HOW MANY CB RADIO MANUFACTURERS MADE SIDEBAND "ONLY" RADIOS (I.E. - NO AM)

 

 

POP QUIZ

 

 

 

 

Take those rusty keys and unlock the file cabinets of your brain to come up with how many manufacturers made a "Sideband only" CB transceiver. Now go a step further and name the manufacturers, and the radios.

I may not have the correct answer, and if I don't, perhaps someone does.

These manufacturers were of the mindset that sideband is better than AM. This isn't false, but they couldn't forecast how many CBers would not accept a radio with SSB without AM as well.

As a mobile radio, and with channel 19 being the trucker channel, a driver would need 2 radios in his car - the SSB only radio, and an AM radio for use on ch.19, or ch.9 (when it was relevant). A base station wouldn't be so bad. Most stations have more than one rig in the shack anyway. In fact, if you looked into some of the great 70s ham rigs like Kenwood's TS-520/530/820/830 series, you'd find that they didn't have AM in those radios either.

While you're thinking about this question, I'll go back to finish my review of the Yaesu VX-6R, and I'll include the answer(s) to this post at the end of that article. Now it's entirely possible I could be wrong and missed a manufacturer, and if I did - be sure to email me! 'Nuff Said 'til next time...

73

Woody

 

 

 

CB HISTORY: WHEN THE FCC BANNED THE SALE OF 23CH RADIOS

  48 YEARS AGO

FCC 23CH. RADIO SALES BAN

 (an excerpt from the book: 

"CBdAZE: A PERSONAL RECOLLECTION ON THE HISTORY

 OF CB RADIO", Copyright 2009 Brian Woodbury)

 

 48 years ago, at this time of year, CB radio manufacturers were thrown into turmoil by the FCC’s decision to ban the sale of 23-channel transceivers.

The sudden shift came without prior consultation with industry leaders, leaving many manufacturers in the dark about how this would affect their existing products. While discussions had been circulating about the potential for a 40-channel CB spectrum, no one expected the FCC’s move to take place so quickly or so drastically.

What happened:

Without warning, the FCC expanded the CB radio spectrum by adding 17 new channels to the existing 23, creating a total of 40 channels. The decision caught the entire industry off guard, creating widespread chaos among manufacturers and consumers alike.

Why the furor?

For years leading up to the announcement, millions of 23-channel radios had been sold to consumers who relied on them for personal and business communication. These radios, once the pinnacle of CB technology, were suddenly outdated and rendered virtually obsolete by the FCC’s new mandate.

At the time, many companies had substantial inventory of the 23-channel radios—millions of dollars' worth—sitting in warehouses and stores across the world. These radios, which were now legally unsellable, left manufacturers facing serious financial losses and forced them to scramble for solutions.

What happened next:

It was a bloodbath. With the FCC’s cut-off for selling the 23-channel radios set for January 1, 1977, manufacturers found themselves in a race against time to redesign their radios. The shift from crystal-controlled frequency synthesis to PLL (Phase-Locked Loop) chips was a huge engineering challenge. To make matters worse, companies had to find ways to deal with the millions of unsold 23-channel radios that were now obsolete—putting them in a difficult financial position that would haunt the industry for years to come...

"The deadline was briefly extended, but the die had already been cast. Within approximately three years, industry leaders such as Pearce-Simpson, E.F. Johnson, Kraco, SBE, PACE, Royce, Regency, and several others withdrew from the CB radio market and ultimately ceased to exist."

For further context, please read the article below, published in January 1978, in the Birmingham news:

 

23ch radio ban

Article from 06 Jan 1978, Fri The Birmingham News (Birmingham, Alabama) Cb radio, 23ch., Fcc sales ban

 

**A short extension was granted, but it couldn't save the industry - no one wanted to buy a 23 channel CB radio when 40ch. radios were selling along side them.

I'll leave you pondering over this glimpse of  CB radio history. So, 'Nuff Said, and see you next time!

73

WOODY

 

 

Note: Updated May 2026 with verified historical link corrections

THE AVANTI ASTRO-BEAM ANTENNA

 

   A RE-BUILD IN PROGRESS

AND

IT'S OCTOBER!!

 

Health issues can get in the way of many things, this Blog being one of those things, so all of the planned radio reviews aside (Radioddity's QT-40 & President's new Washington mobile, etc.) it was time to get a new Blog post ready for reading!

Being October, the first thing that comes to mind might be Halloween, and if you're a faithful reader for all of these years, you know that both Robin and I have been busy preparing our lists of all the horror movies we'd like to binge watch this month, leading up to the 31st.

