What is a CB Radio?
The Citizens Band Radio Service or CB radio is one of the most important tools of the road. The CB radio allows individuals, typically on the road, to communicate with one another through a short-distance radio system, usually over 40 channels within the 27 MHz (11 m) band.
It remains the best method of communication for truck drivers and long haul road travelers. The reasons that truckers and enthusiasts took to the airwaves are as valid today as they were more than forty years ago when the popularity of CB radios took off.
If you get stranded or in a remote area, you can never be sure that there will be a cell phone signal; the best solution is still point-to-point contact between radio transmitters. The channels are quieter in the digital age, the amateurs have moved on, but professional drivers, still rely on the humble citizens band to get the message through.
Photo Credit: State Archives of Florida/Fisher
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How to Select a Truck Cab Radio?
Not all CBs have the same options, so the best choice of radio is the one that has the right combination to make it indispensable in the cab of your truck.
To find the best CB for truckers we selected the radio attributes on which to judge equipment, and then we picked the best models and compared them to see which is the most suitable CB for professionals.
Radio Attributes to Look For
When your job or your business depends on it, the most reliable citizens band possible is the only reasonable choice; one that you turn on, change the channel, listen, and key the microphone to talk, without any worries.
The technology behind CBs has not changed significantly in decades. However, there have been some useful additions, such as a weather network that might just save your life, as well as the cost of delays for your company, if you can hear the signal.
If you are a professional trucker who hauls freight out on the road, the features that matter in your CB are the ones that stand out from the crowd. The following attributes are the most important factors and the ones we used to determine the best radio for truckers.
Automatic noise limiter – Electronic filtering with ANL reduces the static and background noise associated with active electrical environments, such as truck cabs.
Weather and alert channel scan – NOAA, the Federal agency responsible for weather monitoring has a radio network that broadcasts weather alerts and hazard notices across the United States. The best CB equipment gives you the ability to listen for local alerts on this network.
Instant emergency channel – When a situation hits, the last thing you want is the distraction of fumbling around for radio channels. The leading CB switch to channels nine and nineteen at the press of a button.
Effective Display Lighting – The lighting of your truck cab changes continually. You need to have display lights that you can adjust, or that respond to the environment.
Channel scanning – Sometimes you just want to have your ears open. A receiver that scans the full band until it finds a signal is an essential feature for truckers.
SSB – The channels at the higher end of the range allow for single side band modulation or SSB, an alternative to AM radio transmission. This feature provides longer-range communications. By law in the United States, the maximum power output is four Watts. The only exceptions are SSB-equipped radios, which can legally output twelve Watts.
Customer Reviews – We also looked at what people on Amazon say about the different models and how many people have bothered to leave a review.
So let’s look at which Citizens band radios made the cut.
What are the Top 5 CB Radios for Truck Drivers?
| CB Radio | Features | Rating | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
Cobra 29 LX 40
  |
|
 |
$$$ |
Uniden Bearcat 980SSB
  |
|
|
$$$ |
Cobra 29 LTD
  |
|
|
$$ |
Uniden 505XL
  |
|
 |
$ |
Midland 1001Z
  |
|
 |
$ |
1. Cobra 29 LX 40-Channel CB Radio ($$$)
The Cobra 29 LX 40 has the best range of the features that truckers need on the road on a daily basis:
- Scans the NOAA weather channels (even if the radio is turned off, an alert will sound to let the driver know if dangerous or threatening weather is nearby)
- Switches at a click to channels nine or nineteen
- It has ANL, RF gain, and a dynamically boosted microphone to get the best signal quality
- Gives you PA capability if you connect it to a suitable speaker system
The quality of the Cobra 29’s visual display features puts it over the top. You can select one of four lighting colors, a clock with timer and alarm functions, and brightness controls.
The diagnostic features of your 29 LX monitor its performance and output to make it the most dependable radio possible. The timer and clock feature allows drivers to accurately keep track of their driving hours.
Truck drivers are also impressed with the fact that this radio model has a 9-foot microphone cord, incredible clarity from Dynamike, and 4 watts of power output.
The Cobra 29 LX 40 keeps professional drivers connected and in communication with each other and the outside world when they need it most.
What Truckers are Saying
Truck drivers give this radio unit a thumbs up. Most love the clarity, continual weather scan, 40 channels and the ability to change display color and brightness. At the time of this writing, over 600 customers rated this cb at an average of 4.3 stars out of 5, which is an excellent rating.
Customer Rating:
2. Uniden BEARCAT 980SSB ($$$)
The Bearcat 980SSB is in a convincing second place for the best trucker CB.
The Bearcat has many of the same features as the winner, but with the addition of SSB. If you need or want the added broadcasting range of single sideband modulation, the Bearcat is the top choice radio.
One of the best features of this radio is that it comes with an integrated SWR meter to match antennas more accurately. It has also been designed to help drivers stay connected without them having to risk taking their hands and eyes off of the road.
From the noise canceling microphone to the full frequency display, everything is there to make communication with each of the 40 different FCC-approved channels a breeze. Some of the other features that drivers enjoy with this radio include: RF gain control, automatic noise limited, NOAA weather alerts, and a noise blanker.
