I got into it about 1970 when my Uncle did. He lived a couple of hundred yards away, I was the same age as his son. I'd screw around w/ his base station and the rig we had in our truck. When he got the DX-60, I got the back-up base station, a mid -60's Regency with a ginormous tuning knob. (Fansome would faint at the sight of that baby!)
It was essentially all handles then. The only time I heard them used was when the FCC was in town. Then the speed limit thing made the CB regs go "Kaboom!" in under a year. Once you open Pandora's box she gives it away to everyone.