The CB Radios Channel

We want your CB radio reviews and are willing to give you up to a $20 gift certificate for them!  We’ve recently incorporated customer product reviews into the Right Channel CB Radios site and are soliciting candid reviews from individuals who have experience with the CB radios and antennas we sell.  It’s really simple:  For a limited time provide us with honest reviews of the products we sell and we’ll email you a FREE gift certificate for our online store!  You don’t even have to have been a customer;  you just need to have experience with the product in question.

For more information, please see the complete details of our CB radio reviews program.

If you haven’t heard of tuning your CB antenna, you’re not alone.  Most people new to CB radios have never heard of it, let along could describe what it entails.

To tune an antenna is to adjust it so that is works most efficiently given its surroundings.  In terms of a vehicle installation, tuning a CB antenna means adjusting it to the correct height so that it will work most efficiently given your specific vehicle and where you’ve chosen to install it.  As antennas uses the ground plane of the vehicle to transmit a signal, each antenna needs to be adjusted to match the specific vehicle its been installed on.

To tune an antenna, you’ll need a SWR meter.  SWR stands for standing wave ratio, which refers to how efficiently the antenna is transmitting the energy sent from the radio into the air.  The lower the ratio, the more efficient the antenna, and the better tuned it is.  A SWR ratio of 2.0 or lower is acceptable for operations while a ratio of 3.0 indicates serious problems that need addressing.  Tuning a CB antenna is synonymous with getting the antenna’s SWR ratio as low as possible.

While the tuning process isn’t too complicated, I’m not going to hash out all the details in this post.  For complete details, please refer to the appropriate articles on CB antenna tuning in the Right Channel Radios Resource Library.  In it’s abbreviated form, the tuning process consists of using a SWR meter to determine the appropriate length of the antenna.  Depending on the readings provided by the meter, the antenna will need to be lengthened or shortened.  For CB antennas with “tunable tips”, this lengthening and shortening is a fairly simple process.  A tunable tip is simply a small screw in the tip of the antenna.  The antenna can be adjusted, or tuned, by screwing the screw in or out, making the antenna incrementally longer or shorter.  For antennas without a tunable tip screw, the antenna can be shortened by cutting of bits off the tip.  For obvious reasons, a tunable tip is a much simpler and more desirable option.

Is it important to tune your antenna?  This is a questions we are frequently asked.  There are many people who when we strongly recommend antenna tuning tell us that they’ve used CB antennas before without tuning them and they worked just fine, thank-you-very-much.  While it’s possible, and even common, to use a CB antenna without tuning it, we don’t recommend it for two main reasons:

Potential Radio Death - Use a CB without properly tuning your antenna and you run the risk of frying your radio.  An non-tuned antenna isn’t able to efficiently transform (or transmit) the power sent to it into radio frequencies.  This non-transmitted power is reflected back down the coax line toward at the radio.  If too much non-transmitted power is reflected back at the radio, it can cause excess heat and damage critical radio components.  As mentioned before, you want your SWR levels to be below 2.0 to ensure this isn’t a problem.  SWR levels of 3.0+ indicate a serious problem and a much higher chance for radio damage.

Poor Performance - As all stock CB radios only run at 4 watts or transmission power, the antenna is usually the largest determinant of system performance.  As such, the degree to which the antenna is tuned will have a dramatic impact on a CB system’s performance and range.  CB antennas that aren’t tuned won’t transmit efficiently and will exhibit extremely poor range.  If your friend 200 feet up the road can’t hear you, don’t curse your radio!  Buy a SWR meter and properly tune your antenna.

Tuning you antenna is, bar none, the most important step you can take to make sure your CB system is performing at its best.  Hopefully this post shed a little light on this often confusing issue and made a strong case for why you should always tune your antenna.

Many RV and motorhome owners make use of CB radios for road reports, weather information and to chat with other drivers on the road.  Due to their unique construction and fiberglass siding, most RVs don’t have  sufficient ground planet from the chassis to use a standard grounded antenna.  An alternative must be utilized……

There are a few options to solve this no-ground problem.  The first, and most common, is to make use of a no-ground plane (NGP) CB antenna.  As the name implies, NGP antennas don’t need a standard metallic ground plane in order to function well.  While they aren’t nearly as effective as an equivalent grounded antenna, they are the best option when no solid ground plane is available.   No ground plane antennas and coax are built differently than standard CB equipment and generate the necessary signal counterpoise needed to operate properly.  Due to their unique construction, traditional and NGP equipment aren’t interchangeable.  If using a NGP antenna, you’ll need special NGP coax to go with it.