What Truckers are Saying
Customers who bought this unit were pleased with its noise reduction feature, clear transmission, and strong signal reception. Some have complained about an annoying beep whenever you change the settings, however, with almost 700 customers rating it at 4.3 stars out of 5, it’s great option for a cb radio.
Customer Rating:
3. Cobra 29 LTD ($$)
The Cobra 29 LTD is a reliable, uncomplicated CB for truckers.
While it lacks the fancier refinements that Cobra offers in other models, it gives you the essential features for a clear signal and good communications. Amazon users who rated it give it the same high marks as the 29 LX.
This model is equipped with dials for many different settings, including: volume, Dynamike, RF gain, delta tune, and SWR calibration. There’s also a channel dial with a large display and various switches to achieve the perfect settings.
The SWR calibration perhaps one of the most beneficial features, as it attributes to maximum performance for the antenna system. However, the RF gain and Dynamike are also useful as they are both used to help produce clearer and louder communication between drivers.
What Truckers are Saying
Many owners of this radio commented on the great price with full features, as well as the bluetooth option, easy set up and reception quality. Some truckers have noted an echo when using bluetooth, but only a handful out of over 300 verified purchasers.
Customer Rating: 
4. Uniden 505XL ($)
The Uniden 505 XL is a solid choice for a basic radio on a budget; it is the cheapest one on the list. This inexpensive CB gives you the quality of a trusted brand, without the fancy extras.
Sometimes drivers just want the ease of a basic and traditional radio, and that’s where the Uniden 505xl comes in handy. It may not have all of the features that other radios have, but it’s still a solid piece of equipment that has a lot to offer.
One of the most useful features is the external speaker jack that allows drivers to plug in external speakers to produce better sound. It also has an easy-to-read LCD display with an orange backlight, which is optimized for viewing at night or during the day.
The display reads out the volume, channel number, and a few other pieces of information that the driver might need while on the road. What’s even better is that the layout is incredibly easy to use.
What Truckers are Saying
Truck drivers love the value of the Uniden, its compactness, RF gain control, PA output and switch, and microphone. With close to a thousand verified customers on Amazon and an average rating of 4.2, this unit is an excellent option, especially if you’re on a budget.
Customer Rating:
5. Midland 1001Z ($)
The Midland 1001Z is an excellent radio with simple functionality and RF gain for good reception and easy operation.
As one of the most attractively priced radios on the market, the Midland 1001Z has made a name for itself by proving price doesn’t always reflect quality. Every feature of this radio is something you’d find on higher priced models, just in a smaller and more compact design.
Among these features is a bright LED display that is easy to read no matter what time of day it is. In addition to this, it has RF gain for clear communication, 4 watts of output power, and immediate access to the emergency channel 9. The controls on the front of the unit are very easy to use, with knobs for the volume, tuning, and RF gain. There’s also a switch to change from CB to PA.
To make communication easy, the microphone has a coiled cord design for easy use, a push-to-talk bar, and a large speaker.
The design also doesn’t take up much room once installed, so it’s easy to install in a cargo that has limited empty space available.
Although basic, this radio offers everything truck drivers need to communicate and hear emergency news while they are driving, all in a safe and effective manner. It’s one of the most popular choices for new truck drivers, but seasoned drivers appreciate its simplicity just as much.
What Truckers are Saying
Drivers have praised the Midland radio’s easy install, hook up for external speaker, and weather band. And others don’t like the fact that the NOAA band doesn’t have a noise limiter, no mic gain switch and average microphone quality.
Customer Rating: 
Honorable Mention
DX-959B Mobile CB Radio by Galaxy
The Galaxy DX-959B deserves an honorable mention. This radio is a traditional full-feature CB with SSB.
It has easy to read displays with LED lighting and nighttime dimmer, along with proprietary filtering for good signal quality.
If you are a traditional trucker who wants SSB and dials rather than buttons, this may be the radio for you.
What Truckers are Saying
Truckers love this unit’s user-friendly features, side band’s quality sound and the fact that modifications aren’t necessary – it’s great out of the box.
Customer Rating:
CB Radio Comparison
We’ve put together a comparison table that looks at the radios’ features to help you further in your decision process of purchasing the best CB option for your truck cab.
| Features that Matter | Cobra 29 LX 40 | Uniden Bearcat | Cobra 29 LTD | Uniden 505XL | Midland 1001Z | DX-959B |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RF Gain | ||||||
| PA Capability | ||||||
| Automatic Noise Limited (ANL) | ||||||
| Weather Capabilities | ||||||
| Instant Channel 9 & 19 | No | |||||
| Night Adjustable Display | ||||||
| Channel Scanning | ||||||
| Single Side Band (SSB) | ||||||
| RF Output Power | ||||||
| Amazon Rating | | | | | | |
Geoff is a freelance writer at TruckersTraining.com with 20+ years of experience driving trucks and buses, dispatching, supervising, and training commercial driving teams. His expertise is writing topics on the transportation and trucking industry, and information technology trends.
