CB RADIO CONTACTS AND STORIES

Would anyone like to share their first contact or contacts they find memorable or do you have any stories or funny stories you'd like to share?
Can be anything to do with radio

My first contact was an old boy back in 1981 went by the handle of the magpie. He was only on the other side of the estate from me his working conditions was a Ham Jumbo with a magmount on a biscuit tin, mine a Harrier CBHQ (which I still own) and a Lemm 1/4 wave GP a bit like a Sirio signal keeper. This was in Mitcham in Surrey, my handle was the Artful dodger. The good old days eh?

73's Gary.

First ever go on CB too many moons ago......

Freezing cold night, sat in my Dad's Ford Cortina MK3 on a General Electric AM only rig. The GE was the one with the impossible to read tiny S-meter with the channel numbers written on the dial! (Had to search, turns out it was the GE 3-5801)

Knew nothing..... didn't matter. Made more contacts than I can remember, made very welcome, and even got taught some of the old CB lingo. Did help that I was in a village high above sea level with main trunk roads and a motorway within 10 miles.

That was it, the bug bit!

Had spent my boyhood building simple SW receivers but this was in a new league - actually being able to call back!

I remember my Dad had a Teaberry Stalker IX sidebander, but was reluctant for me to use his pride and joy.


A few years of legal FM killed it for me, not so many helpful people during that phase.
Did think about becoming a Ham but the local club was full of stuffed-shirts types so I lost interest.


Nice to be back

73's

Victor

I bought my first setup when I was still at school age, (Sharp 40ch, DX 27 and a car battery and charger).
I remember I bought from the next estate and carring it all in two bags with the antenna sticking out like a sore thumb. As I walked home, cutting through as many alleyways as I could find, not wanting to be caught by police on foot patrol because this was well before 27/81 FM days.
For the first couple of nights getting home from school and getting any homework done asap to play on my new toy "my CB". Well I was realy shy as a kid, didn't talk to girls as I would blush and stutter with words etc. As I was saying, the first couple of nights I would be flicking arround the channels and my heart was banging out of my chest itching to dare myself to key up and say something. A week later I was a stud muffin master, learnt all about TVi, and knew I want BIGGER, I want everything to do with CB, I was gone into a new world with my shyness gone I was chatting to girls all over outside my town and even stood up against the CB mic warriors (keyboard warriors of today)...


John 68CT045

Not made my first contact yet,

Been listening into cb and ham for around 4 years not having the guts to key up.
So i sold my cb and stuck listening to ham i have now purchased another cb (77-805d) just ordering my mag mount as the wife won't let me slap a home base antenna up. And this time i am eager to key up bit have the feeling that i might make a mess of my first contact hehe

So as it stands i am a very nervous cb virgin hahaha and need to just get over the fear of key'ing up!!

My first contact was about 1988/1989 chap was coming through +30 tell me he was the other side of London. I just could not believe it considering that My antenna was on the 20ft pole being tied up with mums dressing gown rope. Then realised he was just down the road at the back of my house ploughing the fields never forget it channel 31 spoke to the boys on there for 10+ years after that a few then past away and went on to other jobs so I came off the air. Still have the same old rig in the shack. When 1st came back on a few weeks ago I turned it on and it was still on ch31. Never forget the good times on ch31..

Back in the early 80's I was "The Cruiser" (can't remember where that came from) and, like many others on here, legal FM killed it dead for me. I was also out of work for 5 years, due to the recession, and ended up selling all my gear.

Recently discovered that CB was still going when I discovered CTX videos on YouTube (thanks Jason and Gary) and my interest was rekindled. I dug out an old Cobra FM rig from the attic, stuck it on to my Scanner Antenna, and the rest is history.

I've put up a coax dipole in the loft, made some local contacts, and I got onto my first net last weekend (I could only hear one person )

The current plan is to get my "roach pole", a T2LT and a handheld, and then head for the hills !

