Breaker 1-9, Breaker 1-9

CB (citizen's band) radio jargon is a mix of the so-called “ten codes” commonly employed by police and fire departments, trucker slang, and ham radio terms. Those of you born after 1980 won’t recognize most of this jargon, except perhaps from reruns of ChiPs. But for the rest of you that are over twenty-five, who may, at one time, have wanted to be the Bandit, one of the Duke brothers, or even B.J. McKay (the TV trucker with the chimp sidekick), here's a trip down memory lane.

10-4: Message received and understood.
10-20: One’s location.
10-10: Negative (see also negatory)
10-12: Stand by.
10-22: Disregard.
10-42: Accident.
Smokey (or “Smokey Bear”): A police officer, usually a state cop or highway patrolman.
Local Yokel: A small-town officer or deputy sheriff; usually of limited ability and professionalism.
Got your ears on?: Are you on the air or monitoring this frequency?
Wrapper: An unmarked police car (see also plain wrapper).
Chicken coop: Weight or inspection station.
Flip-flop: Return trip.
Hammer: Accelerator pedal.
Hammer lane: Left, or passing, lane.
Handle: CB air name.
Backdoor: Behind your vehicle.
Front Door: Ahead.
Seatcover: Attractive woman in a passenger car.
Bear in the Air: Police helicopter.
Breaker (or simply, “Break”: Used to announce one’s presence on the frequency or to interrupt.
Comeback: Please acknowledge or repeat last transmission.
Evel Knievel: Motorcycle officer.
Feeding the Bears: Receiving a ticket.
Honeybear: Female police officer.
Landline: A hard-wired telephone.
Rachet-jaw: Someone who won’t shut up.
Copy: Receive.
Mercy: A stand-in for stronger language (see also mercy me/mercy sakes)

A CB radio was the cell-phone of its time, and the culture was analogous to the Internet in some ways. It was a medium that had been the province of a few professionals and hobbyists that exploded without warning into a national obsession, if only for a few years. And, just like the Internet, the yahoos took over almost immediately, by sheer strength of numbers.

Which brings us to our hero...

In the 1970's at the height of the CB craze, The Schwister family was living in Bloomer, Wisconsin. Norm was on the road frequently, traveling to Mid-Am plants and the division office in St. Paul. Norm joined the airwaves with a handle of "Bloomer Dropper" (A frozen drink involving peaches, pineapple, lemonade, and vodka - ya gotta love the 70's). I wonder what the truckers thought.

10-4 good buddy.