The CB Radio Craze (1970’s)

Introduction

The CB radio was invented in 1945 by Al Gross, the inventor of the walkie-talkie, who later started the Citizens Radio Corporation. By 1960, the costs to produce the 23 channel radio came down enough that everyday Joes could afford to buy the radios. It became popular with small businesses and blue collar workers like carpenters, plumbers, and electricians who used the radio as a tool to communicate with coworkers. By 1973, it moved into the private sector and with the onset of the oil crisis, the CB Radio craze erupted.

When Al Gross invented the CB radio in 1945, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) quickly opened up radio services for the personal users of the radio. Most countries have similar radio services. In the United States, Citizen’s Band Radios operate on the 27-Mhz band whereas in Canada it is known as General Radio Services and operates on the 26 Mhz and 28 Mhz bands. Unlike amateur radio, CB radio does not require a license (although at one time CB radios operation did require licenses). CB radio channels are shared by many users at the same time and other stations must listen and wait for the shared channel to be available.

By the 1960’s, the CB radio was popular with businesses and radio hobbyists. By the late 1960’s, advancements in solid state electronics allowed the size of the radio to be greatly reduced as well as the cost. Suddenly, the general public had access to a communications medium that previously had only been available to specialists. CB radio clubs were formed and hobbyists developed their own unique CB slang language along with 10-codes similar to the codes used by emergency services.

The CB Radio Craze

By 1973, the oil crisis caused the cost of gasoline to skyrocket and shortages developed. In response, the United States government issued a 55MPH nationwide speed limit. Drivers quickly learned that CB radios could be used to communicate with other drivers to inform them of gas stations that had gas and to notify speeders where police (smokeys) had speed traps set up. The CB radio craze took off and was so popular, by 1977 additional channels were opened up and 40 channel radios were introduced to the market.

Newsworthy events related to CB radios further added to the excitement. Truck drivers used the radios to organize convoys are huge lines of trucks that travelled down the highways. In several instances, blockades were organized using CB Radios where trucks would fill all available highway lanes in protest of the high gas prices and new trucking regulations. CB Radios began to play prominent roles in movies such as Smokey and the Bandit and Movin’ On. Novelty songs about the new electronic toy, such as CW McCall’s Convoy, were played regularly on the radio.

During the 1970’s CB radio craze, citizens of Great Britain illegally used American made CBs. The British government told its citizens that the CB radio would never legalized on the 27 Mhz wavelength and instead, proposed a different technology on the 860 Mhz “open channel” instead. The citizens of the United Kingdom took to the streets in high profile public demonstrations and UK government officials bent to the will of the people. Al Gross made the first British ceremonial CB radio call from Trafalgar Square in London. Later the United Kingdom added more than 40 channels giving UK citizens 80 CB radio channels to work with.

Handles

During the beginning of the craze, CB radios required a licensed to operate. They cost about $20 in the early 1970’s and were reduced to $4 in the late 1970’s. In addition, there were many rules and regulations concerning antenna height, distance restrictions, allowable transmitter power, and call sign rules. People ignored the laws and developed “handles” or fake names to identify themselves on the radio. After the FCC started receiving over 1,000,000 license applications a month, the license requirement was dropped entirely but as the culture had already developed, people continued using handles such as “Big Mama” or “Timberwolf” to identify themselves while on the air.

Some famous celebrity handles include:

Betty Ford, a former First Lady of the United States, whose CB handle was “First Mama”.

Voice actor Mel Blanc , an active CB Radio operator, often used the CB handles Bugs or Daffy and talked over the air in the Los Angeles area using his many voices.