CB Radios: When The Truckers’ Tool Became A Hobby

By | October 8, 2021

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A trucker used a cb radio while driving a haul. Source: (Getty).

Prior to the proliferation of the cell phone as a means of communication, on the road, drivers found another way to communicate: the CB radio. Cell phones, of course, can afford people private airspace. CBs, however, were anything but, and actually provided a way for people on the road to communicate with strangers anonymously, kind of like an internet chat room. However, they could also provide news, real-time weather and traffic, and reassurance if your transportation broke down as you would be able to radio for help.

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Source: (Pinterest).

The Beginnings Of CB Radio

In 1945, the FCC began to regulate personal radio services which permitted a radio band to be used by citizens for personal communication. Thus, they activated the Citizens’ Radio Service Frequency Band, which became known as Citizens Band, or CB. Enter Al Gross. He jumped on this opportunity, forming a company called Gross Electronics. In 1948, the FCC approved the manufacture of his two-way devices which could utilize the frequencies. Initially, more than 100 thousand units were manufactured to be used by the U.S. Coast Guard, farmers, and blue-collar workers. Over time, as the radio was refined, and by 1960, the cost of the radio was reduced so that it was affordable for the public; as the size of the solid-state electronics in the radio got smaller, the price went down even further. During the 1960s, CB radios were popular with small businesses, including electricians, plumbers, and carpenters, as well as with truck drivers and radio hobbyists. Around this time, CB clubs were formed, and a CB slang language developed which used 10-codes, akin to those used in emergency services.