CB radio then and now.

[Tin soldier]

My memories of CB radio were "convoy" and older lads having AM rigs in cars.
That quiet hiss with a far off copy
(I thought was far)
was magical back then.
The legalization in 81 when I was 14 saw FM and a horrible crackle, but squelch could remedy it, and the door was open to everyone, kids, teenagers, blokes and old farts, all vying for them 40 channels ,

I witness a lot complaining about it now , mic keyers, music players, bucket mouths etc, yet moan about the lack of people on air ,
Well. It was certainly interesting back then.
Signal reports and radio's used over and over gets a bit tedious at times.
(Did you see what I did there with the over and over,? ,,,,,Over, ,,,, beep. )

Having a few rigs back in the day but not checking SWR apart from the "its ok mate, you can use the power meter" advise. Is probably why I had a few rigs

Went from a Magmount on a biscuit tin to a dipole I fitted to the metal gutter.

Then suddenly around 1984 I was off air.
Only to return last year 37 years later on a nostalgia trip, as an old fart, talking to other old farts about signal strength and what radio and antenna was used FFS



So what's your CB story ?
Did you stay on since those halcyon days and what are your opinions if you did ?

[Allan666]

I loved that time and place,1979 I went down to Cheltenham from Warwick and bought my first CB a 40 channel with AM and also FM a president Veep unusual at the time. Cost me £70 lot of money then. Still have it all these years later. A short time after a local CB club started up. Met some great friends and a year later towards the end of 1981 6 of drove down to south of Spain...When it went legal I bought a Binatone 5 star £99.99 from the shop Rumbelowes lol ,I also still have that. Now 40 odd years later I still have a operating CB Radio set up.. I did go Radio Ham around 1982 time but have always had a working CB.. Wish I could turn back time for a while.

[DX-Digger]

I have to admit being an AM cber, my rig was a Midland 4001 AM 40 channel and the ubiquitous DV27 on a biscuit tin in the loft placed on top of about 50 wire coat hangers all connected to each other.
It definitely was a nicer sound than that crackly FM racket. and as you already said It was a bad day in the UK when FM was launched, atleast in my mind.
But hey thats all in the past now. CB AM or FM will never be the same as back then.
10 10 till we do it again, the "Bean Can" is down and out........

[Tin soldier]

I loved that time and place,1979 I went down to Cheltenham from Warwick and bought my first CB a 40 channel with AM and also FM a president Veep unusual at the time. Cost me £70 lot of money then. Still have it all these years later. A short time after a local CB club started up. Met some great friends and a year later towards the end of 1981 6 of drove down to south of Spain...When it went legal I bought a Binatone 5 star £99.99 from the shop Rumbelowes lol ,I also still have that. Now 40 odd years later I still have a operating CB Radio set up.. I did go Radio Ham around 1982 time but have always had a working CB.. Wish I could turn back time for a while.

How has CB been over the years , a steady decline with a recent resurge since lockdown or up and down?

And how do you find/compare ham radio?

[Tin soldier]

I have to admit being an AM cber, my rig was a Midland 4001 AM 40 channel and the ubiquitous DV27 on a biscuit tin in the loft placed on top of about 50 wire coat hangers all connected to each other.
It definitely was a nicer sound than that crackly FM racket. and as you already said It was a bad day in the UK when FM was launched, atleast in my mind.
But hey thats all in the past now. CB AM or FM will never be the same as back then.
10 10 till we do it again, the "Bean Can" is down and out........

The first thing that hit me was the awful noise of FM compared to AM.
But it was choc a block so got used to it
I remember paying £10 i think it was for a licence, then when it ran out thinking "balls to that"

Can't remember why I suddenly gave up on it , probably another rig died, money for a car, girls, and possibly it dying on air.

No it probably won't ever be the same. Possibly the only thing that might come close is PMR.

[justron]

I remember the early days reasonably well. I first became aware of CB in about 76/77, the radios only had a few channels. 20 I seemed to remember & unless you knew someone involved, then there was really no one to talk to, as they were closed groups.

I dabbled with CB & earned some pocket money making antennas & other bits. But from 75 on, my real interest was with my apprenticeship, SWL, amateur radio & gaining my car, motorbike licenses & girls.

In about 79, I built a mediumwave transmitter for someone, in return for a Lafayette SSB radio & in 1981 I brought myself a legal Midland 3001 & then a year later? a Nato 2000, which was an ssb radio with a 27/81 logo & a set of legal 40 channels. After about 6 months, I swapped the 2000 for a Yaesu FT-7, as I had gained my HGV via work & wanted an amateur radio for my truck.

I liked the first couple of years after CB went legal. They were full of friendly people & happy times. The band conditions were good & you could work the world using a wet piece of string as a antenna.