73's

Nick

GaryWilson wrote:

My first contact was an old boy back in 1981 went by the handle of the magpie. He was only on the other side of the estate from me his working conditions was a Ham Jumbo with a magmount on a biscuit tin, mine a Harrier CBHQ (which I still own) and a Lemm 1/4 wave GP a bit like a Sirio signal keeper. This was in Mitcham in Surrey, my handle was the Artful dodger. The good old days eh?

73's Gary.

My first contact on fm was up the road from me and he was a year below me at school.
Radio was a Harrier cbx and my dad bought himself a York Jcb 863 i think both from Tandy's and it came with a free book The Big Dummies Guide To Cb.
He had his in his wagon and use to say tell your mom to put the kettle on and i'd tell her and she would say "bloody cb's"
The good old days they were and thanks for sharing your story.

Vic wrote:

First ever go on CB too many moons ago......

Freezing cold night, sat in my Dad's Ford Cortina MK3 on a General Electric AM only rig. The GE was the one with the impossible to read tiny S-meter with the channel numbers written on the dial! (Had to search, turns out it was the GE 3-5801)

Knew nothing..... didn't matter. Made more contacts than I can remember, made very welcome, and even got taught some of the old CB lingo. Did help that I was in a village high above sea level with main trunk roads and a motorway within 10 miles.

That was it, the bug bit!

Had spent my boyhood building simple SW receivers but this was in a new league - actually being able to call back!

I remember my Dad had a Teaberry Stalker IX sidebander, but was reluctant for me to use his pride and joy.


A few years of legal FM killed it for me, not so many helpful people during that phase.
Did think about becoming a Ham but the local club was full of stuffed-shirts types so I lost interest.


Nice to be back

73's

Victor

On fm a few guys would come up in their cars for an eyeball and we would go to meets and eyeball others.
Loved the old am days and miss it but with people always moaning about being caught it sort of made you paranoid.
My dad said stop worrying about getting caught because they have to get through me first.
So after that i stopped worrying and started having fun and then i went to see about get my ham licence.
I went and there was a lot of friendly and really helpful people there and there was a few that were sort of stuck up and sort of wished they were somewhere else.
Then my dad bought me a Yaesu FT-101 from a radio shop in Huddersfield and i boy did i hear somethings on that.
Thanks for the story Vic

Ultimitmale (John) wrote:

I bought my first setup when I was still at school age, (Sharp 40ch, DX 27 and a car battery and charger).
I remember I bought from the next estate and carring it all in two bags with the antenna sticking out like a sore thumb. As I walked home, cutting through as many alleyways as I could find, not wanting to be caught by police on foot patrol because this was well before 27/81 FM days.
For the first couple of nights getting home from school and getting any homework done asap to play on my new toy "my CB". Well I was realy shy as a kid, didn't talk to girls as I would blush and stutter with words etc. As I was saying, the first couple of nights I would be flicking arround the channels and my heart was banging out of my chest itching to dare myself to key up and say something. A week later I was a stud muffin master, learnt all about TVi, and knew I want BIGGER, I want everything to do with CB, I was gone into a new world with my shyness gone I was chatting to girls all over outside my town and even stood up against the CB mic warriors (keyboard warriors of today)...


John 68CT045

I was exactly just like you and cb was my escape too and i met a few girlfriends through cb and i met my wife through cb.
Thanks for the story.

Mau5matt wrote:

Not made my first contact yet,

Been listening into cb and ham for around 4 years not having the guts to key up.
So i sold my cb and stuck listening to ham i have now purchased another cb (77-805d) just ordering my mag mount as the wife won't let me slap a home base antenna up. And this time i am eager to key up bit have the feeling that i might make a mess of my first contact hehe

So as it stands i am a very nervous cb virgin hahaha and need to just get over the fear of key'ing up!!