While perusing a folder of stills from classic horror flicks I couldn't help myself, and just had to add my own "touch" to one of them [pictured below]

 Moving along... I came across a post in a CB related Facebook group that was of interest. Donald Stephens wrote about an Avanti Astro-Beam that he rescued from a house along the side of a road that he happened to pass by one day: 

 

PHOTOS BY DONALD STEPHENS

 

 

 

 

As you can see, it's missing an element, and what remained wasn't in the best shape either. Donald wrote that he had a friend whose hobby was making and/or refurbishing antennas, and he offered his services. 

Several photos were posted, along with updates on how the project was coming along, until finally - it was done! Donald shared the following photo:

The finished project stirred memories of my own Astro-Beam, along with how I came to own it, and the sheer luck involved in getting it home. So, here is my Avanti Astro-Beam story...

WOODY'S ASTRO-BEAM STORY

The one I owned [1984] was purchased second hand from the original owner. I saw an ad for it in the Classified section of the Houston Chronicle, so I got my radio 'bud Doug to drive me down to the guy's home in his Toyota "Monster" truck that had huge tires, and wasn't very easy to get up and into. We weren't sure what to expect, except that it was listed as being recently removed from a tower and ready to go.

Arriving there, the owner walked us through his house to the backyard where we saw that, other than taking it down from the tower, nothing else had been done to it (other than disconnect the coax). Already after 5p.m. we realized it would take a while to disassemble the beam, and the owner had long lost the assembly instructions, as well, in 1984 there wasn't an "Internet" to try and find them.

The owner chuckled and said humorously to us: "Why don't you put it in the back of that Toyota? I'll even through in some rope." To his surprise, we were game to do just that (while he made sure that we understood he wouldn't take it back). There was a decent length pole that went from the antenna to the rotor, so we put the pole down against the tailgate (centered) with the rest of the antenna draped over the cab of donut wheeled Toyota 4x4, and tied it down the best we could, with the front and rear elements hanging off each side. Doug was behind the wheel and I was in the bed of the truck, half of me keeping it as balanced as possible, avoiding any sliding to one side of the cab to the other, while the other half of me envisioned it sailing off the truck with me hanging onto the pole. 

It was a 25-mile trip to get from there to my house and while there were a few hairy moments, it/we made it there in one piece. Several factors played into the success of this transport: 1.) We were young-youngish and stupid 2.) This 25-mile back road only had two lights to navigate through, one a few miles from the owner’s house and one about 2 miles from my house, and it was only 2-lane road (one lane South, the other going North. 3.) Being ’84, this road was still fairly rural (almost dead center between I-45 and Hwy.59 and running North/South in parallel), and didn’t have much traffic on it like it does today (today the fields are gone and it’s crammed with homes, strip malls, and a lot of traffic lights and other wiring to navigate through). It's a fun memory because nothing went wrong, but I’d never try something like that again.

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it 😉

 I've mentioned before that I like to purchase press photos that were taken back in the glory days of CB radio, and here is another one that I'd like to share:

This photo was taken in 1983 of Larry Shrigley, R.E.A.C.T. President of the Western suburbs of Chicago. Being a member of R.E.A.C.T. wasn't something you got into for a plethora of "Thank You's", as he remarked:

 "In the seven year I've been with R.E.A.C.T. I've only gotten two 'thank yous'. I don't care about the recognition. I do it for the satisfaction I get from helping people."

Larry was one of the 300 people in metropolitan Chicago who spent their time as volunteers for R.E.A.C.T [Radio Emergency Associated Citizens Team] monitoring channel 9.

 

That wraps up this Blog post of which (if you didn't already know), today is "National CB Day", 10-4?

 

73,

WOODY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Note: Updated May 2026 with verified historical link corrections

1970-71 NEVER LOOKED SO GOOD!! MIDLAND 13-880B & E.F. JOHNSON MESSENGER 124M

 

 

 THE SHACK THAT WAS, IS BACK!!

 

 

 

 

 

Well, After several months, 4 photo software programs, and a lot of diligent dust/scratch/spot replacements I'm finished with the small image of my shack, and it's never looked so good. 

I had taken 4, perhaps 5 different shots with my equipment changes and set next to each other (like the usual shot I show from a 35mm film strip in the upper left corner on each post). The one I picked to work on had my two favorite base stations: 1. E.F. Johnson 124 AM, and 2. Midland 13-880B AM/SSB. 

