Are there any CB radio users left?

[Cyrus Cassidy #45437 979]

I was into CB radios as a teenage punk.  We all had them in our cars, and I had a base station in my bedroom.  One of my favorite pastimes was listening for the truckers to come through town looking for "Big Earl's Gold Mine," our one and only fully nude "juice bar" in town.  I always gave them bogus directions and had them driving all over God's green earth and get lost (this was long before GPS).  We had an interstate and a US highway that intersected on the south edge of town, not too far from Big Earl's, but I always had them going in the wrong direction.  It's not easy to turn a semi around!

 

I was a bit on the mischievous side.  I'd say I'm sorry now that I'm older, but I'm not really.  It's funny and didn't hurt anyone, plus they shouldn't have been going there anyway.

 

I didn't understand how to tune the antenna back then, so I just plugged them in and used them.  I probably could have gotten a lot better range had I known those things.  I'm toying with the idea of putting one up again (both in my pickup and another base station at home), so I've been watching some YouTube videos about tuning antennas, good ways to ground, etc.  I'm so far from anything I'd need a huge antenna with good cable and a proper ground just to reach the neighbor!

 

What about you guys?  Is anyone left on those archaic things?

[Father Kit Cool Gun Garth 6,027]

Cyrus,

     Used to have a CB Radio, but that was many, many, many years ago. Handle was RAVEN.

     Favorite song at the time....

     

 

[Alpo 4,497]

That's not the right song. That was rewritten for that really really really really really stupid movie.

 

I think my personal favourite was CB Savage.

 

 

[Cyrus Cassidy #45437 979]

You're both wrong!  It was this one:

 

 

[Alpo 4,497]

This'un was purty good.

 

Yassuh. Culture, with a side order of grits.

 

 

[Cypress Sun 1,962]

25 minutes ago, Cyrus Cassidy #45437 said:

I was into CB radios as a teenage punk.  We all had them in our cars, and I had a base station in my bedroom.  One of my favorite pastimes was listening for the truckers to come through town looking for "Big Earl's Gold Mine," our one and only fully nude "juice bar" in town.  I always gave them bogus directions and had them driving all over God's green earth and get lost (this was long before GPS).  We had an interstate and a US highway that intersected on the south edge of town, not too far from Big Earl's, but I always had them going in the wrong direction.  It's not easy to turn a semi around!

 

I was a bit on the mischievous side.  I'd say I'm sorry now that I'm older, but I'm not really.  It's funny and didn't hurt anyone, plus they shouldn't have been going there anyway.

 

I didn't understand how to tune the antenna back then, so I just plugged them in and used them.  I probably could have gotten a lot better range had I known those things.  I'm toying with the idea of putting one up again (both in my pickup and another base station at home), so I've been watching some YouTube videos about tuning antennas, good ways to ground, etc.  I'm so far from anything I'd need a huge antenna with good cable and a proper ground just to reach the neighbor!

 

What about you guys?  Is anyone left on those archaic things?

 

THAT WAS YOU? Do you know how much time and diesel I spent trying to find Big Earls?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just kiddin' ya. You got me Snowman, come back?

[Smoky Pistols 510]

31 minutes ago, Cyrus Cassidy #45437 said:

I was into CB radios as a teenage punk.  We all had them in our cars, and I had a base station in my bedroom.  One of my favorite pastimes was listening for the truckers to come through town looking for "Big Earl's Gold Mine," our one and only fully nude "juice bar" in town.  I always gave them bogus directions and had them driving all over God's green earth and get lost (this was long before GPS).  We had an interstate and a US highway that intersected on the south edge of town, not too far from Big Earl's, but I always had them going in the wrong direction.  It's not easy to turn a semi around!

 

I was a bit on the mischievous side.  I'd say I'm sorry now that I'm older, but I'm not really.  It's funny and didn't hurt anyone, plus they shouldn't have been going there anyway.

 

I didn't understand how to tune the antenna back then, so I just plugged them in and used them.  I probably could have gotten a lot better range had I known those things.  I'm toying with the idea of putting one up again (both in my pickup and another base station at home), so I've been watching some YouTube videos about tuning antennas, good ways to ground, etc.  I'm so far from anything I'd need a huge antenna with good cable and a proper ground just to reach the neighbor!

 

What about you guys?  Is anyone left on those archaic things?

Why not give sideband a try?  You could get people lost all over the world instead of just your neighborhood!

[Cyrus Cassidy #45437 979]

1 minute ago, Smoky Pistols said:

Why not give sideband a try?  You could get people lost all over the world instead of just your neighborhood!

What's sideband?

[Smoky Pistols 510]

Ham radio-sideband--same thing.  Think high powered CB that operates on different frequencies-- some people can actually talk around the world if the weather is right.

[Colorado Coffinmaker 2,619]

 

Was also a CB Junkie.  But that was .. um .. lemme see now .. somewhere around FOURTY FIVE years ago.  I haven't seen CB antennas on anything except annoying Triaxel Coal Trucks in DECADES.

 

I also dabbled in Single Sideband for a while.  Much great range and no where near as much traffic.

