You could be forgiven for thinking that CB radios had been consigned to the history books, but there are still plenty of enthusiasts using this technology and they are still a common sight in truckers’ cabs.
But do you know the history behind CB radios? As part of its Flashback Friday series, FreightWaves offered a brief insight into when and why CB radios were developed.
CB radios were originally developed in the US in the mid-1940s to give citizens a channel and way to communicate. It was designed for personal or business communication over short distances.
CB stands for citizens band, which makes perfect sense when you think about its original purpose. However, it was in the 1970s that CB radios became particularly popular, thanks in part to their appearance in a number of movies and TV shows.
A couple of the biggest movies from this time include Smokey and the Bandit, and Breaker! Breaker! – a Chuck Norris film with the tagline: “he’s got a CB radio and a hundred friends who might just get mad!”
Despite the arrival of mobile phones spelling the end of CB radios for many people, they are still widely used by truckers, off-roaders and RV drivers, among others. The news provider pointed out that they’re still the required method of communication on trail rides because mobile phone coverage can be patchy and unreliable.
While CB radio originated in the US, it also made it across the Atlantic and became popular in the UK. Much like stateside, the craze for CB radios really took off in the UK in the late 1970s, despite being illegal. It wasn’t until 1981 that the use of CB radios was legalised in the country, Thunderpole revealed.