The Best CB Radio Antennas

Citizen Band radios, more commonly known as CB radios, are a great tool to help two parties communicate quickly and easily. This is incredibly useful for a lot of the more physical jobs like construction work, in areas where phone service might not be available, and even for organizing and social activism.

Of course, it’s not always enough to just go out and buy any old pair of walkie talkies. If you want to have the best performance possible from your CB radio, you’re going to need a top-tier CB antenna to go with your radio. And we want to make sure you’re always able to communicate quickly and effectively, so we made this list of the best CB antennas for your CB radio to help you reach your friends, co-workers, and organizing partners as quickly as possible, all the time.

Carry on reading to see our full list of the best CB Radio Antennas, followed by a recap breaking down what makes each product on our list stand out. Or jump straight to our number #1 pick on Amazon here.

What Should You Look For in a CB Radio Antenna?

Especially if you’re not an expert, it can feel pretty daunting to look for a new CB antenna for your radio. You might have just recently realized that you need a CB radio and a good antenna, and now you’re scrambling to learn everything you can in order to buy the right one. But now we’re here for you, so you don’t need to worry about that. We’re going to lay out all of the criteria we used to rank our CB radio antennas so that you can quickly feel caught up, and you can find the best CB antenna for you as soon as possible.

Criteria #1: Signal – This one is pretty obvious. The whole point of a CB antenna is to boost your signal, so if it doesn’t do that, it’s kind of a waste of money. There are a lot of different factors that will contribute to the signal of your antenna, the simplest being the length, as well as the material it’s made from. Of course, we don’t care too much how our CB antennas get their good reception as long as they get the job done. This is priority number one.

Criteria #2: Size – If you’re using a car CB radio, then you’ll want an antenna that’s not so big it can’t fit under tunnels, and you’ll want a wire that’s the right size. If you’re using a handheld CB radio, you’ll obviously want to avoid carrying around an awkwardly large radio and antenna all day. While our first goal is to find you an antenna that provides a good signal, we’ll defer to the smaller product in the case of a tiebreaker.

Criteria #3: Ease of use – You’re not a mechanic or a radio expert, and that’s okay. But it’s never a good idea to go playing around with parts of your car that you don’t understand, and that’s why we want to make sure that all of our antennas are as easy to install as possible. Simplicity is a virtue, and we’re only looking for antennas that won’t have you burning an afternoon or enlisting the help of a friend or mechanic to install. You’ll be able to make sure that this endeavor is solely a solo project.

Criteria #4: Price – We’re not here to make you spend a ton of money for no reason. Meeting this criterion is less about being cheap and more about justifying your price. We’d rather buy an expensive product that’s cheaper than it should be than waste money on a cheaper product that isn’t worth the money and that will just break on you or not perform well. I’ll take a load off your mind and let you know beforehand that CB radio antennas are not very expensive at all. No matter what your budget is, you should be able to focus more on getting the best product for your needs and less on pinching pennies to get the best deal.

Here’s How We’ve Determined the Best CB Radio Antennas

We measured the specs of the top products on the market against our listed criteria to see how they held up and if they’re worth buying. We then checked customer reviews, blog posts, and “best available CB Radio Antennas” articles to see if the products on our list performed as advertised. Most CB radios are larger units meant for cars, and this affected how we evaluate the best CB antennas. Of course, there are portable and handheld CB radios out there, and we’ll be sure to include at least one antenna that’s suitable for such radios.

And without further ado, here is our list – tailored to your specific needs – of the best CB antennas available for your CB radio. 

#1: Tram 703-HC Center Load CB Antenna Kit (Best Value – All-Purpose)

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Our list starts off with the Tram 703-HC Center Load CB Antenna Kit, and you can definitely expect to see at least one more Tram product on this list. Our number one CB radio antenna covers all CB frequencies so you don’t need to worry about any compatibility issues. It also includes a 3.5-inch magnet mount, a shock spring, and a stainless steel whip.

