CB Radios: Then and Now

They are as American as apple pie. They were the first generation of handheld communication devices for the everyday person. Suppose you’ve driven a car, ridden a motorcycle, or used a handheld cell phone. In that case, chances are you have probably used radio frequencies in the same frequency band that the original analog and digital CB radios operated on.

Let us take you on a bit of a trip back in time when just about everyone carried one of these devices, but it is also an interesting technical look into how far we’ve come in the last 40 years. You might be surprised at just how quickly we’ve evolved.

Yes, AM CB Radio has been around in some form since the late 1940s, but they have almost become obsolete in today’s world. The modern hobbyist CB radio has evolved to use two-way communication (2WPM) capabilities with FM frequencies (26.965-27).

Long before cell phones, the concept of mobile communication was born. Near the end of the Second World War, citizens had become accustomed to using walkie-talkies to communicate while they were out and about. Thus, mobile communication had truly been born.

The CB Radio was the mobile communication device of the 1970s. When CB Radio came on the scene, it became immensely popular thanks to its simplicity and how small it was compared to walkie-talkies.

Already used by the military, CB Radios became very popular with civilians in the 1970s. First, they were affordable enough that most people could afford them and small enough to fit in most cars. Secondly, they were two-way devices which made them very appealing and exciting for a lot of people.

Since then, CB Radios have become less popular but are still in use today. However, the newer ones are much smaller and have more advanced features. Now, you can find them built into many vehicles and used by everything from police officers to truckers.

How cool would it be to drive down the highway with a CB Radio in your car, chatting it up with other drivers? With a handheld CB radio, you can communicate with other drivers and hear all sorts of chatter about traffic conditions, how fast people are going and safety tips.

You’d think that was a luxury found only in the past, but that’s not the case anymore. CB Radios are still around, and you can find them online. To my surprise, I found some quality online CB radio shops like the Walcott store, which run both online and offline “real world” stores. 

There are a ton of benefits in getting your radios online; First off, you can get top-of-the-line radios without paying top-of-the-line prices. It’s hard to go wrong with online stores that sell CB radios. They have low overhead costs, so can afford to sell quality goods at a cheaper price than big box retailers. Then there’s the convenience factor.

If you’re looking to buy a CB radio, just whip out your credit card and order one to be shipped right to your door, no muss no fuss, and no need to wait in line at a brick-and-mortar store. You can also find some great deals on used or refurbished radios that were previously returned but are still in perfectly functioning condition.