Just wanted to open a discussion on CB radio and see if anyone is using this ages-old band. I'll start - was into CB back in the early 70's when the FCC required a license and issued call signs, mine was KBN-8387. Back then when you bought a 23 channel CB, an FCC form was included with the radio, you filled it out, mailed it in, and waited about 2 months for the FCC to get back to you with your license and call sign. No chit-chat was allowed, and the FCC had monitoring trucks on the look out for illegal CB'ers, those running high power, etc. Some of the CB magazines back then had a monthly column publishing the names and call signs of those who got a "pink ticket" for breaking the rules, along with fines. Id'ing by call sign was required when transmitting.
In the mid-70's the CB craze started, it was an early form of social media so to speak. Many cars and roofs sprouted CB antennas, and the result was that the masses ignored the established FCC rules (Part 95). People adopted "handles" instead of waiting for or paying for a license. The tsunami of CB'ers was more than the FCC could handle so they dropped the call sign requirement and basically let the public do as they wanted.The craze started to wane in the late 70's - early 80's. Since then the CB band has been depopulated due to new technology like cell phones, but lots of activity remains.
In the car I use an old Radio Shack TRC-450 and a Firestik 36 inch antenna. The daily commute is enlivened by listening to locals and DX'ers using CB to communicate. Since the band is only a few hundred kHz wide you'll always hear something whether it be local truckers on 19 or worldwide DX'ers. Interestingly, one thing that hasn't changed is the FCC rule that no U.S.A. CB user is to communicate more than 155 miles. But radio waves respect no boundaries so you'll hear international contacts being made almost on a daily basis, the hot spot being Channel 38 LSB.
Well enough of my side, wondering if anyone is currently using or was maybe a CB'er way back when it all started. CB was an integral and colorful part of radio history and still lives on in a somewhat downsized form.
Keep the pedal to the metal good buddies and watch out for Smokey Bear......
In the mid-70's the CB craze started, it was an early form of social media so to speak. Many cars and roofs sprouted CB antennas, and the result was that the masses ignored the established FCC rules (Part 95). People adopted "handles" instead of waiting for or paying for a license. The tsunami of CB'ers was more than the FCC could handle so they dropped the call sign requirement and basically let the public do as they wanted.The craze started to wane in the late 70's - early 80's. Since then the CB band has been depopulated due to new technology like cell phones, but lots of activity remains.
In the car I use an old Radio Shack TRC-450 and a Firestik 36 inch antenna. The daily commute is enlivened by listening to locals and DX'ers using CB to communicate. Since the band is only a few hundred kHz wide you'll always hear something whether it be local truckers on 19 or worldwide DX'ers. Interestingly, one thing that hasn't changed is the FCC rule that no U.S.A. CB user is to communicate more than 155 miles. But radio waves respect no boundaries so you'll hear international contacts being made almost on a daily basis, the hot spot being Channel 38 LSB.
Well enough of my side, wondering if anyone is currently using or was maybe a CB'er way back when it all started. CB was an integral and colorful part of radio history and still lives on in a somewhat downsized form.
Keep the pedal to the metal good buddies and watch out for Smokey Bear......
But the Magic was a 300watt bi-linear amp. I used a Midland 13-893 SSB rig. I added a crystal box and that put me into the "forbidden channels" range where I talked around the world. But the background noise became so great that it pretty much shut down "shootin skip". And another hobby was lost 
