Reddit mentions of Solarcon A-99 CB Base Station Antenna

Getting into the hobby for cheap can certainly be done. Asking for 20 miles out of a cheap set up is going to be where it gets tough...

Long story short, your communication abilities can range from <1mile to hundreds of miles, even thousands of miles depending on a ton of variables. It doesn't really matter what radio you use (yes, some are better than others) but in the end, it's environment, conditions and ANTENNA, ANTENNA, ANTENNA! Power (linear amplifiers) certainly helps too, but it mainly comes down to those 3 topics.

Where are you transmitting/receiving? In a city with buildings and lots of RF background noise? On top of mountain with wide open land for miles around? Obviously, you'll perform much better the higher you are and the less obstructions you have.

Now we are on top of mountain, what kind of antenna do we have? Do we have a 6" rubber duck antenna on a handheld? Or are we running a 102" whip or big base antenna? I can assure you that no matter how high this mountain is, that rubber duck ain't getting out of a paper bag. Whereas I've talked barefoot (no amp) on a 4ft Firestik about 50miles as the crow flies when I was on a local mountaintop. With more antenna and/or more power, I could extend that range exponentially.

For an entry level set up, I'd recommend a few things. A good mobile set up could include;

Radio - Uniden PRO505XL 40-Channel CB Radio. Pro-Series, Compact Design. Public Address (PA) Function. Instant Emergency Channel 9, External Speaker Jack, Large Easy to Read Display. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005ZLB0E4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_h7bmDbXMZGZ2J

Antenna - K40 K-30 Automotive Accessories https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000H2W270/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_N8bmDbSDJ2RW1

This radio and antenna is a cheap, effective mobile combo that you can expect decent performance from. In poor to good conditions, you'll get 1-5 miles of transmit/receive. In optimal "top of the mountain" conditions, you could easily get 10-20+ miles. There's also this phenomenon called "skip". I'll let you research what that's all about, but basically it's using specific atmospheric conditions to bounce or "skip" your communication over vast distances. Plenty of YouTube vids explaining skip, so I won't get into that here.

For a more dedicated, base type set-up, I'd recommend a better radio and more substantial antenna. You can still use mobile radios in base setups, but there are also "base" specific rigs too. Same wattage, just in a desktop version and are generally 110, not 12V. My current base set-up is cheapish, and has proven to be very effective, as I have made contacts to several out of state stations. Again, these are just recommendations from equipment I've personally owned. There is tons of kick ass gear out there, and finding what works for you is all part of the fun.

Base radio - Uniden BEARCAT 980SSB 40- Channel SSB CB Radio with Sideband NOAA WeatherBand,7- Color Digital Display PA/CB Switch and Noise Cancelling Mic, Wireless Mic Compatible https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007B5ZAES/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_alcmDbH8DQMGD

Base antenna - Solarcon A-99 CB Base Station Antenna https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0017J7NQ2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_RlcmDbFSJ9T95

Hope all this info helps. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. This is a great sub with tons of knowledge! Have fun on the waves!

That'd be an Antron 99 CB/10 meter ham antenna that is missing its top section. Usually 3 pieces. It also doesn't have the radial grounding kit.

Solarcon A-99 CB Base Station Antenna https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0017J7NQ2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_YeFZBb0A5NE1D

For about the same price of the Predator, you can get yourself an A99 on Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Solarcon-99-Base-Station-Antenna/dp/B0017J7NQ2/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Solarcon+A-99&qid=1567992827&s=gateway&sr=8-1 - though if the Predator is what you already have on hand (or height is currently restricting), then why not..

I've seen people use a cookie sheet as a ground plane on a magnet/drilled mount - but your mileage may vary...

Recommendations will depend on your budget. The little unidens that have already been recommended are good. For an antenna, this here is sort of the king of base station cb antennas. We're talking 50 miles instead of 5.

Solarcon A-99 CB Base Station Antenna https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0017J7NQ2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_e-qXCb5Q4M2MB

Just check Amazon for base station cb antennas, to find one in budget and if you're not wanting it on your car. They'll be easier to mess with than adapting a mobile, IMO.

First rule of CB, ANTENNAS!! You can have a 1000$ radio hooked to a bad antenna and never hear anyone, and kill your fancy radio. Hook a 30$ uniden to a good, properly set up antenna and you'll hear for miles.

Learn what SWR is before you ever use your radio to transmit. Listen all you want without transmitting, but you'll need to tune your antenna before transmitting. Keeping asking questions and googling. Good luck!