One of the biggest faults most people make when setting up a CB system is overlooking the quality and type of coaxial cables. These wires are the links between your CB radio and antenna. This implies that the best CB coax cable must be bought so that it can endure the harsh conditions and be robust.
The price and how long the cables are are other factors you should pay attention to.
If you are settling with a cheap coax for your CB radio, you will need a new one in a few months. This is why it is important to get the best quality CB antenna cable.
But, how do you choose a durable CB radio coax cable?
Don’t worry! We will help you. In this article, we have reviewed some of the terrific and best rated coax cables for CB radio antenna.
Best Coax for CB Radio-Our Top Picks
- CablesOnline R-U020- The Best
- Strong construction with a braided copper shield
- RG 8X
- Anti-rust nickel plated connector.
- Guaranteed noise-free communication.
2. Workman RG8X: Longest Coax
- 100 ft Coax
- RG 8X
- Best for CB Base stations
- Aesthetic and exceptional gray color
3.RoadPro RP-8X18: Best Rugged Choice
- It has the strength to withstand rough weather.
- Molded connectors with moisture protection.
- Effectively prevents RP leak and Interference.
- RG 8X
4. MPD digital R- U100: Best for High Power Use
- Ability to handle high power.
- Very robust and long-lasting CB cable.
- It has Double shielded protection.
5. Yotenko RG58: Versatile Choice
- Compatible with all radio accessories.
- Strongly placed, nickel-plated and soldered connectors.
6. Truckspec TS-18CC: Most Affordable
- A low-cost CB cable.
- Lightweight and flexible.
- Very easy to set up and maintain.
7. RoadPro RP-18CC- Best for Vehicles
- Ideal for tough conditions.
- Specially crafted for the road vehicles.
- Small, lightweight and cheap
Why should you select the right Coax cable?
A Coax cable connects the CB radios with other accessories. Its quality is of paramount importance. You may have a good CB radio or the best long range CB antenna. But you need the right type and quality Coax cable to get the best output.
A Coax cable is the missing piece of the puzzle for your entire radio facility.If you don’t get the right CB coax cable, your reception and transmission will not be up to the mark. The advantages of having top quality Coaxial cables are:
- Seamless performance.
- Uninterrupted transmission and reception.
- Better longevity of all the radio accessories.
- Obtaining the full potential of the total CB radio facility.
Don’t wait! Go get the right Coax cable to bring out the best from your facility and get rid of your bitter CB radio experience.
Best CB Coax Cable Reviews
XRoadGPS has spent 25+ hours of research and testing to find out the best coax for CB radios. Our team has found the top 7 coaxial cables that speak of performance and durability.
1. CablesOnline R-U020: The Best Coaxial Cable for CB
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CablesOnline R-U020 is the king of CB Coax cable- it will certainly provide you the best CB experience. It is an RG 8x type cable and gives you all the features you’re looking for in a coax cable. The durability and premium quality are the two outstanding features most CBers love about this product. Further, it’s long enough to give you enough distance.
This cable by far the best contender because of the following:
- Low loss and just the perfect resistance crafted for the best performance.
- Nickel-plated connector will ensure stability and connectivity.
- Available in several dimensions ranging from 20-50 feet.
- The soldered connection will provide strength and copper seamless connectivity
The name “CableOnline” describes its reliability and it will not fail you. You will never lose connectivity with this coax cable and your CB radio will always be working. The excellent quality makes it a terrific coaxial cable for CB radios.
2. Workman RG8X: The Longest CB coax cable
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Forget your anguish about distance with Workman RG8X. It comes with a colossal 100 ft cable. Place your antenna on the roof or backyard, range won’t be a matter for you with this high-quality antenna CB coax cable.
With its gray color, you will get great aesthetics. And the uncompromised quality will make disturbance or noise a long gone worry. With this RG8X type cable, you will get a 95% copper braid shield and other premium features like 16Ga stranded conductor. The excellent PL-256 connectors and efficient soldering will give you a robust CB radio performance.
