The Citizens Band (CB) radio (see entry under 1920s—TV and Radio in volume 2) service was established in 1947 by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which in 1958 opened up part of the amateur-radio band to enable anyone to engage in free mobile communication over about a ten-mile radius. A typical CB radio setup included a microphone, a speaker, and a control box that could be easily installed and used without the more sophisticated technical skills of an amateur-radio, or ham, operator. The service did not come into widespread popular use until the mid-1970s, when a CB craze swept the nation, popularized by long-haul truck drivers. The truck drivers used the devices to communicate with fellow drivers about traffic conditions and police activity. A trucker's CB Radio also eased the loneliness of being on the road.

Citizens Band radio became popular during a period of social and...