to get the country into the sciences and such from the Soviet Sputnik Satellite, improving schools and spending money to induce the learning of the sciences, he and his staff did a pretty good. The CB Radio Service was born out of all this.
Still have a good time on the CB. Theres a few old old timers on CH 40 LSB that chit chat about DX conditions on the lower ham bands, kind of neat to listen in.
Jay in the Mojave
Upgrading to a Pace II-S 12 channel Transistorized Radio, and 102 inch whip antenna on the roof, oh man what memories.
I went to CB Brakes, and all kinds of get togethers and such. And the CB radio hobby got me into electronics and communications industry.
When Eisenhower pushed the button to get the country into the sciences and such from the Soviet Sputnik Satellite, improving schools and spending money to induce the learning of the sciences, he and his staff did a pretty good. The CB Radio Service was born out of all this.
Still have a good time on the CB. Theres a few old old timers on CH 40 LSB that chit chat about DX conditions on the lower ham bands, kind of neat to listen in.
Jay in the Mojave
impalass427
Member
I got started in 1964. after I saw my Uncle Joe's (TV repairman) CB in his station wagon. Started with a Globe CB-100 3 channel radio. My dad got the license (KMA2913). I worked in Radio Shack in 1968 and 1969 during high school and bought a TRC-x23 ( Courier 23) tube base. I still have it and it works. During the 68 riots, I took a police radio home and didnt go to sleep til 3am. We had an Antenna Specialist Super Magnum on the roof of the house. All this got me into ham radio and especially Motorola Radios. After I retired as an electrician, I now work part time for a Moto shop. They pay me to do my hobby!! Don
Jimbo695
Member
Same with me. We all had licenses and used our call signs. 5 minutes on; then pause for breakers. Clean language; real name "handles". Only worked channels 9 through 14 and 23; the rest were base to mobile. (Yep; only 23 channels back then). Couldn't afford receive crystals so we had to tune in manually. We had a GREAT time. Then came the damned trucker - Smokey movies, and that was the end of that.
Yeah what Dawn Said Hello All:
Yes CB was a big player in the marine use end of it all in the 1960's and 70's. Many pleasure, fishing, and harbor business's used the CB Radio for chit chat and such before the marine VHF Radios got popular. The Marine VHF Radio Service was a huge help in marine communications as it got a vast majority of small boat comms off the Marine HF Band, that was from 2 to 8 Mc, and meant for long range marine comms. Not for ordering more cocktails and pizza.
The fishing boats called the CB Radio a "Mickey Mouse" radio that used a dipole antenna, strung up with a Bamboo pole, and had a range of about 20 miles on the water. These fishing boats didn't think they had a 20 mile range so hot fishing tips were easily broadcast over the CB. Using a 2 element quad beam antenna, and knowing what the field strength should be for a stock radio, their direction and distance could be very accurately figured, buts another story....
Many fishing boats used "Pirate Frequencies" and some still do today. These pirate frequencies are unused frequencies the fishermen think are not used. If you ever hear a Diesel Engine in the back ground of some of the HF Frequencies with no boat name or call sign, its probably fishermen using a pirate frequency. Many languages will be heard with the Diesel Engine in the background. The Marine HF Band was increased from 2 to 25 Mc (I think) later on so looking up the Marine HF Bands and monitoring is good to listen to.
MF & HF Channel Information
Jay in the Mojave
Yes CB was a big player in the marine use end of it all in the 1960's and 70's. Many pleasure, fishing, and harbor business's used the CB Radio for chit chat and such before the marine VHF Radios got popular. The Marine VHF Radio Service was a huge help in marine communications as it got a vast majority of small boat comms off the Marine HF Band, that was from 2 to 8 Mc, and meant for long range marine comms. Not for ordering more cocktails and pizza.
The fishing boats called the CB Radio a "Mickey Mouse" radio that used a dipole antenna, strung up with a Bamboo pole, and had a range of about 20 miles on the water. These fishing boats didn't think they had a 20 mile range so hot fishing tips were easily broadcast over the CB. Using a 2 element quad beam antenna, and knowing what the field strength should be for a stock radio, their direction and distance could be very accurately figured, buts another story....
Many fishing boats used "Pirate Frequencies" and some still do today. These pirate frequencies are unused frequencies the fishermen think are not used. If you ever hear a Diesel Engine in the back ground of some of the HF Frequencies with no boat name or call sign, its probably fishermen using a pirate frequency. Many languages will be heard with the Diesel Engine in the background. The Marine HF Band was increased from 2 to 25 Mc (I think) later on so looking up the Marine HF Bands and monitoring is good to listen to.
MF & HF Channel Information
Jay in the Mojave
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