The bottom line is, if you want a CB cable which is long, aesthetic, and effective at the same time, Workman RG8X will blow your mind.
3. RoadPro RP-8X18: Top Rugged Choice
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With RoadPro RP-8X18 your CB radio set up can withstand extreme weather conditions. Sun, rain, and wind will not be an issue with this CB cable because:
- You will get molded PL-259 connectors for moisture protection.
- The shielding coverage will surely make you forget about the leak.
There’s one more point that needs clarification. The strong protection and shielding will not affect the flexibility of the cable. You will get a highly flexible and light cable. Yes, you read that right, a strong robust, and protective flexible CB cable all at the same time.
This innovation by RoadPro is an RP-8X 18’ type coax cable. It is best suited for single SB Antenna with SO- 239 Stud mounts. You might find it incompatible with some categories of CB Antenna. But, one thing above all whatever the weather may be, this solider of yours will not fail you. With RoadPro RP-8X18 your CB and Antenna will never be severed out of the connection.
4. MPD digital R- U100: Best for High Power Applications
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Running bigger CB radios with heavy-duty antennas require high power. The base station owners know the value of a good quality coax cable to connect high power devices. MPD digital R- U100 is the best coaxial cable for CB antennas in this regard.
Let me explain!
This is because this particular RG 8x type coax cable has a double shielding with the assurance of 50 Ohm impedance and premium quality. You will find an inner aluminum foil and an outer copper braid to enhance its strength. This double shielding will give you extra protection and confidence to use it for high power applications.
You can use it in base station with long term stability and without any issues. We assure you will have uninterrupted connectivity and can reach an SWR of 1.1 with MPD digital R-U100.
5. Yotenko RG58: A Versatile CB Cable
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The main job of a Coax cable is to act as a connector. The best cables are the ones which are compatible with almost all the accessories. Yotenko RG58 is the best in this regard. With a standard quality and solid center, Yotenko being the most versatile coax cable in the market supports all.
The best thing about this CB radio coax cable is that you can use it in your other communication setups like:
- Amateur two-way radio application.
- To connect handset.
- Running base station.
- Operating HAM.
Yes, you read that right, RG-58 type CB cable supports all the accessories and can be relied upon for any task.
This 15-meter-long cable is flexible and reliable at the same time. And the best part is the cable is cheap. You can own this versatile connector of yours for around 17 bucks. Isn’t great?
6. Truckspec TS-18CC: Top Budget Coax for CB
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Truckspec TS-18CC CB Coax cable is cheap yet effective and quality product. Manufactured by one of the industry leaders, it is an RG-58A/U type cable. This CB antenna cable meets all the standards with a price above 11 bucks. You will have all the necessary specs like:
- Standard PL-259 connectors.
- Shielding coverage.
- Molded connectors for protecting your antenna against moisture.
You can take proper advantage of the perfect length of 18 foot, and connect your antenna and CB within standard distance.
As a CB operator, you may not receive the best quality output from this coax cable. But if you believe in the “You get what you pay for” philosophy. Then Truckspec TS-18CC is the Best value for money Coax cable in the market and deserves to be in your shopping cart. The quality you get for the price is outstanding.
7. RoadPro RP-18CC: Best CB Radio Coax Cable for Vehicles
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If you drive a lot and love to use CB like the good old style. You must be acquainted with the struggle in the marketplace to find the perfect CB cable. RoadPro RP-18CC is the perfect solution for the driving and CB enthusiast at the same time. It is an RG-58A/U type cable with the flexible stranded center and PL-256 standard connectors.
RoadPro is acquainted with the different working conditions of Coax cables in vehicles. So, they took special measures in the manufacture of this particular CB radio. And you can use it in:
- Utility vehicles.
- Sport motorcycles.
- Street Motor scooters
- Marine craft, RV, etc.
This is a very robust CB cable and the black color also suits it perfectly for any type of vehicle. It is an 18-foot-long cable and you will find it absolutely handy while connecting your CB radio with your Antenna in a vehicle.
