Comments on: Early electronic social networks part one: CB radios

By: Darrell

Darrell — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 16:00:10 +0000

In the early days, all CBs were modifiable. When the frequencies were crystal controlled, all you needed to do was switch out a legal crystal for an illegal one – which certain electronic stores would have “under the counter”.

Later when ICs became common, it was actually easier to get more channels simply by grounding the right pins on the PLL (Phase Locked Loop) chip. I had radios with something like 200 channels (normal at the time was 40).

Manufacturers curbed the modding of radios later by making PLL chips that could not be changed in this way… and that’s about when the popularity of CBs declined.

I guess I should add that the modification of radios was a great learning experience for many people, and while illegal on the CB band, it is perfectly acceptable in the Ham Radio community, where many of the more technical CBers ended up. Me included. I’ll have to upload some photos!

By: Michael Gaines

Michael Gaines — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 15:43:10 +0000

You know, I didn’t even think about CB modifications, but it makes sense. Were there certain radios that were more modifiable than others, like today’s cell phones?

With everyone on the internet nowadays, I don’t even know if anyone uses CBs in my area anymore.

By: Darrell

Darrell — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 15:31:13 +0000

In 1977 at the height of the CB craze I was 15, and I was full blown into it. It wasn’t the land of southern accents and trucker talk like everyone makes it out to be. It was as normal as Twitter is today. Different types of people gathered on different channels and modes (AM, SSB) at different times. Many geeks modified their radios and could be found on channels not available on a normal CB.

Many of these groups got together in RL. The person that got me into World of Warcraft is someone I met on the CB back then and he is still a great friend today.