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Show Wednesday, December Goodbye, good buddy CB radios in decline took 16 years for Vanderbilt 1 It turers. I remember listening to an interview with psychologists at University discussing what was happening to society, because people were talking to each other without really identifying themselves, recalls James C. McKinney, chief of the FCCs private radio bureau. That was the thing, the McKinney says. anonymity, It was social and outgoing but it was also closed and private. It was weird. People could get their jollies doing things and Municipal Auditorium. Spokesman Duane Ta Unsaid the Christmas movie is a holiday tradition sponsored by the association. He said children of all ages are invited to attend the special movie. The Price Downtown Retail Merchants Association has a special Christmas gift for all Carbon County children. The downtown merchants will present a free Walt p.m. Disney movie at -most Americans to discover Citizens Band radio. And just five years to forget it. The decline in popularity has been so swift that the Federal Communications Commission may stop licensing CB users. Officials believe the craze is over and theres no reason to continue. The FCC wont act until next year but the fact it is even proposing the step emphasizes how things have changed. Consider: At the height of its popularity, about one of every seven vehicles had a CB radio and the FCC received a million license applications a month. At times, the agencys processing backlog extended more than six months. The first lady at the time, Betty Ford, made news by getting a license and adopting First Mama as her handle. The Elvis Presley became Music Man; Burt Reynolds, the Bandit; Billy Carter, First Brother. In 1974, when the boom started, CB radio was 16 years old and had slightly more than 1 million licensees. By 1978, there were more than 14 million. Many had more than one radio. Now only 5 million CBers have licenses. But there was another element to the boom besides numbers. CB radio came to represent a lifestyle. There was a subculture to the thing, definitely, with songs and movies and a proletarian overtone, says John Sodolski, vice president of the Electronic Industries Association which represents radio manufac- 9A A free movie for Christmas By NORMAN BLACK Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON (AP) Sun Advocate, Price, Utah 15, 1982 in Saturday the Price also The organization sponsors the annual visit of Claus Santa Carbon to ear, Santa County. This arrived at the Carbon Counts Airport and was whisked downtown on a fire engine where he greeted children. Everything On Sale For HOLIDAY 17900 Now saying they things wouldnt. It was January 1976 that the FCC recorded its peak of 1 million license applications in one month. Within two years the boom was over and the decline set in. By October, the latest month for which figures are the available, FCC noise just turned operators off, they said. was all-tim- participate in whatever is blames The decline channels from 23 to 40 in 1976, retailers were caught with millions of the older units. Price reductions for those radios kept sets, prices down for reducing profits and drying up money for the advertising and cigarette I stWfe RS Reg. $469.00 339 629 NOW Reg. $399 NOW CrfTSolid Wood Pedestal IX? Reg $129 00 , XMAS SALE s8995 WtMEMM SXTtaCfilD QHBQBgZD BUYING POWER.B.GREAT VALUESMSOUNO SPECIALISTS M PHOTO SPECIALISTS K If you cant find a Christmas gift here, youd better write Santa! DINOSAUR TIRE Price $(0 meet or beat anyones prices during the holidays 20 STORE $24,s 200 E Main, $ Monterey We will emergency. starting at j t '&' New Empress Reg. $699 an in Custom Wheels I t.9 Nautilus CBs in lighter CHAMP many popularity, however, does not mean it will disappear, says Sodolski. The utility of the radio has changed since the fad, he says. Now were seeing portable units that you plug into your car the rt kids woUrtwd THE '..239 and keep an eye out for Smokey (police), adds Smith. It was free publicity. But now, weve come full circle. marketplace. He says that when the FCC increased the number of CB sToc mng W and road blockades to protest the fuel shortage, America was exposed to this thing called CB that the truckers were using to organize in. When the novelty wore off, so did consumer interest. Jerald H. Reese, executive director of REACT International Inc., an organization of CBers who report highway emergencies and assist in disasters, SuPer single strikes staging waterbeds include mattress heater liner standard pedestal till & drain hit algaecide All McKinney and Smith have yet another explanation. There were two things that caused the boom, says crisis oil 1974 The McKinney. and the reduction in the speed limit to 55 miles per hour. When the truckers began only 30,000 apfor both new and plications renewed licenses. low for at Thats the e least the last 15 years, according to McKinney. Explanations for the decline are varied. Richard M. Smith, chief of the FCCs field operations bureau, cites the fad element: A desire processing to 3 promotion that is needed to sustain any industry. Reese and Sodolski also contend that more CBers meant more congestion. Sodolski also blamed a period of peak sun spot activity, which created additional interference. The normally he Sunset 637 2480 tlHJJ411U4ihllAI'IMI4lJjnr.HJ44MII4ll:lkU'TtT Give yourself a TOSHIBA Whirlpool FUJI CASSETTES automatic washer this Christmas! KTR-- 2750 2 S KT-S- Portable AMFM recorder was deluxe stereo cassette wFM 3 stereo cassette Player wFM pack a' 2 $139. FX-I- I 0 for $5.49 12 for $29.95 2 $70. sl-- t maxEll. MUSIC SYSTEM 110 20 watt receiver semi-aut- o turntable speakera audio cabinet $399. ONKYO. Magnetics na &TDIC; ' 2 SD-80- for am ur.. Cassette 0 $99.taPeJIMdeck $9.98vL1o?ape$25. reg reg. $11.98 Mitsubishi car stereo 20 off p y Boa too ILU A TX-700- 0 90 teg$bT- watt stereo receiver Sound (gallery - $449. (ftyen 750 W fA lPECtAL CHBISTMAr GIFT! A IPECtAL CHRISTMAS 30 wall lA Price R a. trt. to 6 00 p.m. fflon. fl)op ttl 9 00 p m. on JFrt&og 9 00 ver Drive tPOAUSTt Jluri RH lurfttrthli' R'islon ht uu II Mitsubishi eiser DP t dtrpit din t with nnjslics stem antnlgr nd 2 70spktM a ss sdse over $1 iRl IE) ' |