Remember When........
.....An average AM-only CB radio cost about $150 and a good base antenna cost $60, instead of the other way around.
......Omni-directional base station antennas were actually made of aluminum and had "radials".
......200 watts was considered "High Power".
.......Many radios still used tubes (Those glowing glass thingies), and had that certain "smell" when they operated.
.......There were at least 2 CB base antennas on any given block, and a great many cars had mobile CB antennas.
......An older adult man could "mentor" younger people in the fine art of radio, without being suspected of being a pedophile.
.......The language heard on any given channel was no worse than a "PG" rating (Unless the operator was drunk, then all bets were off).
.......Channel 6 was actually quiet.
.......The Turner company was still in business, and made some of the best microphones for CB.
.......CB radios were only 23 channels, and some were even less.
.......Radio Shack actually had a whole section of the store dedicated to parts and kits, instead of a small cabinet tucked in the back corner.
.......Radio Shack had a lifetime warranty on tubes, and you could buy a 6LQ6 with gold plated pins for $7.
.......Radio Shack had their "Battery of the Month Club" cards.
.......Lafayette Radio was a great alternative to Radio Shack for parts, and they also sold a very diverse line of CB radios of their own.
.......The most popular radios had names like Midland, Realistic, Lafayette, Cobra, Pearce Simpson, Hy-Gain, Browning, Pace, Royce, Courier, SBE, & Tram.
.......You could buy a CB radio in common department stores like K-Mart.
.......The CB radio service had call-signs, and required a license which cost $20 at its peak.
.......The FCC actually enforced the rules, and CB operators actually feared a visit from "Uncle Charlie".
.......Talking to someone from a car or a handheld portable was a big deal.
.......The people watching you talk from a handheld device, thought you were a total geek.
.......Hearing someone using an "echo" was considered neat and innovative.
......There were frequent get-togethers called "Coffee Breaks" where everyone got to "eyeball" each other, sometimes for the first time.
......You finally got to meet the people you've been talking to for a while, and discovering that they don't look anything like what you imagined.
......You would see in the new year with the other locals over the radio, complete with countdowns and loud noises.
......You could spend hours playing Chess or Battleship over the air.
......The trucker's channel was 10. (East coast).
......CB was used to find open gas stations, and those who weren't gouging you when the prices climbed to an unheard of $.60+ a gallon.
......S9 and CB Magazines were the best source of CB news and info, and national radio suppliers like Henshaws were your best sources for radio gear.