The actual antenna is two feet tall, so you’ll get great reception, but you won’t have to worry about adding too much height to your vehicle. The wire used to connect the Tram 703-HC Center Load CB Antenna Kit is 17 feet long, so you definitely won’t have to worry about running out of wire. Of course, the downside of this is that you run the risk of having too much slack wire lying around, so make sure your car is big enough to make good use of this long wire.

Tram has a wide array of products featured on multiple lists of the best CB antennas out there, and the Tram 703-HC Center Load CB Antenna Kit is one of their premier products. This CB antenna has more than 1,000 reviews on Amazon, so you can check with the paying customers, and you can rest assured that you’re getting a crowd-approved CB antenna. Customers left reviews with titles such as “Buy it!” and reviews that praise this product for exceeding expectations.

This antenna is also incredibly cheap, which makes it one of the best deals out there. If you want to get the best return on your dollar that you can find, then the Tram 703-HC Center Load CB Antenna Kit is the best CB antenna for you.

#2: Wilson 305-38 300-Watt Little Wil Magnet Mount Antenna (Best Overall CB Radio Antenna)

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As we already mentioned, most CB radio antennas range between cheap and affordable, but we don’t want to leave the big spenders out to dry. If you’re the kind of customer that likes to look for the fanciest option out there – after all, you get what you pay for – then the Wilson 305-38 300-Watt Little Wil Magnet Mount Antenna is just what you’re looking for.

This premium-grade CB radio antenna is more expensive than our number one pick in the Tram 703-HC Center Load CB Antenna Kit, but it has a few features that separate it from the pack and that might earn your money. If you’re willing to break the bank for the best of the best, here are some of the features of the Wilson 305-38 300-Watt Little Wil Magnet Mount Antenna for you to consider.

Reason #1 to Choose This Product: Longer Range

As we’ve mentioned, priority number one for our CB radio antennas is that they have s strong signal. So if you’re the type of customer who’s going to go the extra mile for the best performance available, you’ll want to go with the Wilson 305-38 300-Watt Little Wil Magnet Mount Antenna. Thanks to its high-impact thermoplastic and its height of 36 inches, the Wilson 305-38 300-Watt Little Wil Magnet Mount Antenna will give you a better signal than almost any other CB antenna on the market.

Of course, the tall height could be a drawback for some users, but it’s a cheap price to pay. If you’re going to be driving around a lot on the job and might drift a little further away from your partner, and if you put performance above everything else, then pay the extra couple of bucks for the Wilson 305-38 300-Watt Little Wil Magnet Mount Antenna.

Reason #2 to Choose This Product: Heavy-Duty Coil

If you’re paying extra money for your CB radio antenna, you should make sure that it’ll last long enough to be worth it. Our Wilson CB antenna can definitely take its fair share of abuse thanks to its heavy-duty 14-gauge copper wire coil. This thick antenna will stay standing for years on end, and you’ll more than get your money’s worth before you have to replace the Wilson 305-38 300-Watt Little Wil Magnet Mount Antenna. With this durable design, you know exactly where your money is going.

On top of the high performance and the durable build, the Wilson 305-38 300-Watt Little Wil Magnet Mount Antenna features a 10-ounce magnet mount, so setup will be as easy as ever. This CB antenna has about 1,000 reviews on Amazon. Customers praised the Wilson 305-38 300-Watt Little Wil Magnet Mount Antenna for being durable, effective, and for being short enough that it doesn’t get in the way.

As we said, the only real problem with this high-quality CB antenna is the price, but some people are willing to splurge for the best, and the best CB antenna out there is the expensive Wilson 305-38 300-Watt Little Wil Magnet Mount Antenna.

#3: RoadPro RPPS-23KB Platinum Series Mirror Mount CB Antenna Kit (Best for Large Cars and Trucks)

If you have anything other than a sedan, you’ll need the right antenna that can handle your van, jeep, or pickup truck. So if you’re driving a bigger vehicle that needs a big CB antenna, then the RoadPro RPPS-23KB Platinum Series Mirror Mount CB Antenna Kit is perfect for you. The 16-gauge copper wire can handle up to 1000 watts of power, so it’ll be able to keep up with your stronger truck engine.