The Johnson had excellent adjacent channel rejection, while the Midland sucked at that, but it did give me my first taste of SSB at a low price. Why Johnson didn't come out with an AM/SSB base was, and still is, beyond me. They were bullish enough to offer a 2ch Sideband only mobile in the early 60's, followed by 3 23ch am/ssb mobiles (I bought the E.F.J. 352D), followed by 2 40ch mobiles: the 4730 with the old style mechanical type channel selector, which made it hard to figure out what channel you were on, with 40 little numbers crammed on the dial, and not long after, the 4740 which had a 2-digit readout (in red lit numbers).

The more I think about it, the more I wonder why they didn't do (at the least) a 40ch base station. After all, a base radio was the mobile PCB put in a big box, along with a power supply, and perhaps a clock and a couple large meters. 

I'm well behind in reviews, thanks to health issues, but since I finished the my adjustments to the photo I figured I'd put it up on here today, before the new President Washington arrives, and absorbs any and all free time. 

So, here's to 1970-1971, and my current shack at that time!

 

 At that time I still had my RS TRC-100 5w/6ch walkie-talkie and TRC-101 23ch walkie-talkie. I think I'd taken my Antenna Specialist Super Magnum antenna off the pole and put an Avanti Astro-Plane in its place. Apparently I hadn't purchased a Turner Super Sidekick at the time this photo was taken either.

 

73, enjoy the photo, and the year!

Woody

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CRAZY PRICES ON VINTAGE CB's
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It comes in waves....waves of money that is, and each time I say to myself "I can't believe these prices", I end repeating that same mystified quote over and over again!
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Sometimes you can see why the rig sold for a very high price, like this Poly-comm Pro, which has to be one of the nicest I've seen. Most Poly's show their age, and if you find one that looks good cosmetically, sometimes the "Guts" appear as if they were left out in the rain...for a couple decades.

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But this one has it all, inside and out, and the final auction price was $330 + shipping, which compared to my next example is a good deal! I know, you're wondering, "THAT'S a good deal??" But I guess you'll have to trust the 'ol Woodster on that.

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EXAMPLE NUMBER 2

MIDLAND 78-999

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Now we're jumping ahead a decade or so to a 40ch solid-state am/ssb Base Station. I've heard wonderful things about this rig from current and past owners, although I've never actually owned or operated one myself, but this is where the good deal / bad deal comes into play. While the Midland is relatively hard to find, it is a fairly modern rig (compared to the Poly-Comm), so you would expect to find more of these in nice condition as opposed to a tube rig. Yet the 78-999 sold for $360 + shipping! If you're looking for something new to use today, then you'd probably buy this, but for a collector, the Poly-Comm Pro (in the above condition) is a far better investment.

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EXAMPLE NUMBER 3

EFJ Gold Award Messenger III

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As most of you know, whenever a CB had gold plating, or even a microphone like the D-104 "Golden Eagle", they looked good for several years, but a quarter of a century or more later, it's hard to find one that looks like it just came off the assembly line. Here is such a rig. Recently on Ebay, this E.F.Johnson "Gold Award" Messenger III sold for a whopping $560!! Not bad for an AM-only mobile rig.

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EXAMPLE NUMBER 4

Lafayette Telsat SSB-140

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This rig is a favorite in several different respects: There is a hardcore Lafayette collector bunch out there (I'd include myself in that group), so anything marked Lafayette, and ecspecially "boxed" is desirable, and it also has a good reputation for being a solid rig - something a person would want as a daily user radio. Once again, the pricing is not what you would expect. For instance, if I had to rate them, I'd pick the Poly-Comm Pro as the highest price, next in line the Gold Messenger III, followed by the Lafayette SSB-140 in the box, next, and last but not least, the Midland 78-999. But, go figure...

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THE BLUNDER THAT MADE YA WONDER

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I think every company has made a blunder of some sorts. I suppose you could rate them on a scale of 1-to-10 (1=hardly noticable vs. 10=like a thumb in the eye). When someone asks me what the biggest marketing blunder was, usually Coca-Cola's decision to ditch the old Coke for the "New Coke" comes to mind, but not far behind that was Cobra's "Plus" Series of radios. Not only were they ugly, but reportedly a bear to repair as well!

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Cobra, as a rule, started to put profit over quality, usually picking the lowest bid from a manufacturer. That manufacturer was then blessed with slapping a Cobra name on the radio. I don't think you see many of these forsale (compared to their usual line)because there aren't many that still work. Nonetheless, the mistake was made, and corrected shortly thereafter.

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Once again, I've managed to waste your precious time on items of the past, and of course, I'll do it again! 'Nuff Said -

Woody

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