Radioddity CS-47 Small CB Radio, AM/FM, 40-Channel, One Hander Microhone Built-in Speaker Noise Reduction, Large 7-Color Backlit LCD Display, VOX, RF Gain Long-Range for Offroad, Trucker, Backcountry

I'm very happy with this CB radio and recommend it. Here's why:Very compact base unit may be the smallest one out there. Radio and mic are sturdy. Can be quickly moved from one vehicle to another.AM/FM (I wouldn't buy a new CB radio without FM).Channel scan (spends about 1 second on each channel looking for activity, also a feature I think is mandatory).The mic/speaker are both built into the mic unit and the sound is good and surprisingly loud. The mic is not too large, and the brightness of the display is perfect for day/night use.Not necessary to permanently install the radio. Can just plug it into the 12-volt socket on most vehicles and set the mic inside a cup holder.Nice customizing ability in the menus for various options. Also has VOX (voice activated mic) that can be enabled.The center button the top of the mic serves as a "mute" button which is nice to be able to quickly mute the radio without turning it off.This radio has the codes feature which if used with a second CB (that also has this feature) will make it so that your radio ignores any other conversations. It doesn't prevent other people from hearing your conversations, it just prevents you from hearing other people's conversations.Everything is controlled through buttons but I'm okay with that. Yes, I like the old school chrome radios with all the switches and knobs but having everything built into the mic is better plus most of those older style units don't have channel scan and without that feature you're going to be endlessly turning the channel know looking for activity.Here's how I mounted mine. I sat the base unit vertically on the floor of my car next to the console. I attached a piece of industrial Velcro to the radio's bracket and the other Velcro to the console. While you don't have to use the bracket, I chose to use it to provide a bit of a small air gap for ventilation purposes and so I wouldn't lose the bracket as I moved the unit from car to car. You could just Velcro this lightweight base unit anywhere you want. The side of the base with the circle is where you want to apply the Velcro as the other side (no circle) gets slightly warm during use. While you don't have to install the metal mic clip, I chose to do that to put the mic exactly where I wanted to on my dashboard to keep it within easy reach and to see the display easily. You can just set the mic in a cup holder.One other tip, buy a three-foot long antenna to get some reasonable broadcast range of a few miles. The short antennas always reduce the broadcast range of any CB radio. If you're traveling in a convoy of vehicles close together it wouldn't matter as much, and a small antenna would work.

This is an excellent radio. I used it to replace a Cobra 75 that I damaged when removing from my previous car. This radio is half the price. The microphone is much smaller than the Cobra as is the transmitter box. On the road, people comment they can hear me clearly on AM due to it having a condenser microphone. It also has FM which the Cobra does not.Proper installation is essential, or the radio is worthless. The following is a guide to installing this thing in an SUV, which is the hardest type of vehicle to put this kind of radio into properly.THE PROBLEM: Antenna location on an SUV is the biggest problem. You want the metal of the car to act as a ground plane which means it should be below the antenna not along side of it. You want the antenna to be as long as possible, but you also have to put your car in a garage, either at home or places you drive to. That rules out a magnetic mount roof antenna.THE SOLUTION: I'll describe what I did and provide an Amazon parts list via links.CB RADIO: The radio I picked was the Radioddity CS-47 Small CB Radio, AM/FM, 40-Channel, One Hander. It is tiny, not much bigger than a pack of cigarettes. You can hide the radio inside the center console with room to spare, which is also where you plug it in because there is a cigarette lighter jack there. Then, the only thing you see is the microphone itself but you can hide that too.https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BQJ8Y5B7There is another version with the controls on the box which is cheaper.https://www.amazon.com/Radioddity-CB-27-40-Channel-FM-Emergency/dp/B0B56KST6FANTENNA: The only realistic location for a CB antenna on a Highlander is a fender mount close to the windshield. I used a 2 Foot Firestik II FS Series Tunable Tip CB Antenna. This length is perfect because you can still get the car into a garage and it transmits reasonably well. You can also use an antenna spring (optional).https://www.amazon.com/Firestik-FS-2BK-feet-Tunable-Antenna/dp/B004USX7EE/ref=sr_1_1CABLE: For the cable, you MUST Use the Firestik FireRing CB Coax with Stud. Do not modify this cable in any way. After you bring the cable into the car, do not coil the excess because that would make an inductor out of it. Just shove it under the floor mat in a random arrangement. If you do not do this you will detune the antenna and it will work poorly. Protect the cable with wire loom all the way to the antenna.https://www.amazon.com/FireStick-FIRESTIK-K4-8R9-Antenna-FIRE-Ring/dp/B01D09WIL6/ref=sr_1_1MOUNTING: I used the Firestik SS-174 Hood Channel Mount Tall w/K-4 Stud. This requires some modification. You may need to cut off the short right angle part of the bracket after the slots. Using a vise and hammer, bend and reshape the bracket so that it looks as shown in the pictures below. If you do it right, the bracket will slip through the slot between the hood and the fender and won't even touch the paint.https://www.amazon.com/Firestik-SS-174-Stainless-Steel-Channel/dp/B000X3D7PE/ref=sr_1_1SWR METER: You absolutely positively need to buy this or you are otherwise wasting your time. The antenna must be exactly tuned to match your radio. Otherwise, there are standing waves. This means that the power from the radio gets sent to the antenna and then is reflected back to the radio instead of going out over the air. The antenna is tuned by adjusting a bolt on top of the antenna in very small increments until you get the minimum SWR. Even 1/8 of a turn is significant. The bolt is hidden by a red cap.Tip: The red cap affects the SWR reading by quite a lot. Take it off to adjust the screw, then put it back on before you make each SWR measurement.https://www.amazon.com/Astatic-PDC1-100-Watt-Meter/dp/B004ULN610/ref=sr_1_3INSTALLATION: The pictures show details of the installation. On the passenger side of the car you need to locate some painted steel inside the hood you can attach a mount to.Spend some time hammering the mount to the right shape for your car. You should be able to attach it perfectly so that when the hood closes it doesn't touch the bracket and the bracket doesn't touch the fender..The cable then goes along the top inside of the fender where you can easily bring it out at the door hinge. Route the wire as shown so it goes inside the passenger compartment and then down to the floor underneath the floor mat.Randomly arrange the excess wire under the floor mat but do not coil it. That would make it an inductor and mess up the antenna matching. From there, route the antenna cable underneath the passenger seat. Move the seat all the way forward so you can drill a hole in the side of the center compartment about 5 in above the floor height.Now the antenna connector is inside the compartment. You can mount the radio using some Velcro. Many cars have a cigarette lighter outlet in the center compartment. If so, just plug it in there. Finished! I think the pictures are pretty much self-explanatory.Oh, you'll also need a CB handle. Nobody uses their name. Something like Happy Rabbit or whatever suits you. 10-4.