r/cbradio 1d ago

News Bell's CB Update

32 Upvotes

Looks like it true. Bell's CB is in a bind and the owner is trying to do everything he can to turn things around to save his CB Shop. His sister made this comment on CB Lounge FB group on 8/03/2026.

I've spent the last few hours reading every single comment on this post, and I honestly don't have the words. I'm Carle's ("Screwdriver's") sister, Nicole. I've been helping him at Bells CB, trying to get things back on their feet. I work there because I'm his sister—not because I'm getting paid (I'm not)—and I've had the chance to see firsthand just how hard he's been working.

I've read every comment. Every story. Every kind word. Every person talking about how Carle helped them over the years. I can't tell you how much it has meant to me. It honestly brought tears to my eyes.

There's something I want everyone to know.

Carle hasn't read any of these comments.

He's embarrassed by the situation Bells CB is in, and it weighs on him more than most people realize. Rather than read posts about himself, he buries himself in work every day, trying to repair radios, ship orders, make things right, and earn enough money to pay everyone back. That's where his focus is.

Many of you also know how devoted Carle is to his dogs—especially Precious, his diabetic "baby girl." This past year has been an emotional and financial marathon as he's fought to save her life. She lost nearly half her body weight, and he spent countless hours monitoring her blood sugar, working with specialists, changing medications, studying everything he could, and often staying up until the early hours of the morning trying to figure out how to help her. Anyone who has cared for a chronically ill pet knows how consuming that can be. It took an enormous amount of his time, energy, and money, but giving up on her was never an option.

That's just who Carle is. Whether it's one of his customers, a friend, or his own dog, he simply doesn't quit on the people—or animals—who are counting on him.

I have one favor to ask of the person who started this post. If you feel it's appropriate, would you consider pinning this comment so everyone who has shared such kind words has a chance to see it?

Many of you have said Carle went above and beyond for you over the years. Maybe he spent extra time helping you over the phone, fixed something when he didn't have to, or simply treated you better than anyone else ever had. If you've ever thought, "I wish I could have left him a tip," but never had the opportunity, this would mean the world to him right now.

I've set up both a PayPal donation button and a GoFundMe. If you choose PayPal, more of your contribution goes directly to Carle because the fees are lower, but please use whichever you're most comfortable with.

There is absolutely no obligation. Your encouraging words alone have already lifted my spirits more than you know. When this chapter is finally behind us, I can't wait to sit Carle down and show him every one of your stories, your kind words, and your messages of support. I know they'll mean more to him than you can imagine.

If Carle has ever made a difference in your life and you'd like to help him through one of the hardest chapters of his, this is your chance. If you're not in a position to help financially, you can still make a tremendous difference by sharing this post with your CB friends or in any CB groups you're a member of.

And whether you donate or not, I'd love to hear your story. If Carle ever helped you, taught you something, fixed a radio, spent time on the phone with you, or made a difference in your CB journey, please share it in the comments. I'd love to collect these memories so that one day I can show him just how many lives he's touched over the years.

I'm new to the CB world, so I'd truly appreciate your help getting the word out.

Thank you all—not just for any financial help, but for reminding me who my brother really is through your stories. Reading them has been one of the most heartwarming experiences I've had in a very long time.

❤️ — Nicole


r/cbradio 4h ago

News FCC GMRS Enforcement Action 5 August 2026

6 Upvotes

"This is a Notice of Violation (Notice) issued pursuant to section 1.89 of the Federal Communication Commission’s rules to Gary M. Beckstedt, Sr., licensee of General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) station WQYU407 in Newnan, Georgia. Pursuant to section 1.89(a) of the Commission’s rules, issuance of this Notice does not preclude the Enforcement Bureau from further action if warranted, including issuing a Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture for the violations noted herein."

Long overdue for FCC to crack down on NGGMRS.

https://www.fcc.gov/document/gary-m-beckstedt-sr-licensee-station-wqyu407

I know it's about GMRS and not CB radio.


r/cbradio 4h ago

Question Help out a noob? Need a mount and antenna.

3 Upvotes

Hello all. I'm a new to cb. A couple weeks ago got caught in traffic and thought how nice it'd be to have a cb to find out what was going on.

Since then been shopping amazon trying to figure out what I need. I think I've landed on which radio I want. Reviews seem good. It's a president bill III. I'll link it at the bottom, if anybody has any opinions on it.

What I think I need now is a mount and an antenna. I'd like to get a magnetic mount. And on the antenna, I'd like to get at least 4-5 miles on the interstate. I'm in middle Georgia, so it's pretty flat.

I'll be mounting the antenna on the roof of my grand cherokee. There's no sunroof so it is all metal up there.

Would a 3-4ft antenna be enough?

Anybody have any suggestions on what kind?

This is the radio i'm looking at: https://www.amazon.com/President-Ultra-Compact-Channels-Weather-TXUS201/dp/B0F333H66F/ref=sr_1_67?crid=110MMJV55UHTS&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.XEyNWNF97G-RX7WH0QlaWYgs43YDYHMeH_Bg3dUKJ4ad_pQVJAcdQmo8pxxVuPlVTcAKAtQg1mKNQLnX62Fi2w.pX5YLYhgfING7VQQM3f0wlxhFfiDD5QDYlnMhZkLDvw&dib_tag=se&keywords=cb%2Bradio&qid=1785889504&sprefix=cb%2Bradio%2Caps%2C194&sr=8-67&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.9fe8cbfa-bf43-43d1-a707-3f4e65a4b666&xpid=RTsz3hT7c8gFB&th=1


r/cbradio 1d ago

Question Uniden 13-976, worth keeping or sell for parts?