At 40 inches tall, the RoadPro RPPS-23KB Platinum Series Mirror Mount CB Antenna Kit is our tallest CB antenna out there, but since it’s meant for taller vehicles, it still shouldn’t at a lot of extra height to your truck. That tall height is sure to give you an amazing signal. Despite its taller size, it only weighs 2 pounds, so you don’t have to worry about lugging around a lot of weight, or about it putting any burden on your car. The magnet mount features antenna mounts with a stainless-steel frame that’s made out of a non-corrosive clear anodized material to give your new antenna some extra durability.

The RoadPro RPPS-23KB Platinum Series Mirror Mount CB Antenna Kit is sure to deliver high performance, and while it’s more expensive than the Tram 703-HC Center Load CB Antenna Kit, it’s cheaper than the Wilson 305-38 300-Watt Little Wil Magnet Mount Antenna. This puts it at a medium price compared to most antennas for CB radios. Since it’s a more niche product, that’s a pretty good value.

Customers on Amazon had a lot of praise for this CB antenna, mentioning that it’s great for off-road vehicles and that it has a good range of 3 miles. The solid range, sturdy build, and the tall height make the RoadPro RPPS-23KB Platinum Series Mirror Mount CB Antenna Kit the best CB antenna for any truck driver that wants to improve their CB radio.

#4: RoadPro RP-711 24″ Magnet Mount Stainless Steel CB Antenna Kit (Best Low Cost)

RoadPro pulls off an impressive feat and manages to have two products on our list that appear back-to-back. We promised that the CB antennas on our list would be nice and affordable, and just in case you don’t think we’ve held up to our end of the bargain so far, the RoadPro RP-711 24″ Magnet Mount Stainless Steel CB Antenna Kit is the cheapest of the cheap.

The RoadPro RP-711 24″ Magnet Mount Stainless Steel CB Antenna Kit is the cheapest product on our list, but at 24 inches, it’s also the shortest. That means that you shouldn’t expect the same high-quality performance from this CB antenna, but it’ll definitely still get the job done and really boost the signal on your CB radio. Plus, it still boasts a strong magnetic base and a magnetic mount. This center-loaded base antenna is sure to stay stable and secure, and it weighs less than two pounds.

RoadPro really outdid themselves with this budget antenna. Despite the antenna length, customers praised the range and clarity of the RoadPro RP-711 24″ Magnet Mount Stainless Steel CB Antenna Kit, so you don’t have to feel like you’re compromising too much on your efforts to save. If you think that you’ve already poured enough money into your CB radio, then save on your CB antenna with the RoadPro RP-711 24″ Magnet Mount Stainless Steel CB Antenna Kit.

#5: Tram Fiberglass 5″ Magnet-Mount CB Antenna (Best for Experienced Customers)

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We told you that Tram would make our list again, and here they are with the Tram Fiberglass 5″ Magnet-Mount CB Antenna. This Tram antenna is perfect for customers who know what they’re doing and who just need a replacement antenna. The reason for this is that it doesn’t come with a mount, so you can save some money and just use the antenna mount that came with your last antenna while still getting the high performance you deserve from your CB radio.

WIth an antenna length of 3 feet, you can definitely expect solid range and great quality from our second Tram antenna. As it’s made out of heavy-duty fiberglass, this is one of the most durable CB radio antennas out there. So if you’re fed up after your last antenna or two broke on you, then the Tram Fiberglass 5″ Magnet-Mount CB Antenna is the perfect product for you. The coax cable is about 17 feet long, so it’s definitely suitable for larger vehicles, and it can handle a whopping 1,500 watts of power.

If you’re a more experienced radio user, then you deserve a product geared towards your sensibilities, and that product is the Tram Fiberglass 5″ Magnet-Mount CB Antenna.

