In This Issue

What's Happened To Organized CB With the inception of sideband there became a need to organize and educate CBers about SSB and it's incompatibility to AM. Clubs cropped up all over the country for this purpose. There were AM & SSB clubs. When the license requirement was dropped, the general feeling was that the clubs would play a greater role in self policing the band. Over the past 10 years I've seem a decline in club interest and a rise in club ridicule. From deliberate interference during club on air activities including emergency calls to constant badgering of dedicated club members. What's happening? Is this what makes some people happy? Could it be their way of showing their independence? I just don't understand. When the skip comes in from certain areas, I hear the same people fighting on sideband as if the feud just began and it's every time. The same people must sit home on their radios all their waking hours to abuse one another. Some of our local operators insist it's a recording, but if you listen and follow it you realize it's live and stupid. Why don't these people get a life? There is a lot to learn by being friends. It just seems inconceivable that anyone would devote all their time to making enemies. What happened to the AM eyeball or coffee break? What about CB jamborees? These things were fun if they weren't done too often. I remember going to CB eyeballs that had 75 to 100 CBers buzzing like bees at the local fast food restaurant. Also the SSB Sunday breakfasts had almost as many in attendance. Then the CB jamboree was the biggest event with hundreds to thousands attending. Most were weekend events and many campers planed their summers around the jamborees trying to attend as many as possible. There were door prizes, raffle prizes, vendors displaying and selling their wares, manufacturers displaying their products, awards presented for individuals or groups that traveled the furthest to attend and so much more. Where did all this stuff go? Maybe in some areas of the county some of this is still going on. I know a couple of years ago there was a jamboree in Arizona. I don't have any other information than that. It would be invaluable to get your ideas on where you'd like CB to go. Do you belong to any clubs? What are they like? Are clubs good? Are get-togethers good? Would you attend a CB jamboree? What would you do to make CB better if you could? If you know of any club activities on 11-meters I'd like to know and publish them. Please check with the club official's first. Also if you have any input to the questions or any related information, please FAX or mail it in. I think a monthly column on the subject will get some good ideas flowing. © CBWI

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