Dual CB Antenna Kit for Trucks & Pickups : Reviews & Installation Guide

Last Updated on January 4, 2020 by Wayne

The debate between single and co-phased CB antennas has been there since the 70s. Well, the most experienced truckers insist on using a dual CB antenna kit for getting maximum range.

But, if you ask me whether you need a dual CB antenna or not, I won’t be in a position to give you an exact answer.

Why? This depends on a lot of factors.

However, one thing I can guarantee you is that a dual antenna can have a tremendous impact on signal reception and noise-free communication.

This article is a complete guide to help you to choose a dual CB antenna. We will take you through the advantages of co-phased CB antennas, recommendations of some of the best in this category and most of all how to install them.

Top Dual CB Antenna Kits

Advantages of Co-phased CB Antennas

Here are some of the advantages you get by having a dual CB antenna set up:

1. Better Communication in Front and Back of Trucks

The greatest advantage of using a dual CB antenna kit is reducing signal blockage. It comes in handy when you need to constantly communicate with other drivers on the same highway. If you were using only a single CB antenna, you might have seen a noticeable drop in signals while taking turns.

Moreover, if your trailer is larger in size and if the antenna is mounted on the front side, the chances are higher you can’t properly communicate using CB with those vehicles coming from the backside.

2. Increase in Range

It might sound weird to some of you that a dual CB set up can increase the range. You might be thinking the power is the same and how can I get more range?

The increase in the range comes when you’re placing the CB antenna on the front and backside of your vehicle. This set up makes sure that you get a better range than a single antenna installation.

Let us talk about some technical facts to make it more clear.

A single CB antenna has a uniform circular signal pattern. Its capacity to send and receive signals is distributed equally in all directions. On the other hand, for the dual CB antennas, the signal pattern is oval-shaped and it gives a better range.

3. Better Energy Radiation

If you’re using a single antenna for your CB, you might have noticed a loss in communication for fiberglass vehicles. This happens when there is a little reflective ground plane to radiate energy from. But if you’re using the dual antennas, each of the antennas can use the other one’s radiation field and thus providing better-combined energy radiation.

4. Power Dissipation

The 4 Watt power available is not enough for hassle-free communication. That is why most of the truck drivers use CB amps to boost up the power. If you’re using linear amplifiers, there will be a lot of heat dissipation through the antennas. If you’re using only a single antenna, it will have far less ability to dissipate the heat compared to the dual set up.

Best Dual CB Antenna Kit for Trucks

Finally, we have reached the most important part of this article; yeah, the reviews!

Let me tell you that there are many good brands providing the dual CB antenna kits in the market like Roadpro, firestick, Solarcon.

You can get a dual CB antenna set up in many different ways. One way is to get two high performing CB antennas and connect them through CB coax cables. Or else, you can buy a kit. Whichever may be your case, we have the reviews you’re looking for below:

#1. RoadPro RPPS-23KB: Best & Affordable Dual CB Antenna Kit

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Without any doubt, the RPPS-23KB kit is the ultimate winner when it comes to dual CB radio antennas. The platinum series 3′ long CB antennas come with 16 Gauge copper wire, coax cable and mounts.

The features are:

As you can see from the features listed above, these components ensure maximum output and reception. The high-quality hardware is the highlight of this kit. The quality construction makes RPPS-23KB the perfect pick for offroad vehicles and trucks.

Do you know what is the best thing about this CB antenna kit? It works amazingly well with any CB, not just the Road Pro products.

However, if you are an off-road enthusiast or truck driver, here is something you shouldn’t miss.

Many people make the mistake of installing the antennas without a spring kit. If you also do the installation like this, you might end up with broken CB antennas after your first ride.

There are many quality CB antenna spring kits available in the market. Firestik SS-3H is a good buy. You can click here to check out its price on Amazon. We highly recommend you to get this spring to make your dual CB antenna set up long-lasting.

#2. FireStik FS4-64A9A-B: Costly, but Best Quality

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You can’t have a roundup post on CB antennas without mentioning the FireStik products. FireStik CB antennas are in fact the symbol of high quality and durable design.

FireStik FS4-64A9A-B is another such great product from the brand. This dual CB antenna is the best you can get if you are looking for a long term companion.

Here are the features you will get with this kit:

Firestik FS is heavy and stiff and built with high quality. Many users think of it as the best in the market.  With the comfortable height of the Firestik, driving with it is easy in the drive-thru and parking lots.

The biggest plus point about this kit is its ease of installation. You will find it very easy to install the antenna and its hardware. Moreover, you can do the fine-tuning quickly without any hardware tools.

We recommend  FireStik FS4-64A9A-B  to anyone who is looking for a solid and well built dual CB antenna set up. It might cost some penny, but the product is worth the investment.

#3. RoadPro RP-18CCP: Best Dual CB Antenna Cable

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Features:

I have seen many people buying co-phased CB antennas separately, and not as a kit. RoadPro RP-18CCP is exclusively built for these people. It is a set of top quality coaxial cables.

It’s an excellently built cable set that will make a tremendous impact on your dual CB set up. The RP Antenna coax cable and the connectors are built with decent quality.

They will give you a commendable performance. But make sure that you know the right distance between the antennas.

Many happy customers have got 1:1.2 SWR using Firestik CB antennas and this kit.

Can I use Co-phase CB Antenna for Pickup Trucks

We don’t always recommend people to go with the co-phased set up for pick up trucks. There has to be some minimum distance between the two antennas to get the best results, as I have told above. I’m afraid that much distance is not available when it comes to pickup trucks.

But experts who are good at fine-tuning the antennas can get good results even if the distance between the antennas is very small.

It’s unlikely that most of us get a decent distance in the case of pickup trucks. I’m sure that some of the best CB antennas can single-handedly do the job in the case of pickup trucks.

FAQ

How to install dual CB antenna on the truck?

Here are the steps you should follow to install dual CB antenna set on your truck:

1. For the most balanced performance of the CB dual antenna, there should be 9 feet distance between the two antennas.
2. Spacing less than 5 feet is not ideal.
3. You need 75 Ohm coaxial cable to get the best reception and transmission
4. Don’t use 50-ohm coax cable (they are perfect for single antenna set up, not for dual setups)

How does a dual-band antenna work with CB radios?

Dual CB antennas give the best radiating pattern to improve the signal reception and thus they enhance the communication.

What is the minimum distance between antennas for maximum performance?

The recommended distance between the CB antennas in a dual set up is nine feet (2.7m). Make sure that you are not installing them with spacing less than five feet (1.5m).

What’s Next?

Nowadays many vehicles are seen running on the road with dual antennas, especially the pickup trucks and big rigs. Dual antennas on the mirror side give your truck classic and rugged look, but looks aren’t everything. Many truck owners replace their single CB antenna with CB dual so they can “hear” better as they claim.

So think before replacing your single CB antenna with the dual antenna setup, don’t go with misinformation and install the dual CB antennas at the wrong place just for the classic look of your vehicle, maintain the proper distance within two antennas for better performance and use right coax CB cable to make the dual CB antennas work.

I hope our reviews have and recommendations have helped you in finalizing your choice.