[Cyrus Cassidy #45437 979]

34 minutes ago, Smoky Pistols said:

Ham radio-sideband--same thing.  Think high powered CB that operates on different frequencies-- some people can actually talk around the world if the weather is right.

Waaaay too expensive right now.  I have a few friends who are hammers, and some hammers come to some of our Scouting events to try to advertise it, but it's not in the near future.  I wouldn't write it off forever, though. 

[Smuteye John SASS#24774 1,686]

Got a Galaxy 99 in the pick up.  Antenna's a Wilson 2000 that's sitting just high enough to clear the roofline of the cab.  Got a sup'd up Galaxy 33 that I used when I was trucking, too.  It's been peaked, tuned and worked over by an oldschool radio guy that used to have a shop locally.  I've talked to El Paso from the greater Smiths Station Metroplex more than once on skip.

 

I listen more than talk but it's not like it used to be.  Truckers don't talk about traffic back ups or where speedtraps are like they did when I was OTR.

[Lawdog Dago Dom 1,241]

We plugged one in just for fun for the trip to Landrun last year.

The only chatter we picked up was if we were by a truck shipping terminal or maybe a truck stop.

Dead air 99% of the time.

[Ramblin Gambler 1,008]

I still have one in my truck.  But to be honest it's been years since I turned it on.  I tried to turn it on last month and it wouldn't power up.  I assume it's unplugged, but I was going 90 MPH at the time so I couldn't check it out. 

[Charlie T Waite 4,635]

2 hours ago, Cyrus Cassidy #45437 said:

I was into CB radios as a teenage punk.  We all had them in our cars, and I had a base station in my bedroom.  One of my favorite pastimes was listening for the truckers to come through town looking for "Big Earl's Gold Mine," our one and only fully nude "juice bar" in town.  I always gave them bogus directions and had them driving all over God's green earth and get lost (this was long before GPS).  We had an interstate and a US highway that intersected on the south edge of town, not too far from Big Earl's, but I always had them going in the wrong direction.  It's not easy to turn a semi around!

 

I was a bit on the mischievous side.  I'd say I'm sorry now that I'm older, but I'm not really.  It's funny and didn't hurt anyone, plus they shouldn't have been going there anyway.

 

I didn't understand how to tune the antenna back then, so I just plugged them in and used them.  I probably could have gotten a lot better range had I known those things.  I'm toying with the idea of putting one up again (both in my pickup and another base station at home), so I've been watching some YouTube videos about tuning antennas, good ways to ground, etc.  I'm so far from anything I'd need a huge antenna with good cable and a proper ground just to reach the neighbor!

 

What about you guys?  Is anyone left on those archaic things?

 

Do you remember you License # as well from when we had to have a CB license?  Ghost KNN5965  also used to collect the cards modeled after QSL cards from the jamborees 

[Pat Riot, SASS #13748 15,386]

I recently pulled the CB out of my truck. I rarely encountered anyone local on the radio. I mostly heard noise or it seemed every channel had Skip-Land loudmouths on them. There was a guy from Louisiana that I was sure broadcast on multiple channels at the same time and he would say the same darned thing over and over just hoggin’ those channels. “Skip-land, skip-land. This is Blah-Blah-Blah KXY Blah-Blah...” and this seemed to go on for hours. He never broke so I guess he got his rocks off broadcasting. 
 

In California I would catch mostly Mexican truckers. 

[Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967 3,494]

Sassparilla Kid has 'em in each of his two Toyota pickups and his work truck.  Dunno why, though, although the antennae do look cool.  

 

Last time he was here I turned the thing on and, well.... there ain't noooo-body out there.  And we're only a mile from State Highway 99.  I couldn't even get a response for a radio check.  'Bout the only time he gets any real use out of 'em is if one of his rancher buddies is working a field with a tractor (they all have 'em).

 

Heck ~ I remember when we had to have a license for 'em!  KQB4927 was me - I seem to recall my first one being a 3-channel Royce.  I still have a functional 23-channel Midland around here somewhere...  

[Lawdog Dago Dom 1,241]

Found the old base a couple of years ago. Not sure what to do with it. 23 channel version.

Call letters right up front.

[Kid Rich 412]

I used a Cobra and had a Cobra base with sideband, used to tell rachet mouths my license was KMA 104.

kR

[Matthew Duncan 897]

Breaker breaker anyone have a copy on Robin Hood?

 

I still still have a SSB mobile in the basement I use for a base.  Antenna is in the garage attic.

 

[Four-Eyed Buck,SASS #14795 427]

I ran Cobra's in the cars and for a base. 40 Ch. to start, then went SSB. 108" whips on the mobile's, PDL II's for beams, and an Astro Plane for back up. Usually hung out on lower SB to talk distance. Heard as far north as Finland, south was a Pipe laying barge off Venezuela. Base was peaked with extra channels, didn't run a foot warmer. Wife's mobil was heard out in Iowa one evening going to work, guy asked her where she was, was floored when she told him RT. 30 in Ohio. Handle was Skywalker, extra's call sign UFO 692.