If you're nervous like me just key your mic and say 19 a Brian and if they say you mean a Roger? say no Roger has fallen out with me because i wouldn't buy him a drink
I've just come back on and i'm nervous and i was stuttering talking to people i use to talk to in the 80's.
They said don't be nervous you're with old friends and to have a whiskey and calm down ya daft old sod.
Now i'm back to my old self so don't worry everyone gets nervous and i when you start talking you're going to love it.
Hopefully we will talk to each other?
Thanks for sharing your story

No worries Darren, always nice to reminisce

Yeah, "eyeballs" were the thing back then. Remember piling down to London for the Chelsea Bridge run and more people there with CBs than anything. Great big mag mounts and tank whips hanging off Cortina, Capris, Escorts, etc. but the Police never did a thing

I do like the Yaesu FT101, a Ham friend of mine treasures his, "proper" radio he calls it.

It's a shame with "getting your ticket". Many Hams are nice people as some can attest here, but there's always a few that ruin it.


Good on yer mate for starting this topic, been good reading peoples stories.

Badgeruk1980 wrote:

My first contact was about 1988/1989 chap was coming through +30 tell me he was the other side of London. I just could not believe it considering that My antenna was on the 20ft pole being tied up with mums dressing gown rope.   Then realised he was just down the road at the back of my house ploughing the fields never forget it channel 31 spoke to the boys on there for 10+ years after that a few then past away and went on to other jobs so I came off the air. Still have the same old rig in the shack. When 1st came back on a few weeks ago I turned it on and it was still on ch31. Never forget the good times on ch31..

We always remember the good times

I had some brilliant times because of cb it's just their cb handles i forget.
My brother says i'm reliving my childhood but it's a hobby i loved when i had no friends.
Because of cb i made loads of friends and now a load more on here. Thanks for sharing your story

Pappy Nick wrote:

Back in the early 80's I was "The Cruiser" (can't remember where that came from) and, like many others on here, legal FM killed it dead for me. I was also out of work for 5 years, due to the recession, and ended up selling all my gear.

Recently discovered that CB was still going when I discovered CTX videos on YouTube (thanks Jason and Gary) and my interest was rekindled. I dug out an old Cobra FM rig from the attic, stuck it on to my Scanner Antenna, and the rest is history.

I've put up a coax dipole in the loft, made some local contacts, and I got onto my first net last weekend (I could only hear one person )

The current plan is to get my "roach pole", a T2LT and a handheld, and then head for the hills !

73's

Nick

I've had to sell my musical equipment when i lost my job but my family came first.
I've got a little studio again its small but it's all i need but really happy you're getting back into it.
I remember having a handheld too you've just reminded me all the wheeling and dealing i did back then.
Good luck with the hills and have loads of fun, thanks for the story

Vic wrote:

No worries Darren, always nice to reminisce

Yeah, "eyeballs" were the thing back then. Remember piling down to London for the Chelsea Bridge run and more people there with CBs than anything. Great big mag mounts and tank whips hanging off Cortina, Capris, Escorts, etc. but the Police never did a thing

I do like the Yaesu FT101, a Ham friend of mine treasures his, "proper" radio he calls it.

It's a shame with "getting your ticket". Many Hams are nice people as some can attest here, but there's always a few that ruin it.


Good on yer mate for starting this topic, been good reading peoples stories.

Well i know people love to talk about old times. They have fond memories of their family, friends and girlfriends.
When they talk about their memories it rings a bell with us too and we remember certain things.
They mention a cb and an antenna and i think i had that cb and that antenna. The amount of times i got told to buy a dv27 and put it on a biscuit tin.
You bought the antenna but then you don't have a biscuit or you do but it's full of biscuits.
You get a bag to tip them in and your mom says "don't even think about it"
Police use to say what cb you got? and my mate would say Binatone five star and the copper would say cool i've got a Harrier cbx with a dv27.
It's really nice when they share their stories because i love to read their stories and i really appreciate them taking the time and sharing their personal life with us.
My dad use to have wagons and diggers and he use to have cb's in them when he was working.
My mom use to say tell your dad his dinner is ready or my dad use to say tell your mom i'm coming home for a drink and make me a sandwich.
He use to come home with all sorts of radios and antenna's but he loved radio as much as me and use to listen to the radio in my bedroom for hours with the Yaesu FT101.
Thank's again Vic



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