Hi. I was just wondering if anyone remembers CB Radio from back in the 80's?
As a teenager I got into the craze and made many a new friend from the neighbouring areas of Leeds to where I lived. I suppose that looking back it all seems a bit cheesy now, what with the adopted American CB jargon, the "Handles" (mine: Starblazer! - don't laugh) and of course the legendary CB Clubs where we would all meet up on a Tuesday evening.
I would really like to hear any of your memories of this and apologise to anyone young enough to not have a clue as to what I am talking about (Ask Google and don't judge us. It was acceptable in the 80's! )
Worked in Leeds Market in the 80's and Royal Mail on Wellington Street in the 90's.
Well I never had a CB radio but I did go to the meeting of one club [the "East Leads Breakers", possibly?]. My only reason for going was that it was held in the Stagingpost pub and as the pub was full of kids, they seemed to have waived the little problem of needing to be over 18 to buy a drink!
I don't think that this lasted many weeks before the meetings moved on to the Whinmoor where the much the same thing continued. Again this only lasted a few weeks and a new venue was found at Swarcliffe WMC where, to continue to attend the meetings you had to be a member of the WMC. Well, they were daft enough to admit me an two of my mates as full members - aged 15, the beer was cheaper and they had a raffle [and the second week I won a trifle bowl and six dishes - try explaining that your my mam].
Being a member and it being "legal" to drink, the novelty soon wore off and we stopped going. I'm not sure if it was the Sam Smith's beer that killed it for us or the fact that the woman in Davenports off-license finally believed my bum-fluff 'tache made me look 18, and would serve me but we went back to drinking in Manston churchyard.
I was into cb radio in a big way back in the day i still have all my gear in the loft.Call sign PDB09 Sundowner that is Pudsey District Breakers.I have made contact all over, best copy South America. When i was a rep i had gear in the car i used to have a laugh with the truckers.My call sign then was Shirtlifter no smut involved i was on the road sometimes at four am going to Ipswitch a lot of the lorry drivers were on the way back to the depot after driving all night.I would have a laugh with them they did not know i was in a car so never knew who i was i would hope i made there mornings a bit better .I have many fond memory's from that time of course there were idiots on cb radio but most of the people were very good and i made many good friends.
No matter were i end my days im an Hunslet lad with Hunslet ways.
I had the pleasure of working with Tilly way back then and after being introduced to the delights of sideband cb and distance transmitting by his good self I ended up, on his advice, in a car park near to Fylingdales early warning station attempting long distance contact.
This led to me literately bumping into the woman who 12 weeks later became my wife and after thirty odd years we're still together so thanks CB and more-so my old mate "Sunlounger" (sorry couldn't resist)
Now then my old mate Tabbycat has you say we have been mates for a very long time.I am so glad for you i have always said if you get a good woman stick to her like glue.Just to let you know i had an hip replacement a week last Tuesday every things fine ninth opp since 2010 not all on my hip of course i am still has daft as a brush.He He.
No matter were i end my days im an Hunslet lad with Hunslet ways.
TABBYCAT wrote: I ended up, on his advice, in a car park near to Fylingdales early warning station attempting long distance contact.
This led to me literately bumping into the woman who 12 weeks later became my wife and after thirty odd years we're still together so thanks CB and more-so my old mate "Sunlounger" (sorry couldn't resist)
Your wife iwasn't in the RMP or RAF Regiment perchance? I could certainly believe military security would want to bump into anyone using communication equipment in the vicinity of Fylingdales in the early 80's
living a stones throw from the Leeds MDC border at Lofthousehttp://tykebhoy.wordpress.com/