Choosing the Right CB Radio

Just like anything else, a lot of thought goes into purchasing a CB radio, whether it’s your fist one, or fourth one. Size, price, features, portability, etc.; think about everything that has to do with CB radios. There are a ton of brands to choose from too. Some brands are Cobra, Midland, Uniden, RadioShack, Galaxy, and Texas Ranger just to name a few. CBs come in different forms too, and they are mobile, handheld, and base. Here are some tips and examples of CB radios.

Mobile CB Radios

These are the classic. They are installed into cars with wires and all that good stuff. They have the CB radio itself in a rectangular box with all of the controls on the front, and a separate microphone on a cable with a push-to-talk (PTT) button. The controls on the front always have volume, squelch, channel control, current channel, and backlight. This goes for all of the basic, no frills CB radios that cost anywhere from $40 - $80 usually. More expensive models have more features and fancy knobs that are not always necessary. Some of the additional knobs and buttons include scan, instant channel 9/19, reverb, built-in SWR meter, weather channels, gain control, warning lights, and options for a public address (PA) mode.

Some popular Mobile CB Radios are:

Midland 1001Z Compact 40 Channel CB Radio - $27.99 at RadioShack!

Uniden Pro Series (PRO-538W) 40-Channel CB Radio - $69.95 at Walcott CB!

Uniden Bearcat Pro Series CB Radio PC78XL - $114.99 at RadioShack

Cobra 40-Ch. NightWatch CB Radio w/ SoundTracker - $139.95 at Walcott CB

Cobra 148 GTL CB Radio - $154.99 at RadioShack

Handheld CB Radios

Handheld CB radios are great for taking places. You can take them camping, in your car, in other peoples cars, in your house, and all kinds of other places and still enjoy CB radio fun. They come with all 40 CB radio channels, a built-in speaker and microphone, a screen telling you which channel you are on, a rubber antenna, and many more features. If it is not possible for you to fit a mobile CB in your car, this is a great alternative. Simply buy an adapter and a new antenna to put on top of your car and you are good to go! Also, you can buy longer antennas that attach directly onto your handheld CB. Handheld CBs cost about $80-$100, which I find a great deal on some, considering the features you get and you don’t have to buy an antenna if you don’t want to. Handheld CB radios generally have the same features as mobile CB radios.

Some Popular Handheld CB Radios:

RadioShack Weather Alert CB Radio (TRC-241) - $99.99 RadioShack

Cobra HH38WXST Handheld CB Radio - $79.95 at Walcott CB

Cobra HHROADTRIP Handheld CB Radio and Magnet Antenna - $89.95 at Walcott CB

Thanks and happy CB-ing! :)

Parker