My Radio Lab

  • Home
  • CB Radios
    • AnyTone Smart CB Radio Review
    • Best Stryker CB Radios -Pro and Amateur CB Users should Read
    • Cobra 29 LTD CB Radio Review
    • Cobra 29 LX CB Radio Review
    • Galaxy DX-959 CB Radio Review
    • Midland 1001LWX CB Radio Review
    • Cobra 75 WXST CB Radio Review
    • Midland 75 822 CB Radio Review
    • Midland 75-785 CB Radio Review
    • President McKinley CB Radio Review
    • Uniden Bearcat 980 SSB Review
    • Uniden PRO401HH Handheld CB Radio Review
    • Uniden UM380 Marine CB Radio Review
    • Uniden PRO505XL CB Radio Review
  • CB Accessories
    • Best CB Amplifier Reviews
    • Best CB Coax Cable Review – Connect to CB World!
    • Best CB Mic On The Market – Microphone Reviews & Buying Guide
    • Best CB Radio Antenna Reviews in 2022 (Updated)
    • Best CB External Speaker Reviews
  • CB Radio Blog
    • CB Radio Ultimate Buying Guide
    • CB Radio Code – List of CB slang & Complete List of CB 10 codes
    • CB Radio Frequency Chart, Range & Freebanding
    • Best free CB radio apps for Android
    • Difference Between a CB Radio and a Walkie-Talkie
    • All Details About CB Microphone Wiring
    • How to Build a CB Base Antenna
    • How to Hook Up a CB Linear Amp
    • How to Install & Tune a CB Radio like a pro
    • How to Operate a CB Radio – Contact Your Friends with CB Radio
    • How to Use a Car Antenna for a CB Radio
    • How to Use a Mobile CB in Your Home
    • What is Radio Communication? All about Radio.
  • Contact
You are here: Home / Resource / What is the Range of a CB Radio System?

What is the Range of a CB Radio System?

February 17, 2019 By Joe Talbert Leave a Comment

Nowadays, It is one of the burning question that people new to CB radio operations frequently ask, What is the range of a CB radio? OR another What can I expect for CB radio distance? Those are very good questions, but hard to answer. It is something like asking how long it takes to get from one side of Atlanta or any other large city to the another side. It depends on the time and situation.

What is the Range of a CB Radio System

It is difficult to say what the range of a CB Radio is just because there are many factor that effects CB radios’ range. One of the most important factor is your antenna. Some people say that you should be able to get one-two miles per foot of length on your CB radio Antenna if all other factors are configured perfectly.

The main variables that affects range are as follows:

  • CB Radio Power Output
  • Location and Environment
  • Radio variables
  • Portable/Handheld Radio vs. Mobile
  • CB Antenna Type, Length, Height and placement
  • Installation Quality
  • Base Station vs. Mobile
  • Increasing Range

CB Radio Power Output

The FCC allows a maximum of 4 watts of output power for CB radios to bypass signal interference with different devices, such as TV and emergency communication radios. That varies because a manufacturer can be punished for putting out a radio with excess power, so they provide output values between 3 and 4 Watts, and in rare cases, only 2 Watts.
Tuning your radio will support it put out the highest power.

Location and Environment

The range is determined mostly by where you are. If you’re at the highest Mt. Mitchell overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway in western North Carolina for example, you’ll achieve significantly longer transmit ranges and experience ranges than usual. On the other hand, if you’re winding through a heavily wooded valley lined with rock walls, your range may be just as far as you can see the vehicle ahead of you on the twisty road.

Those are true in the city also. If tall buildings surround you, you’re essentially in an urban canyon that reflects signals rather than passes them on. If, on the other hand, you’re in a desert area near Las Vegas or prairie in Kansas where there are flat, wide-open spaces, you’ll get the best range.

So, The principle here is clear: CB radio waves cannot transfer through solid objects.

Radio Variables

The design of the CB radio, including the sensitivity of the receiver and the operation of the squelch, has an effect on radio range. Try to get a radio with a manual squelch, if possible. With a squelch, you can modify the sensitivity of your CB radio to adjust for varying signal strengths. You can get signals from farther away using a lower squelch level. The downside is that you’ll get extra background noise. On the other hand, higher squelch levels allow you to reduce the background noise, but you won’t receive lower transmissions. If you have a manual squelch, you’ll be able to tweak it to your liking.

Portable CB Radio Range

If you’re managing a portable CB radio while walking around in the shopping mall, your range may be as little as 100 yards only. If you use portable units for communication between two vehicles, you can expect about a one-mile range. There is a glimmer of hope for increased range if you change the antenna. You may be stuck with the standard short, inefficient antenna that came with the unit. However, sometimes you can substitute a longer antenna that might provide a little more range, especially if you can get height working in your favor. Sometimes if you move a few inches, you can get a clearer signal.

CB Antenna Type, Length, Height, and Placement

The taller your antenna is, and the higher up it is mounted, the greater its range will be. This is because a taller antenna has a lower angle of radiation, meaning the CB signal travels close to the ground for a longer distance.

