A lot of people enjoy having a CB radio to use in their homes or vehicles. Some prefer to use them as a hobby while other people can come to depend on them. Over the road drivers, of course, have always made use of the CB radio, but they also come in very handy for anyone who travels a great deal of the time.
Whether you are in sales or some other profession that takes you around the country, a CB radio can allow you to find out road conditions and other information well in advance.
Having a CB radio demands that you also have a good CB base antenna to pair up with it. A CB is really of no use to you without a good antenna unless the person you are talking to is incredibly close.
Antennas range in size, power handling, mounting ability and other things that may or may not be important to you. Some of them have more capabilities than others and which one will suit you best depends on what you plan to do with your cb radio.
What is the Best CB Antenna?
Taking all of that into consideration, we have put together this list of the top five best CB radio antennas for you to look over, with the hopes that our reviews will help you decide which is the best fit for your own personal needs.
Aries 10822 Single 500 Watt CB Radio Antenna Kit with Mirror Mount Review
First, we have the Aries 10822 Single 500 Watt CB Radio Antenna Kit with Mirror Mount. This antenna is a 4-foot fiberglass whip that features a heavy-duty double groove aluminum mirror mount and a heavy duty antenna stud with 3/4X 24 threads. You also get six feet of high quality coaxial cable with molded PL-259’s.
Featuring a trim to tune style of tuning, many people do not have to tune it at all, right out of the box. However, should you find yourself having to tune it, it is easy to do. This antenna comes with sturdy mounting hardware that gives you a good deal of peace of mind about its placement and the cable can then be easily fit into place between the antenna and the cb radio itself, for optimum reception and broadcasting abilities.
The Aries is very durable under the duress of storms, hail, wind and long driving hours with no aversion in reception or broadcasting.
Cobra HG A Base-Load Small Mount 100W CB Antenna Review
Next, we have the Cobra HG A Base-Load Small Mount 100W CB Antenna. At 21 inches, this base load, small mount cb antenna has a power handling capability of 100 watts and a frequency range of 26 MHz to 30 MHz for a communications range of 1-3 miles.
The magnetic mount attaches with ease to the roof of your vehicle or your trunk lid, making this an excellent car roof aerial antenna. The magnet it designed not to harm the finish of you car or to slide around while you are driving.
In addition to picking up reception from other cb radio broadcasters, this antenna is also capable of drawing in weather channels as well.
This magnetic CB antenna includes an SO 239 connector matched braided 25 foot coaxial cable and a scratch resistant base pad, with all black stainless steel whip and hardware. Made of durable materials and flexible antenna, it is easily tuned strait out of the box and has a clear modulation with crisp receiving. While not nearly as big or as strong as antennas used on some big rigs, for the affordable price, this antenna does a good job for regular vehicles.
Tram 703-HC Center Load CB Antenna Kit Review
Our next item is the Tram 703-HC Center Load CB Antenna Kit. This magnetic mount antenna covers all CB frequencies and includes a 3.5-inch magnetic mount, shock spring, stainless steel whip and 17 feet of RG58 coaxial cable with PL-259. Standing two feet tall from base to tip, this antenna should easily cover all your needs.
If you use an SWR meter, tuning this antenna will be a breeze, thanks to the adjustable set screw on top of the antenna, however it comes tuned right out of the box, which is usually sufficient for most cb radios. Based on your location, you may also be able to bring in NOAA FM weather broadcasting channels as well, allowing this unit to double as a sort of a scanner, at least for weather situations and other important alerts.
Do not let the affordability of this antenna worry you, as you are more than able to communicate with ranges up to four or five miles. The magnetic base will hold the antenna in place well, standing up to some of the harshest of situations. Terrain is not usually a problem, as even canyons and hills do not cut the range by much.
K40 K-30 35-Foot 300 Watt Stainless Steel Magnetic Mount CB Antenna Review
Next on our list is the K40 K-30 35-Foot 300 Watt Stainless Steel Magnetic Mount CB Antenna. This antenna features 15 feet of prewired RG-58AU 95% shielded coaxial cable, which is stranded to prevent breakage and includes a PL259 connector.
The K40 is 35 inches long with a 17-7 stainless steel whip antenna. A radius 180-degree tip eliminates the need for a ball and comes with a heavy-duty four-inch magnet that weighs approximately ten ounces.
With the magnetic mount capability, there is no need for drilling a hole for mounting purposes or for running the cable. At about ¼ inches in diameter, the coaxial cable will easily feed through along the weather stripping of a window or hatch without any damage to the wire itself.
Cobra CBRHGA 36-inch Base Load Medium Magnetic Mount CB Antenna Review
Our final item to make the list is the Cobra CBRHGA 36-inch Base Load Medium Magnetic Mount CB Antenna.The Cobra offers a 300-watt power handling capability with a 26 to 30 MHz frequency range. The whip is made of black stainless steel, as is the hardware and it comes with an SO 239 connector.
This magnetic CB base station antenna allows you to easily attach it to the roof of your vehicle while the rubber on the bottom of the mount guards against scratches to your vehicles paint. This antenna features weather channel capability; however, the channels you are able to receive will be dependant upon your location and the terrain in your area.
The attached coaxial cable is ten feet in length and can easily be run to your cb in most midsized vehicles. Communication range with this antenna is about 2 miles in heavy traffic, but that depends a bit on the type of equipment other cb owners are using. The durable manufacturing of this antenna will stand up to the elements with ease including heavy rain, hail, ice and snow as well as interstate driving speeds.
Another good feature of any magnetic mount cb antenna is the fact that it can be removed and stored if necessary, such as when you are going to be somewhere where you will have low clearance. This is a great way to avoid the possibility of damage if you do not know exactly what amount of clearance you actually have.
My Vote for Best CB Base Station Antenna
Of these top five cb radio antennas that we have reviewed here, my personal favorite is going to be the Aries 10822 Single 500 watt cb radio antenna.
This high power CB antenna is rated for the highest wattage, which will give you the furthest communication ability, which is a plus when you are on the road. This antenna is also directly mounted to the roof of your vehicle and will be much sturdier than the magnetic types. While those with a magnet mount do have their good points, there is always the chance they may come off, or be taken off, so the direct mount option is even a deterrence to theft.