I think it was 1980 or it could have been 1979 when I first got my CB Radio, Citizen Band Radio for those novices who don't know what it is.
With the Movie "Smokey and the Bandit" on circuit in 1977 there were those people in South Africa who had Ham Radio's which back in the 70's was an expensive hobby, the CB radio would have been a cheaper version on Ham Radio and would not have had the capacity to reach destinations as far a field as the Ham Radio.
CB Radio was a phase that all the kids in the South went through, we all had our own radio's that we could put in our car or friends car and then go driving round the streets and "eyeball" other CB radio people. It had it's own Language, and it was so cool to be able to spell out using the NATO phonetic Alphabet so for instance, we needed a licence for your CB Radio and mine was ZRAM3498 and if anyone asked me what my licence number was I would call it out as "Zulu, Romeo, Alpha, Mike - 3 - 4 - 9 - 8".
My friend C was probably the first person I knew with a CB Radio and when she got it we all sat around deciding what our "handles" would be - She was "Twinkle Toes", Carol was "Golden Earning" after the band, so we decided I would be "Kiss" after another Rock Bank of the 70's.
I met some really nice people over the CB Radio and for the life of me I can't remember their handles, there was "Michael Van Wyk" who lived in La Rochelle - he went to Help Mekaar hoerskool and drove a Brown Datsun, with his CB licence number in big letters on the back of his window. Although he was dating me, I think I was being cheated on with "Silver Leaf".
Then there was Ivan or "Stretch" I think his handle was, who introduced me to "Dubba & Audrey", lovely poeple. And I met Clifford who was very much into his electronics and put up my arial at home for me, mostly so that I could talk to him because there was a lot of static interference between his house and mine.
I don't remember when the whole CB radio died out, but it did! probably when we all started "jolling" and going to night clubs and not worrying about talking to someone 24 hours a day, I guess in those days it was our kind of cell phone.
The Good Old Days.
CB Radio was a phase that all the kids in the South went through, we all had our own radio's that we could put in our car or friends car and then go driving round the streets and "eyeball" other CB radio people. It had it's own Language, and it was so cool to be able to spell out using the NATO phonetic Alphabet so for instance, we needed a licence for your CB Radio and mine was ZRAM3498 and if anyone asked me what my licence number was I would call it out as "Zulu, Romeo, Alpha, Mike - 3 - 4 - 9 - 8".
My friend C was probably the first person I knew with a CB Radio and when she got it we all sat around deciding what our "handles" would be - She was "Twinkle Toes", Carol was "Golden Earning" after the band, so we decided I would be "Kiss" after another Rock Bank of the 70's.
I met some really nice people over the CB Radio and for the life of me I can't remember their handles, there was "Michael Van Wyk" who lived in La Rochelle - he went to Help Mekaar hoerskool and drove a Brown Datsun, with his CB licence number in big letters on the back of his window. Although he was dating me, I think I was being cheated on with "Silver Leaf".Then there was Ivan or "Stretch" I think his handle was, who introduced me to "Dubba & Audrey", lovely poeple. And I met Clifford who was very much into his electronics and put up my arial at home for me, mostly so that I could talk to him because there was a lot of static interference between his house and mine.
I don't remember when the whole CB radio died out, but it did! probably when we all started "jolling" and going to night clubs and not worrying about talking to someone 24 hours a day, I guess in those days it was our kind of cell phone.
The Good Old Days.
3 comments:
Great reading this. I vaguely remember some of the "handles" you mentioned.
My handle was Mustang ZRAB8124 - i lived in Alberton and the South.
I was quite good friends with Roller Pigeon (Ray) and his wife.
The good old days
I think I remember you or your handle anyway - The good old days!
Definitely a different world in those days. I generally went by the handle of Nebula and hung around with my buddy Kenobi as we drove around in his VW Beetle transmitting merrily in the Alberton/Dinwiddie region. 'Twas the good old days alright, I was a teenager in those days and remember "Double Dee" transmitting till the wee hours of the night with her amazing advantage of height stationed near the 007 road house on the old Heidelberg Road. I accumulated many good friendships due to the CB radio and the memories will always be an important part of my life :-)
Post a Comment