There is general agreement that the most important thing that you can do to improve your effective range for both transmitting and receiving signals is to choose the best antenna, to properly tune it, to install it in the best position on your vehicle, and to provide the best possible ground plane and ground.

Long Range CB Antenna Types

Here are some range approximations for different types and lengths of antennas- please note that this is assuming that you have properly installed your system, tuned your antenna, have your SWR within an acceptable range and that you are on flat ground:

Single Fiberglass Antennas:

2′ Length: 2 – 3 miles
3′ Length: 3 – 4 miles
4′ Length: 4 – 6 miles
5′ Length: 5 – 7 miles

Dual Fiberglass Antennas:

2′ Length: 2 – 4 miles
3′ Length: 4 – 6 miles
4′ Length: 5 – 7 miles
5′ Length: 6 – 9 miles

Single Center-Load Antennas:

7 – 10 miles

Dual Center-Load Antennas:

10 – 12 miles

IC56 102″ Stainless Steel Whip:

Approximately 7 – 10 miles

Magnetic Antennas (mounted in the center of your roof):

3′ Length: 2 – 4 miles
4′ Length: 3 – 5 miles
5′ Length: 5 – 7 miles

Base Station Antennas (range can vary hugely on surroundings/environment):

Approximately 15 – 50 miles

No Ground Plane Antennas (generally 70% of the range you can get from a standard CB antenna):

2′ Length: 1 – 2 miles
3′ Length: 2 – 3 miles
4′ Length: 3 – 5 miles

Installation Quality

Even if you have all of the best CB components for your system, the quality of the installation can play a huge role in the overall performance of your system. Here are some crucial items to consider:

Properly ground your antenna mount- your antenna mount should be grounded to your vehicle chassis. An improper ground can lead to not being able to properly tune your antenna and/or extremely high SWR readings.

Ideally, at least 2/3 of your antenna will stick up above the best part of your vehicle. At a minimum, you should try to have the top of your antenna at least one foot higher than the top of your vehicle.

Base Station Antennas

Base stations have an inherent benefit because various types of antennas can be used with the system, and they can be mounted higher and in stable locations. That, however, makes it difficult to estimate the range of a base station, which can vary from 10 to about 50 miles.

How can I increase CB range legally?

Although the FCC limits CB radios to a standard 4 Watts of power, there is an exception. If you want the best range, you may want a radio with single sideband (SSB) capability. SSB radios, such as the Cobra 148 GTL transmit at approximately 12 Watts, or three times the normal power. The potential drawback is that the receiver must also have an SSB radio.

Filed Under: Resource

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Post You May Like!

  • list of cb radio codes and cb slangs

    CB Radio Code – List of CB slang & Complete List of CB 10 codes

    CB Radios have a long history. Earlier in the last century before the time of email, and mobile phones, the… Read more…

Don’t Miss Those!

  • Top Popular 50 CB Slang

    CB 50 Slang

  • Stryker CB Radio Mods

    Stryker CB Radio Mods

  • What is Antenna Ground Plane?

    what is ground plane

  • How to Ground a CB Antenna

    How to Ground a CB Antenna

  • How to Listen to a CB Radio on the Internet

    How to Listen to a CB Radio on the Internet

  • What is SWR and How to use SWR Meter?

  • What is RF Gain and What Does RF Gain Do on a CB Radio?

    What is RF Gain and What Does RF Gain Do on a CB Radio?

  • How to Hook Up a CB Linear Amp

    how to hook up a cb linear amplifier

  • Best free CB radio apps for Android- that’s you are looking for!

    best cb radio apps for android

  • CB Radio Ultimate Buying Guide

    CB Radios buying guide to choose the best

  • All Details About CB Microphone Wiring

    galaxy mic wiring Diagram

  • What is Radio Communication? All about Radio.

    Radio Communication Details

  • How to Operate a CB Radio – Contact Your Friends with CB Radio

    operate cb radio for first time

  • How to Build a CB Base Antenna

    how to build cb antenna at home

  • How to Install & Tune a CB Radio like a pro

    How to install a CB radio & how to tune cb

  • How to Use a Car Antenna for a CB Radio

    Use a Car Antenna for a CB Radio

  • CB Radio Frequency Chart, Range & Freebanding

    CB Radio Frequency Chart and channels

  • How to Use a Mobile CB in Your Home

    how to use mobile cb radio in home

  • Difference Between a CB Radio and a Walkie-Talkie

    What Is the Difference Between a CB a Walkie Talkie

  • CB Radio Code – List of CB slang & Complete List of CB 10 codes

    list of cb radio codes and cb slangs

My Radio Lab is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Content on this site may contain affiliate links. These links take you to third-party sites, such as Amazon.com. If you make a purchase, My radio lab may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. We thank you for your support!




About Us  |  Affiliate Disclosure  |  Privacy Policy  |  Contact Us
copyright© 2023  -  My Radio Lab  -  All rights reserved