#6: Luiton 28-Inch CB Radio Antenna (Best Handheld Option)

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All of our products so far have been feared towards radio users that will be driving, but we promised you at least one antenna intended for handheld radios, and here it is. The Luiton 28-Inch CB Radio Antenna is perfect for anyone that will be using their radio while on foot, mostly due to its small size.

The Luiton 28-Inch CB Radio Antenna is only 17 inches long, so you won’t feel too inconvenienced. It also only weighs 7 ounces, so you won’t even notice the extra weight you’re carrying around.

While it hasn’t gained a lot of attention from reviewers, you can be confident that the Luiton 28-Inch CB Radio Antenna will give you great performance. Most antennas are geared towards cars and trucks, so the lack of attention makes sense. Think of this antenna as a hidden gem. If you’re not going to be doing your communicating from your car, then the Luiton 28-Inch CB Radio Antenna is the best antenna for your handheld CB radio.

Verdict: Your Best CB Antennas

We’re reaching the end of our list, and you’re hopefully starting to get a good idea of which of our products is best for you. But if you haven’t made up your mind yet, not to worry. We don’t want to rush, and we know how important it is to make sure you’re getting the CB antenna that’s perfect for you. That’s why we’re going to recap all of our CB antennas for your radio and focus on their standout features. This way, you’ll be able to see the highlights and really know what each product has to offer for you.

If you want the best value for your money, pick the Tram 703-HC Center Load CB Antenna Kit.

Our number one pick has every feature you could need, and it comes in at a cheap price. This Tram CB antenna covers all CB frequencies, and it comes with a small-but-durable, 3.5-inch magnet mount, a shock spring, and a stainless steel whip. Even though you’re not spending the big bucks, the Tram 703-HC Center Load CB Antenna Kit will last as long as the more expensive antennas. Finally, it comes with a 17-foot long coax cable that’s sure to be long enough for your needs. The Tram 703-HC Center Load CB Antenna Kit also has the approval of the paid reviewers and the customers alike, and it was an easy choice for our number one pick.

If you need an antenna for your van or truck, pick the RoadPro RPPS-23KB Platinum Series Mirror Mount CB Antenna Kit.

If you’re driving a big truck, then any old CB antenna just won’t do it for you, and you’ll need something a little bigger that can handle that extra size. The RoadPro RPPS-23KB Platinum Series Mirror Mount CB Antenna Kit can handle up to 1,000 watts of power, and it’s about 40 feet long to give you the best reception possible. Plus, its creative mirror-mount design may hamper visibility less than typical hood-mounted antennas. The RoadPro RPPS-23KB Platinum Series Mirror Mount CB Antenna Kit is the best antenna out there for truck drivers.

If you want to keep the spending cheap, pick the RoadPro RP-711 24″ Magnet Mount Stainless Steel CB Antenna Kit.

Sometimes you just don’t want to spend a ton of money, and that’s fine. The RoadPro RP-711 24″ Magnet Mount Stainless Steel CB Antenna Kit is the shortest antenna on our list, so you may find that its reception isn’t quite as good, but reviewing customers were still very happy with this product. This center-loaded base antenna is also safe and secure, so even though you’re cutting corners on price, you don’t have to worry about finding yourself going back for a new antenna soon. Save your hard-earned cash with the RoadPro RP-711 24″ Magnet Mount Stainless Steel CB Antenna Kit.

That brings us to the end of our list. If the highlighted products above didn’t quite catch your eye, you may be more interested in the strong and durable Wilson 305-38 300-Watt Little Wil Magnet Mount Antenna, or the Tram Fiberglass 5″ Magnet-Mount CB Antenna that’s perfect for more savvy customers looking for a replacement. Of course, there’s also the Luiton 28-Inch CB Radio Antenna, which is perfect for handheld CB radios.

Remember to think about which antenna feature is the most important to you while you make your decision. This will really help you speed up the buying process as you can more quickly skip past the products that don’t have what you’re looking for.

That’s all for now. We hoped our list helped you find the best CB antenna for your radio.