[Cyrus Cassidy #45437 979]

1 hour ago, Charlie T Waite said:

 

Do you remember you License # as well from when we had to have a CB license?  Ghost KNN5965  also used to collect the cards modeled after QSL cards from the jamborees 

Pard, we haven't ever needed a CB license in my lifetime.  HAM, yes, but not CB.

[Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967 3,494]

7 minutes ago, Cyrus Cassidy #45437 said:

Pard, we haven't ever needed a CB license in my lifetime.  HAM, yes, but not CB.

 

We used to~!  

 

Back in the 70's the things became so popular that the FCC was swamped with license applications - made more sense for 'em to just do away with the requirement, since most people were just ignoring the requirement anyway.

 

I recall people getting on the air and broadcasting warnings about FCC "listeners" being spotted in certain areas.  

[Charlie T Waite 4,635]

15 minutes ago, Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967 said:

 

We used to~!  

 

Back in the 70's the things became so popular that the FCC was swamped with license applications - made more sense for 'em to just do away with the requirement, since most people were just ignoring the requirement anyway.

 

I recall people getting on the air and broadcasting warnings about FCC "listeners" being spotted in certain areas.  

Youngsters....  

[Arizona Gunfighter 213]

Had one back in the late 70's when CB's were the big thing...……...KBHR 3022 handle "Starship"

Edited March 27 by Arizona Gunfighter

[Alpo 4,497]

I got a CB for Christmas in 1979. It came with an application for a license. It said that until the license came, I could use the temporary license number of K, the initial of my first name, the initial of my last name, my zip code.

 

When my license showed up it had four letters, instead of three. Apparently there were so many people getting licenses that they had ran out of possible combination.

 

KBLP7350. By the summer of 1980 licenses were no longer required.

 

 

[Charlie T Waite 4,635]

Short history on the license:  CB (named Citizens Radio by the Federal Communications Commission as of 1972) required the use of a callsign in addition to a purchased license ($20 in the early 1970s (when I got mine), reduced to $4 on March 1, 1975).  When the CB craze was at its peak (around the mid 70s) many people ignored the requirement and invented their own nicknames (known as "handles"). Lax enforcement of the rules on authorized use of CB radio led to widespread further disregard of the regulations (notably in antenna height, distance communications, licensing, call signs, and transmitter power).  Individual licensing came to an end on April 28, 1983.

[DocWard 4,057]

I have one, a Uniden that fits nicely in a little slot in the console of my truck. I need to replace the antenna for it, because I was getting an oil change and my mechanic didn't notice it until it snapped. I had it mounted in my truck bed, but plan to move it to the top of my truck. The only thing I use it for is to talk to my brother when we are headed down to go camping. Still a lot easier than cellphones and the little battery operated handhelds.

I've considered switching to ham, but I do NOT need another hobby.

[Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967 3,494]

OH, yeah, my "handle" was WoodDuck.  I was a waterfowl hunting fool back then; they got a LOT of use in the ol' duck club....   

[Lawdog Dago Dom 1,241]

2 minutes ago, DocWard said:

I have one, a Uniden that fits nicely in a little slot in the console of my truck. I need to replace the antenna for it, because I was getting an oil change and my mechanic didn't notice it until it snapped. I had it mounted in my truck bed, but plan to move it to the top of my truck. The only thing I use it for is to talk to my brother when we are headed down to go camping. Still a lot easier than cellphones and the little battery operated handhelds.

I've considered switching to ham, but I do NOT need another hobby.

I too, find the "ham" tempting but have yet to make the jump. I've PMed with some folks on the Wire with ham questions, but something always seems to come up and I get directed elsewhere. Timing is everything I suppose, but with this my timing stinks (so far).

[Major General Shagnasty 94]

Both of my Goldwings have cb's built into the sound system, with just a pushed of my thumb and it's breaker breaker good buddy this is the rollen thunder,  come back.

[Raylan 1,874]

Have a general license - was going to jump in both feet - but health issues, adult kids health insurance, bills got in the way. Then IL went deep deep blue and all in for more gun control and I started to think about moving to MO or AR and didn't want to sink in money for antenna and tower set up so have just let it go for now except a cheap dual band Boafeng handheld radio. 

[Sawhorse Kid 642]

I still have 2 in the garage, haven't been used in decades.

 

 

 

 

Edited March 27 by Sawhorse Kid

[Noz 1,525]

8 hours ago, Matthew Duncan said:

Breaker breaker anyone have a copy on Robin Hood?

 

I still still have a SSB mobile in the basement I use for a base.  Antenna is in the garage attic.

 

Yo Robin Hood. You got the old Muskrat east bound on the super slab.   I be sitting in the rocking chair tween 2 Kenworths.  You clean and green all the way to Okie City.

[Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001 237]

SSB (single side band ) operates on the same freq, as a normal CB , the carrier and other sideband is cancled by the sending unit 

 

 the reciving unit , duplicates the suppressed sb and the carrier , therefore , you get 3x the transmiting power of AM operation 

 

 have been away from the 40mz mess for a long time , never went ham 

 

 most SSB uses the Q code , like the hams ,  they operate on a much wider Freq, range , 2 and 11 meter were the most used . then I quit 

 

  CB