I started playing around with CB radio back in the early 70's when there was 3 channels and couldn't talk very far.  In later years I became a amateur.  We amateurs had packet long before the Internet.  I've enjoyed my radios but now it seem that people have left and have cell phones, windows live messenger and internet "Echolink" that amateurs can talk any where in the World with no problems.  We don't need the two way radios anymore so there isn't as many radio operators.  I said we don't need the radios but then again amateur ham operators assisted in the Catalina Island Rescue as they do in most disasters or where ever they're needed.  The older hams as we call them, could build a radio out of just about anything in a junk pile so if they needed help they would build a radio to call SOS.  I got rid of my radios around 2002 and as many others I turned to cell phones and the Echolink. 

I would love to hear from a few radio operators CB or Ham and see what they think about two way radio today.