Interesting eBay Find From My Parents CB Radio Days

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Every day for the past few years I hop onto eBay searching for pieces of local history that I can add to my collection of York County, Pennsylvania memorabilia. In addition, I search for items related to my family research, specifically the Stough surname and it’s variations (Stauch and Stouch).

I was surprised to find a postcard-sized item a few weeks that at one time belonged to my parents…

This is a QSL card which were used by citizens band (CB) radio enthusiasts since around 1960, although postcards were first used to verify reception of a station as early as 1916. My parents, who are Carl and Dixie as shown above, were involved with the hobby in the mid-1960s. My brother and one sister are listed, but my other sister and myself were not “created” yet.

When I called each of my parents about this card, they were both surprised that it still existed. They both remembered their call signs – Dad was KOG-4148 and Mom was KQG-0380 – which were issued by the FCC. The Old Yankee was my dad’s “cool” CB handle.

There were several different markings on the card, all with their own meaning:

  • WE QSL – 100%: They send out QSL cards with every connection made
  • All 23: They had a 23-channel CB radio
  • Mont. 9-12: They monitored channels 9 through 12 and “hung out” there
  • 73′s: Best regards

The back of the card was used to enter information about the connection between two parties including time and date, signal strength and readability, etc. At the bottom of the card you can see the following code – “PSE QSL TNX” – that actually  meant “Please QSL Thanks”. The card was printed by Litho – Little Printers in Duncannon, Pennsylvania.

It was great that I was able to find this piece of my parent’s history on eBay, no matter how plain and ordinary it is. My parents enjoyed sharing their memories of their CB radio days with me, and I enjoyed listening to them.

I’d love to hear your CB stories and even your “handle”…

NOTES

  1. As I child I remember my grandmother having a CB in her Ford Mustang, and my brother operated a HAM radio for some time.
6 comments
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seltzer
seltzer

---> This is a QSL card which were used by citizens band (CB) radio enthusiasts as early as 1916.

 

CB rdio wasn't created until about 1960. You probably are confusing it with jam radio, a very different radio service.

stauchistory
stauchistory moderator

 @seltzer Thank you so much for the verification. I referenced information found online, but was not clear in the manner I wrote it. I've since edited it to say:

 

"This is a QSL card which were used by citizens band (CB) radio enthusiasts since around 1960, although postcards were first used to verify reception of a station as early as 1916."

 

Thank you again for your comment. 

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gen_freak
gen_freak

I didn't know they made cards like that for CB's.  Back in my high school days dad would let me go sit in his Jeep Cherokee and talk on the CB. We called it the "two-way".  That's actually how I met two of my boyfriends.  Well, this "Street Singer" signing out - KNZ1212 - we be gone.

stevenrkirkpatrick
stevenrkirkpatrick

Blake,

 

This is great!!  I got into CB when I was about 16 and got my ham radio license (Callsign: KB3NRY) on my 19th birthday.  I have a framed copy of my grandfathers FCC issued CB license from the 1950s and an old QSL card of his.  My dad was had a CB in his truck when I was growing up and I put that in my first truck.  My first truck was a 1983 Ranger 4X4 with a 2.3L turbo Thunderbird engine...so my CB handle was "Turbo Ranger".  

 

My grandfather got his license in Maryland so the license and QSL card wouldn't be York county history.  But I do have a bit of CB radio history from York county.  A few years ago, I acquired an old "Police Monitor CB Channel 9" sign from West Manheim Township.   I knew that the police no longer monitored CB radio so I emailed the police chief and asked him if I could have the sign.  After a few emails back and forth we were able to work it out and there were actually two signs.  He kept one for a history of the police department and he gave the other to me.  It's a pretty cool piece of radio history to have around.

stauchistory
stauchistory moderator

 @stevenrkirkpatrick I'm glad this was able to bring back memories of your father, grandfather, and even your old "83 Ranger. There's been quite a few people on Facebook engaged in conversation about their memories as well.  I'm very impressed that people still remember their call signs after so many years, which goes to show how passionate they were about the hobby. 

 

The sign from West Manheim Township sounds like an awesome find. If you should happen to have a photograph of it, I'd love to include it in a story down the road.