Aerials (Antennas) for CB Band Radio.

Aerials (Antennas)

Of all the equipment you buy the aerial you choose will have the most impact on how well your CB station performs.

If you are on a tight budget opt for a cheaper radio and put the money saved towards the aerial. Also when it comes to aerials, as our American cousins would say "the bigger the better." The wavelength transmitted by CB is big at over 11m. Ideally you want an aerial that is the same size as the radio wave however with CB that is generally not workable.

The nice thing about radio though is that you can use aerials that are fractions of the wavelength and in this case the most common way to go is with a 1/2 wave Silver Rod aerial, i.e. it is half the size of the actual wavelength. Silver Rods are excellent in use and also have the benefit of being cost effective at around £25. The 5/8 wave Silver Rod is a good upgrade but the extra length is worth bearing in mind especially in windy areas. Off course you also don't want to upset the neighbors too much!

The current favorite among many CB users is the Sirio 827, which has outstanding performance and a price to match at around £80. If you are in a windy place the Solarcon A99 fiberglass aerial is an excellent choice. Just don't be taken in by the hype. Performance is similar to a 1/2 wave Silver Rod. The higher you can mount the aerial the better. I have my Silver Rod on a 20ft aluminium scaffold pole.

All of these aerials come in sections which you slide/screw together. Whichever option you go with you need to tune the aerial to the CB with a SWR meter, (although the A99 is usually pretuned). Some listed below.