A 1970s Charlie Chan CB radio QSL postcard, Alliance Ohio

Social Media isn’t very old. But even before Friendster, MySpace, Facebook, Youtube, Twitter (X), Instagram, Snapchat, and all the others, a 1970s social media craze came in the form of CB (Citizen Band) radio. And a new fad developed: sending QSL postcards to acknowledge radio contact with someone. These postcards were sent “snail mail” via the United States Postal Service (one of the original social media!)

“What exactly is this thingamabob?” That’s the question I asked myself, while hunting around the web for Charlie Chan paraphernalia and came across the picture below. The title listing on Ebay read: CB radio QSL postcard Charlie Chan Charles Schreckengost 1970s Alliance Ohio, Cost: $9.92

Not having ever been a CB radio enthusiast (I was more a walkie talkie guy,) it made me wonder? What is a CB radio QSL postcard? Why is Charlie Chan on it? Who was Charles Shreckengost from Alliance, Ohio, and what was his connection to Detective Charlie Chan?

My first search on the name and address on the post card met with negative results. However, there was a Charles Shrenkengost listed in Alliance, Ohio, but on Devine St. (different street, same city)…EUREKA! However, according to the internet Charles would be 109 years old! Next I found a phone number listing for the Devine Street address (a land line) and I called it! After calling a few times I finally got someone, “Nope, there’s nobody named Shreckengost or Charlie, here.” I explained my inquiry and mission, but before I finished, “Nope. Good luck. Good bye–CLICK, Bzzzzzzzz…”

So, back to the QSL cards. These cards date back to the 1920s when AM radio broadcasts were still a novelty. Radio stations wanting to know how far away they were being received encouraged folks to mail them in. From there they developed into written confirmations between amateur radio operators, a fun way of confirming the two-way radio contact. A “Q Code” (a standardized language of three-letter codes) is used in radio operations, and the code QSL literally means “I acknowledge this transmission.” After a person makes radio contact with someone they send a personally designed postcard, which may contain their handle, call letters, location, and other pertinent information, a souvenir as well as acknowledgement of the contact.

Now back to that specific card I found. Well, being a daredevil or sorts I risked the $9.92 and ordered the QSL postcard. However, a notice came back that the item was no longer available. So I contacted the seller, mmmcross in Canada, told him all about me and my Detective Chan website. And asked him about the QSL postcard. Here is his response:

Hi Lou thanks for the message! That’s so cool about your blog, I’d love to help! I saw your location and figured you might have an Ohio connection to the original operator, but the actual reason was much more interesting! I would be happy to help explain the cards further and provide more context.

Because I’m a collector as well as a seller, most of my listings are duplicates from my collection. I checked my files and I see I have this Ohio operator’s card in different colors. Sometimes I keep color variants if interesting, but now that I know more about your project, I would be happy to send you this version of the card and keep the other for my collection. I checked and it appears the buyer of my original listing in 2016 was also a collector of Charlie Chan themed items based on their contact information, maybe you know them? Based in New Hampshire?

I checked my records and may have even more material to show you! I had previously listed another card with a Charlie Chan cartoon, and for some reason the listing was not currently online but I have no record of having sold it so I should still have it. I will check my files when I’m able to and confirm but for now I’ll attach the image for you here!

I checked my records for uses of the name Charlie Chan as a CB radio “handle” (nickname) and I found about 7 other instances where it was used. It might take me some time to track all of them down in my files but I’ll try to do that and see if they’re interesting for your purposes.

I must admit, despite taking an interest in the cultural themes and references in my collection, I had never looked up Charlie Chan until today and didn’t realize the character was Hawaiian! I’ll be curious to learn more!

Well, as it turns out I never did heard back from the seller. I’ve tried a few time sending follow-up messages through Ebay, but no reply. Still, the information he provided above was somewhat satisfying.

One can only imagine that Charles Shreckengost was a big Charlie Chan fan to place the detective on his QSL card. He may even have first viewed the Chan films at a movie theater! I wonder if he had other Chan collectables and memorabilia? Maybe some of the lost treasures, like a Celluloid Parrot, part of the Bobbs-Merrill promotional campaign for The Chinese Parrot (1926). Or, Gott sei dank, one of the four lost Chan films!

Don’t worry. I’m still trying to find Charlie (Shreckengost, not Chan) although he may be a centenarian-plus now, or no longer among us. Perhaps a relative though, who might have known of his affection for all things Charlie Chan? As Charlie often said in the novels, “Slowly we proceed, we advance.”

“He who rides on tiger can not dismount”

The Chinese Parrot, 1926, Chapter 9

Postscript. Some other interesting QSL cards I found along the way: