You got your ears on good buddy?

Just like the hula hoop of the 1950’s, and tie dyed jeans of the 1960’s; the 1970’s had its own craze. The citizens band radio.

CB’s have been around since the 1940’s, but it was in the 1970’s when they came to notoriety.

C.W. McCall had a hit song in 1975 called “Convoy”. It was a chart topping song that bought CB radios from 18 Wheelers to the family car. America was mounting whip antennas on the family sedan and everyone was coming up with their handle (name used while on the air). The airwaves had become so crowded that in 1977 the FCC increased the number of channels on the citizens band from 23 to 40. Movies such as “Citizens Band” and “Smokey and the Bandit” put CB radios in an even brighter spotlight.

But like all fads, the CB radio lost its appeal and car whip antennas slowly began to disappear.

For Father’s Day last weekend I received a CB radio and antenna for my truck. I actually asked for it. I was a bit melancholy for the days of my youth and I loved my CB. I thought getting on the airwaves again might re-spark the enjoyment I received from my CB radio when I was in my teens.

Well apparently I’m the only one out there looking to breathe life into the airwaves again. After I hooked up my new “rig” in my pickup I flipped the power switch on eager for the airwaves to dance with staticky chatter. I couldn’t have been more disappointed and disillusioned. The air was dead. I clicked through all 40 channels, then clicked through them again. I even checked to see if the antenna was properly connected. No luck. My good buddies have moved on to Cel phones and GPS navigation systems. Abandoned are the days of chatting with strangers using radio jargon and fun nicknames. No one needs me to tell them about a police trap when Waze beats me to blowing their cover every time. CB radios bought me back to a simpler time. Unfortunately, I’m in the minority of this notion.

So I’ll keep my CB powered up as I head down America’s highways. I’ll be ready to answer back anyone breaking on my channel. But it looks like it’s going to be a long and lonely wait.

Until then, keep the shiny side up and the greasy side down. Mr. Chips signing off. 10-4 good buddies.