What is the best antenna for a cb?

The best CB and antenna?

• My boyfriend bought me a CB and antenna for my birthday and has yet to install it! But the question is did he get me something that's decent and if not what would you recommend. He bought the Cobra 19 Ultra III and the antenna is called a "Tiger Shark" and the packaging says it's a 3 ft Single Figerglass Antenna Kit -1000 Watt rated - Helically Wound - Factory Tuned Field Adjustable Model # TS821-3B I want at least a five mile radius but would like the maximum sound quality for that... So opinions and suggestions are greatly welcomed!!

• Answer:

  Your rig is a good one. Both the radio and antenna will do as well for you as any CB rig could. As far as "talking distance', that will depend upon several factors. One, surrounding terrain will limit your distance. Y'can't talk through tall hills, and CB radio signals don't bend around hills. Clusters of tall buildings - like in most downtown areas around the country - will also limit your talk range. Some people, such as truckers, use "rabbit ears" - dual antennas. That really does little to improve your signal. Some people erect bigger antennas in their yards or atop their houses - which can significantly improve your signal from a base station in your home. But y'can't do that with a mobile rig, which is what you have. Some people flout the law and add illegal amplifiers, boosting their signal output from the legal maximum of four watts to as much as five hundred watts. Did I say "illegal"? I was not kidding - people who do that eventually get caught. It's a federal crime punishable with fines as high as twenty five THOUSAND dollars - and that's PER TRANSMISSION! Whatever you do, don't be so foolish as to go that route: every year, dozens of CBers find out the hard way the FCC means business! All that being said, your rig will probably give you lots of enjoyment - and the requirement for a license to operate CB was dropped years ago. Y'still have to follow a few rules, and those are spelled out in your owner's manual. Have fun - and maybe someday you'll want an even more versatile radio and check out ham radio - for a bit of info about that, go to www.arrl.org See ya down the log...