Cobra HH 38 WX ST 4-Watt 40-Channel CB Radio

Very impressed with this product. I use it in my soft-top Jeep without an external antenna and have been able to communicate easily during convoys. Having used it multiple times now, I've consistently been told that my radio puts out the clearest signal out of the group, even compared to some of the folks with hard-wired systems and external antennas.Of course, there is a lack of range that is noticeable if you're looking for traffic updates in interstate traffic (this can be fixed by buying an external antenna and the adapter to connect it to the radio). This is to be expected with any portable radio with such a short antenna. On the trails, though, I've not had any issues with range within the convoy (like I said before, I have a soft top, so this could be helping my range here).The microphone is clear and it's easy to understand what everyone else is saying. The weather-band is amazing, especially when you're out exploring new trails. The product itself feels pretty sturdy, I wouldn't go dropping this out of my window but I believe this thing would be able to withstand a drop or two.For me, the biggest selling point here is the portability of the radio. I often film during our Jeep trips, so being able to get out of my Jeep to go find a good camera angle and still be able to communicate clearly with the drivers is amazing.I was considering the Midland competitor to this product but the price difference was too significant for me to justify. Having said that, after using this product I don't feel like I've settled for less by going with the Cobra. I'm very pleased with this radio and would buy it again.The only issue so far is the 9 battery count for portability. Most battery packs come in sets of 8, so 9 is an strange number to work with. This isn't that big of an inconvenience for me, but it might be good to know before you buy.

The transmit range exceeded my expectations, anecdotally on level terrain it's reached out four miles without excessive static. CB is relative based on the other radio's quality.It's narrow enough to fit conveniently in a drivers door map pocket and it manages hours of usage w/o chewing through nine AA batteries.If considering this for roadside emergency tool, consider a mobile HAM Baofeng capable of broadcasting on the widely listened NOAA Weather freq even Police and Fire dispatch since your distress call has a better chance of being heard.Many will question the legality but under the circumstances its only as wrong as removing mattress tags and HAM operators are happy to render emergency assistance.The Coloradan motorist stranded for five days in Spring 2014 could've signaled for help on the Weather band and been rescued sooner with such a plan.http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/kristin-hopkins-survives-five-days-after-car-crash-colorado-n97876A strong Baofeng for less money:ASIN BaoFeng BF-F8HP - BaoFeng's Only TRI-POWER (1, 4, 8 Watt) (USA Warranty) Dual-Band 136-174/400-520 MHz FM Ham Two-way Radio, Transceiver, HT - With Battery, Antenna, Charger, and MoreQuality Hypario antenna :NAGOYA NA-701 DUAL BAND 144/430Mhz U/V SMA-F Antenna For Baofeng UV-5R KG-UVD1P by Two way radio wholesaler

We had to take a long roadtrip during some questionable weather. I wanted to have a CB in the minivan so I could listen to truckers, learn about traffic problems, and hear about road conditions. Also, I wanted a weather radio. This unit had the features I desired. It was quickly delivered and worked fine out-of-the-box. I used the included 12v adapter and kept it powered up during the whole trip. I used a roof mounted Cobra antenna (A1500) coupled to this radio via a BNC-to-Standard adapter. Because I didn't know what language I'd hear over the CB, I also got a earphone/microphone combination that plugs into this handheld. This setup worked great on the trip. Range wasn't wonderful - probably about a mile or so. But I did not have the equipment to set the SWR of the antenna so I wasn't too surprised. (An internal SWR meter would have earned this 5 stars.) Would I get it again? Yes, the setup worked out fine for us. Truckers could hear me fine (if within range) and I could hear them. It was nice listening to weather radio also.

This is going to be a great radio for hunting and boating. It gives you a better range with the telescoping aftermarket antenna. The 4 watts of power is of course more that the little Motorola or other small handhelds so it's going to get you more range. They're all line of sight so it wouldn't matter if you had 50 watts it's not going over a tall hill if you're in a ravine trying to talk to someone on the other side. You still have to get on top. The weather service availability is a real plus and the audio coming out of the speaker is very good. It's bigger with a nice weight. All in all you can't go wrong with a Cobra.