How to buy the Right CB Antenna Cable
A coax cable connects the main radio and the antenna. If you want uninterrupted connectivity you ought to have the very best coax cable.
Often the amateur, as well as experienced radio enthusiasts, makes silly mistakes while buying coax cable. Here are our top tips for you. Go through our tips, avoid silly mistakes and buy the best quality coax cable from the market:
Know your need:
The first step to buy any accessories related to CB radio is to evaluate your need at first. Do you own a base station? How much power-hungry your radio and antenna are? What are the limits? Know all these pieces of stuff before going to buy a coax cable. Because an incompatible CB cable will not only distort your radio experience if you are unlucky enough it may take down your whole system.
The Right Type of Coax
RG 58
- Standard Coax
- Solid center
- Average shielding & thickness
- For normal scenarios-home stations
RG 8X
- Premium Coax
- Stranded center
- Thick
- Best suited for heavy-duty conditions
RG 59
- Dual antenna coax
Watch out for length:
How far is your radio facility from the antenna? Yes, you need an accurate measurement. Because you definitely don’t want to come back to the market again for being short. It does not end here. Length is a factor to determine the attenuation of a cable. So, have an accurate measurement of length and attenuation and watch out carefully.
Get the perfect connectors:
Before buying coax cable carefully check the connectors. Does it have the standard PL 256 connectors? If yes then move on to the next step. Check out the quality of the connectors. The good quality connectors are:
- Soldered well.
- Nickel-plated.
- Molded to protect against detrimental weather.
Check out for the right impedance:
There are coax cables of different impedance. You will find the most common types are:
- 50 Ohm.
- 75 Ohm
Usually, the CB radio operation requires a coax cable of 50 Ohm impedance. But you need to put extra attention to somewhere else. Carefully check out if the CB cable having proper impedance or mixed impedance. If your answer is No. Then our suggestion for you is don’t buy that cable. It may have quality issues.
Check out the coax cable shield:
You can always rely on a better-shielded coax cable for heavy-duty work. Check out for double-shielded cable in the market. It will ensure robustness and stability at the same time.
Our Buying guide is help for radio enthusiasts. In the end, you are the buyer and owner of the products. So, buy what suits your needs and never compromise quality for the price. Remember in the long the few bucks you use today for getting the best Coax cable will save hundreds of dollars of operation cost.
Additionally you can also read this buying guide from rightchannelradios.com for more info.
FAQ
Does CB coax length matter?
Most of the CB antennas come tuned for 18 feet coax cable. If you are either increasing or decreasing the length of the coax cable, you will need to make additional antenna adjustments.
Yes, the length of the coax cable DOES matter.
Does coax length affect SWR?
The matched coax(in terms of impedance) will not affect SWR. On the other hand, if you are adding additional coax, the loss in the cable will lower the SWR.
Does CB coax cable degrade over time?
Nothing is permanent! This applies to coax cable too. However, if you are choosing the right kind of coax cable, you can easily extend its life to close to five years. This is why we recommend using RG 8X coax cables for CB radios.
How long should a CB antenna cable be?
Typical CB antenna cables are 18 feet long. Most coax cable manufacturers produce pretuned coax cables of 18′
How to connect coax cable to CB antenna
You can connect coax cable to CB antennas using connectors like PL259.
PL-259 is the most common connection you will find in CB antennas.
All the CB cables will have a PL-259 connector at one end to connect to a CB radio. On the other end(for connecting to the CB antenna), you will find PL-259 style, ring-style or lug-style connectors. You need to choose the right Coax as per your CB antenna mount.
How to determine the length of coax cable needed for CB?
Practically you need to measure the distance between your CB radio and antenna to get the length of the coax cable needed. Please note that you should be able to route the coax cable neatly through this space.
Conclusion
Coax cables are the bridge that connects your CB with Antenna. You should have the right coaxial cable with uncompromisable quality to get the best out of your CB set up. Or else You will notice excessive noise and loss of power.
This list of the best coax cables for CB radios and antennas will make your life easier.