The other option for RV owners is to use co-phased dual antennas.  Using dual antennas is another way to get around the no-ground problem as the co-phased installation creates the necessary counterpoise required for transmission. Dual antennas also increases signal strength in a direction perpendicular to the alignment of the antennas.  In the case of a vehicle installation, this translates into a stronger signal both up and down the direction of travel.

For best performance it’s important have at least 2/3 of the antenna about the roofline of the vehicle.  RVs are large vehicles and they can significantly block RF signals if the antenna is hidden on one side of the chassis.  Also, NGP antennas need to be tuned just like grounded antennas.  Make sure you use a SWR meter to properly tune the antenna for your specific vehicle.

For more information as well as a number of realated products, please check out the selection of NGP CB Antenna kits as well as  RV CB radio and antenna kits at Right Channel Radios.

Professional truck drivers are the group that likely makes the most consistent use of CB radios.  A necessary piece of equipment for every driver, the CB acts as a source of highway communication as well as provides crucial weather and road updates.

Large trucks tend to use center and top loaded CB antennas almost exclusively.  Top loaded fiberglass antennas are the simpler and cheaper antenna.  However, they aren’t well suited for high-wattage applications.  In these instances, a center loaded antenna would be a better choice.   Performance will vary based on a number of factors, but in most instances a quality center-loaded antenna, such as the Wilson 2000 CB antenna, will outperform similar fiberglass antennas.

Nearly all truck antennas are mounted on the rear-view mirrors in a co-phased (i.e. dual antenna) installation.  It’s best if the antenna coil is above the roof of the cab, but this is not always possible.  Co-phased antennas improve the antennas performance, generally in a direction parallel to the road.  For best performance, it’s important to have the antennas separated by at least 8-9 feet, which shouldn’t be an issue for most large trucks.  The antennas should be mounted as high and as far out on the mirror arms as possible to maximize their distance from each other, as well as their vertical height.

Many trucks come with pre-wired CB cabling already installed in the vehicle.  While extremely convenient, the cable used is often of poor quality and contains little RF shielding.  If you’re experiencing significant interference or electrical noise using factory installed CB coax, you should strongly consider replacing the stock coax cable with high quality shielded CB coax for Belden, Firestik or another reputable brand.

We’ve assembled a number of CB antenna and radio kits to meet the needs of professional drivers.  All kits include quality CB components to ensure years or strong performance and care free maintenance.   If you’re in need of a new CB radio or antenna for your truck, make sure to check out our custom CB Radio Semi Truck Packages.

Pickup trucks are one of the most common vehicles that utilize CB radios and cause the majority of mounting questions.  There are a number of things to understand and consider when mounting a CB antenna for your truck:

Mounting Location

Like most vehicles, the best place to mount the antenna is on the top of the truck’s roof.  This minimizes interference from the vehicle’s chassis and allows the antenna to be a high as possible for peak performance.  If the roof isn’t a viable option, the second best place is, surprisingly, the driver’s side rear stakehole.  This allows for the second best obstruction-free mounting location.  A number of mounts and kits make this an easy and hole-free location to mount an antenna.

The worst possible places to mount the antenna are in the bed of the truck and directly behind the cab.  Both these locations cause significant signal interference and will result in an antenna that is extremely difficult to tune (i.e. achieve acceptable SWR levels).  For a complete chart on the best and worst antenna mounting locations on a pickup truck, please refer to this great Pickup Truck Antenna Guide from Wilson.

Dual Antennas

While many people love the look of dual antennas, they aren’t very effective when used on the narrow bodies of most standard pickup trucks. To be effective in increasing performance, dual antennas need to be spaced at least 8-9 feet apart from each other. If the antennas are within 4-5 feet, they can actually work against each other and decrease system performance.  While dual antennas may look great, you’ll need to have them far enough apart to make any noticeable difference.

Grounding

If you mount your antenna along the back half of the truck, make sure that the bed portion is well grounded. A continuous ground to the battery can be interrupted by rubber washers or other non-conducting materials that are used to connect bed to the cab. If you don’t have a good ground, make sure to run a few ground straps from the bed to the cab in order to achieve a solid ground and a well performing antenna.

Type of Antennas

Base loaded and top loaded antennas are the most common types of antennas used with pickup trucks. Top loaded fiberglass antennas are relatively inexpensive, versatile and perform well with pickup trucks. Base loaded antennas are relatively simple to install on pickup trucks, but are primarily limited to the roof due to their coil location. There are a number of available Firestik CB antennas and Wilson CB antennas that are well suited for pickup trucks.

In our next post, we’ll discuss some things to keep in mind when choosing and mounting CB antennas for  semi-trucks and 18-wheelers.

