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CB radios

Citizens Band radios, commonly known as CB radios, are a staple for truck drivers and rural life. CB radio exists on 40 channels within the 27 MHz band. It was initially set up for short range communication on farms or within small cities. In the 1970s, during the oil crisis and institution of the federal highway speed limit, CB radios became highly used by truckers and other highway drivers to locate service stations with gasoline, notify drivers of speed traps and organize convoys and blockades which were designed to protest the new speed limit and trucking regulations.

CB radios were featured as an integral part of several films and television shows in the 1970s, which fueled interest and appeal. This helped boost the popularity of the CB radio. People found that they could communicate with people in a somewhat anonymous manner. While there were initially license requirements to operate these radios, there was an influx of people who ignored them as they were just using the radios as a hobby. Instead of identifying themselves with their names, they made up pseudonyms, or handles, by which they were referred. Ultimately, the government dropped the licensing requirements for CB radios.

CB radios are now primarily only used by truckers, highway patrols or other people who spend a lot of time on the road. With cell phones and Internet usage so prominent today, the CB radio has fallen out of popularity and is primarily used by those who need it instead of hobbyists. The Internet provides chat rooms, forums and other means of communicating anonymously with people all over the world. Cell phones go above and beyond the use of a CB radio in the instance of getting roadside assistance or finding an upcoming service station.

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