Ah the good old days

[Rick330man]

My first base antenna was the 1/2 wave omni-directional ground plane. It was a decent antenna, but I wanted better performance and purchased the .64 wave. The difference in performance was quite notable. The .64 was taken out of action when a lightning strike fried the tuning coil. By then, Radio Shack's CB antenna options had been significantly reduced and so I opted for the fiberglass 1/2 wave Crossbow (a Shakespeare Big Stick dyed in blue) to replace it. The latter lasted me about 40 years, but did not perform anywhere near as well as the .64.

 

[frankie-b]

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this is unbelievable. who in there right mind would

 

[nomadradio]

So, if we took the mid-1970s sale price of this kind of antenna and fed it into the inflation calculator, these prices might not look quite so extravagant.

Don't know how many outfits make the Starduster these days, but the last modern version I saw had too much plastic and not enough metal.

73

 

[Rwb]

So, if we took the mid-1970s sale price of this kind of antenna and fed it into the inflation calculator, these prices might not look quite so extravagant.

Don't know how many outfits make the Starduster these days, but the last modern version I saw had too much plastic and not enough metal.

73

i agree build a great item,cheep it up and it dont survive

 

[fourstringburn]

Here's another retail electronics store people younger than 45 may not know of, Lafayette Electronics otherwise known as "Laughing Idiot".

I remember them being more of an electronics parts store than Radio Shack was but they also sold many consumer electronics too.

The last one where I live closed on the early 80's.

 

[DelR]

Just a few years later -
View attachment 63250

I had that 3 element beam back in 1977, had JC Penney Pinto SSB 23 channel and a one tube kicker...with a D-104, of course

 

[DelR]

My 1st Base CB was a TRC-30A that my parents purchased me for Christmas when it was On Sale for just $99.99 & I connected it to my A/S M400 STARDUSTER that was in the pine tree in our side yard at around 90'.I added an Astatic D-104 which was my 1st ever & Today I currently own 45 D-104 desk microphones & no CB's just Amateur Radios.

There is a TRC-55 for sale on Goodwill online auctions right now for 9.99 with about $18 shipping if anyone interested. too bad its not SSB tho

 

[Smokinone]

Here's another retail electronics store people younger than 45 may not know of, Lafayette Electronics otherwise known as "Laughing Idiot".

I remember them being more of an electronics parts store than Radio Shack was but they also sold many consumer electronics too.

The last one where I live closed on the early 80's.

View attachment 69109

View attachment 69110

View attachment 69111

My first CB antenna was a twin gutter mount that I mounted on my 72 Ford van with a Sharp 23 channel. 1975
OH ya, I wanted to say it was a Lafayette antenna...I'm so forgetful.

 

[DelR]

In 1990, my 2nd setup was Cobra 89 with upper/lowers, D-104, Maco 300 gold face with receive, driven by JB-125 modulator, with Maco 4 element beam on 50' tower. Was TOO MUCH living in town, it had to go. Next was Galaxy 33 and groundplane...just doesn't compare!