We often have customer ask us what type of CB antenna they should buy.  While our answer will ultimately be determined by a number of factors, the type of vehicle they own plays a large role in determining which antenna will work best.  This post will be the first one in a series dedicated to discussing popular CB antennas for specific vehicle types.  If you haven’t already, make sure to read the Right Channel Radios guide to Choosing the Best CB Antenna which discusses basic antenna types and mounting considerations.

Antennas on passanger vehicles are usually mounted to the roof or to the trunk or trunk lip.  These mounting options usually require no permant holes.  While hood channel mounts can be used, they are often designed for larger vehicles and may look unnatural or unwieldly on a passenger vehicle.

Base loaded magnet antennas are commonly used with cars as they provide a easy and convenient all-in-one solution.  Many base loaded antennas include the antenna whip, mounting hardware and coax cable in a single antenna package.  Another option, though less popular, is using top loaded fiberglass antennas with hood, trunk or bumper mounts.

One of the most popular antennas for cars is the Wilson Little Wil.  This 36″ steel whip magnet mount model offers users an affordable and well performing antenna that’s easy to install.   The Wilson 1000 line of antennas offers magnet, roof and trunk options and a large 62″ whip in a convenient all-in-one package.  If you’d prefer a K40 antenna, there are a few popular models to choose from.  The 35″ K30 Magnet Mount  and the 58″ K40 Trunk Lip models are both high-quality antennas that are popular with passanger vehicles.

In the next post, we’ll discuss some of the more popular CB antennas and mounting options for pick-up trucks.

CB radios are often written off as antiquated pieces of equipment only used today by professional truck drivers.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  CB radios remain the primary communication method used by a number of groups due to their cost effectiveness, easy of use and license-free operations.  One of the many groups to still consistently utilize CB radios is Jeep and Offroad vehicle owners.

CB radios are widely utilized today in the Jeep and 4×4 communities by drivers needing a way to easily communicate when traveling together over difficult terrain.  We often receive questions from Jeep owners asking what equipment would be best suited for their offroad needs.  Due to the large number of inquiries, we assembled a number of custom CB radio kits built especially for Jeeps and Offroad vehicles.  These kits were assembled specifically for 4×4 needs and include components that are built to perform well in demanding and rough conditions.  We wanted to make installing a CB radio as easy as possible for those new to CBs, so each kit includes everything needed for a complete installation.

If you’re in the market for a CB for your Jeep or 4×4 vehicle, take a look at the Right Channel Radios Jeep CB Radio Packages.  These complete packages are designed with your needs in mind and are priced extremely competitively.  For specific kit pictures and reviews, check out the Uniden Jeep CB Radio kit as well as the Cobra Jeep CB Radio kit reviews performed by Stu Olson of Stu Olson’s Jeep Site.

Cobra recently released a new Bluetooth enabled model of their highly successful line of Cobra 29 CB radios.  Designed with the professional driver in mind, The Cobra 29 Bluetooth model’s biggest selling point is the ability to make and receive cell phone calls through the CB radio.  When used with a Bluetooth compatible phone, incoming calls can be re-routed through the CB radio by simply clicking a button on the microphone.  Once connected, the entire phone conversation can be conducted through the radio with the CB microphone used to talk and the incoming voice being broadcasted through the radio’s speaker, making it easier for the driver to focus on the road.  Apart from its Bluetooth capabilities, the new Cobra CB model also includes a number of other popular features including talkback, RF Gain, PA functionality and a noise canceling microphone.

The radio, which retails for $189.99, is priced at a $70 premium to the base Cobra 29 LTD which is a nearly identical radio without the Bluetooth functionality.  If you spend a lot of time on the phone while driving, this Bluetooth model from Cobra may be extremely attractive.  However, if you’re not much of a talker, you would probably fare better saving the approximate $70 and going with the base model, or spending the difference to upgrade to the Nightwatch or Weather Cobra 29 models.

Welcome to The CB Radios Channel!  This is the official blog for Right Channel Radios, a CB Radio and CB Antenna shop that carries a wide selection of CB related equipment

“Why”, you may be asking yourself, “is a CB radio shop starting a Blog?  Aren’t these guys busy enough hawking their CB wares?  I thought blogs were only for under appreciated teenagers crying out for attention…..”

It turns out that a blog is a pretty effective way for us to keep our customers informed, quickly publish CB related educational articles and help others stay on top of industry developments and new products.  We’ll be using this blog as a tool to educate, inform and (hopefully) amuse;  we hope you’ll find it interesting and useful.

We’ll begin posting CB articles, tips and industry news on a regular basis.  If you’re interested in following along, please subscribe to our blog using RSS via the link on this page.

Until next time……..