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CB Radio/Antenna Suggestions

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kream

Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2014
Messages
3
Hello - I want to buy my brother an indoor CB radio for his birthday. I need to find a CB and the antenna must be an indoor type (he lives in an apartment). Some of the indoor antennas that I've seen online only receive from 1 - 2 miles. 30 or more miles would be best. Can you offer suggestions on what to purchase?

- CB
- Indoor antenna
- Accessories that may be needed

I want to make sure I get everything that he'll need to set it up right away (he has past experience with this).

Any good suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks!
 

n9mxq

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Dec 15, 2005
Messages
1,847
Location
Belvidere IL
As one who has run indoor CB antennas before I hate to say it, but don't waste his time. I ran one for about 3 days before I gave up completely and put something outside.
 

PrimeNumber

Member
Joined
Dec 15, 2011
Messages
280
Location
MS Gulf Coast
Is a balcony antenna a possibility here? A quarter-wave whip attached to a railing might do fairly well. Even a shorter coil loaded antenna on a balcony rail would do better than an indoor antenna.

Are there nearby trees? A wire dipole or a Zepp can work well and be pretty stealthy, if hung up properly.

How high is his apartment? Height really helps for getting more range.

Thirty miles for direct path comms is tough. (Ironically, 1500 miles via skywave is pretty easy, but that's no help for local comms.) It's very unlikely that any sort of indoor or compromise stealthy antenna will be able to do this. But if he can get by on 10 miles, that may be doable from a balcony. Can you fill us in on any particular requirements, or does he just want to talk to random CB people locally?
 

RC286

Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2013
Messages
138
Location
Winnipeg MB
I second the balcony antenna.
You wont get 30 mile range. Hell I don't get 30 mile range with my 5/8 vertical outside more around 18-20 miles or so.

I set up a balcony antenna for my friend. He gets decent range as far as a balcony antenna is concerned.
He will get out local about 10 miles or so. enough to talk to the locals in our SSB CB club. The real fun is with DX. And he (and myself included using his rig) have made some great long distance contacts when DX is strong.

His antenna is a 5/8 wave base loaded mobile antenna with two 1/4 wave radials made from 12awg copper wire held up on a piece of 1/2 EMT pipe zip tied to his balcony rail. Works pretty damn good for what it is.
The height also helps as he is on the 4th floor.
 

kream

Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2014
Messages
3
Thanks for the Feedback!

Thank you all for your comments. Unfortunately, he's on a 1st floor apartment & there aren't any trees where he could put an antenna. I don't want him to be disappointed so I think I'll look at other options for a birthday gift. Your comments were very helpful. Thanks!
 

RC286

Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2013
Messages
138
Location
Winnipeg MB
Does he have a car? Mayne set him up with a mobile radio and antenna?
That's what lost of the guys here locally do if they cant set up a base. They chatter while on the way to and from work, they can take their car to a quiet open area to talk DX.
 

kream

Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2014
Messages
3
Apartment CB

Since he's disabled, he doesn't drive or have a car :(. Thank you for the idea anyway.
 

Unit243

Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2013
Messages
56
Location
Cambridge Ontario Canada
maybe he has friends on the top floor that could help him with putting an antenna on their balcony , you should ask the tenants and maybe surprise him on his birthday ! , 73's 1137 Southern Ontario Canada.
 

k8krh

Member
Joined
Dec 12, 2009
Messages
381
Just get him a subscription to HAMSPHERE for a year, he can talk worldwide, and it is a simulated radio with 8 to 9 thousand people registered, so it would keep him busy. CB indoors just does not work.
DOCTOR/795
 

PACNWDude

Member
Joined
Oct 15, 2012
Messages
1,347
I once used a black Firestick antenna mounted to the edge of the eaves of an apartment complex. This was when I lived on the first floor of a three story complex. The maintenance guy for this site did it on the "down low" for a six pack, even sealed it with black 3M 5200 I had. With all the mini dish antennas hanging off the building, my black Firestick and coax blended right in.

My radio was an older desk top model Cobra 135. The Cobra desk top models usually have great loud audio, and the meter is easy to read.
 
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