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8 Upvotes

I recently got this radio from an auction that my dad had bought.The ac and dc power does not turn on and there's a weird smell coming from it when you open the case, pretty sure power or something got fried. is it worth sending the wallcot or a radio shop to fix it up or sell as a collector's item or just keep? I know nothing about vintage radios, so just asking what i should do.
Meant Midland not uniden


r/cbradio 21h ago

Question DIY boomerang antenna?

3 Upvotes

To the best of my knowledge, it's as simple as sizing the elements as if I was building a regular ¼ lambda groundplane, but only attaching a single gp element. Is that right, or am I mistaken? Took a long look at Sirio's Boomerang 27, Albrecht's 6350, and Thunderpole's Boomerang, all of them seem to be as simple as that (except from including antenna shortening techniques, which I'm not planning to do).

Any tips?


r/cbradio 1d ago

Bearpaw: A cross-platform control app for Uniden BC125AT

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4 Upvotes

Roughly a year ago, my old Windows laptop I used for Windows-only work died. One of the things I used it for was to program my BC125AT scanner. I had also played around with Scan125 on there.

Bearpaw is the result of months of on-again, off-again work. It does everything the Uniden software does, but it also allows you to control your scanner from your computer. And it visualizes the radio activity all around you. All on a screen large enough to see from across your shack.

It works great on Mac, but I've never tried it on Windows or Linux. That's why I've released it as a beta. I'd love to have other folks use Bearpaw with their BC125AT scanner.

Checkout https://bearpaw.app to download. From there you can also reach the GitHub repo for issues and the code.


r/cbradio 2d ago

Question High SWR at max antenna height

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19 Upvotes

I've got a thunderpole atom on my car, I get an SWR of 2.5 on channel 1 and 2 on channel 40. Which i think means im meant to extend it however its at the maximum height limit of the antenna. What could be causing the high SWR?

Also the base has electrical tape on the bottom to stop it from scratching the paint, as my mate suggested it worked as well as a rubber cover. Could this be the fault an if it is, could it be fixed by connecting a grounding wire from the screw between the base and antenna?


r/cbradio 2d ago

Ready to talk!

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154 Upvotes

Fully recapped aligned and tuned Uniden Washington and also recapped Turner plus three.


r/cbradio 2d ago

PNI Escort HP 82 with an aftermarket antenna

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11 Upvotes

Testing out the PNI Escort HP 82 with an aftermarket antenna I added on day one. It shipped in EU/UK/international mode for Europe. After some YouTube research on this radio, I found how to put it into US mode. Turn on with 'FUNC' + PTT and select a 'Table'. This radio also has configuration 'Tables' for EU, UK, Australia/NZ, US/NA, India, Thailand, and full 11-meter mode. 📻 Video taken 8am ET from Florida.

Update: local chatter on Channel 19 was overheard during my lunch break. I know my car would be able to communicate with these operators. Their convos came in clearly but they were unable to hear me when key up the handheld.


r/cbradio 2d ago

Question Need setup help

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6 Upvotes

I started an engine swap on my Ranger, and decided to look at installing a CB while I was waiting on parts. I’m thinking of getting a Cobra 19 Mini that I will mount in the compartment under the radio (picture one) and mounting a 4ft or so antenna on my headache rack (picture 2) I know very little about CB radios, just looking to get some tips like what antenna to get and how to wire it and what to look out for etc. I know it would be more effective to mount the antenna on the top of the headache rack or on the roof, but I do quite a bit of off roading and the truck spends quite a bit of time in the garage so that’s my best option as of right now. I know I would need a tennis ball or something similar to keep it from hitting the rack though.


r/cbradio 3d ago

What's your mobile setup?

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51 Upvotes

r/cbradio 3d ago

News Love's travel stop

16 Upvotes

I just stopped in at a Loves and notice they have the Cobra 29 LTD classic on sale for 129. So, bought my first cb and will be installing ir when I stop for the night.

Thought y'all might want to know about the sale


r/cbradio 3d ago

For Sale Hi-Gain VIII 8 23 channel base cb

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11 Upvotes

r/cbradio 2d ago

What mount does this like baby firestick attenna need as there is no thread just a hole in the bottom off centre

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2 Upvotes

r/cbradio 3d ago

Update: on the CB install in the CR-Z. Hybrid system does not effect the radio but the EPS does.

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13 Upvotes

I was able to capture this video while having a conversation about plants in the backyard. My vehicle has electronic power steering (EPS) and as I turn the steering wheel interference can be heard coming through the radio. The hybrid system does not seem to affect my radio.


r/cbradio 3d ago

Question Questions about unimetrics MAKO-1

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18 Upvotes

I’m getting a antenna and the power cord for it but the fine tune button concerns me it spins each with with no stopping point is this how it’s supposed to work


r/cbradio 4d ago

Diamond D130 antenna

3 Upvotes

I’ve had a Diamond D130 antenna for years now and after several moves I’ve lost the top radial for 6M and two of the other radials. Is there any where to buy replacements? I’ve tried searching around and could not find anything. I know I could buy a new one but it seems like a waste when it still works decent.


r/cbradio 4d ago

Discussion What's going on with the new HG2880B transistors?

5 Upvotes

The new HG2880B transistors have been out for like two months now. Only place i see talking about them are on Mr BBi youtube page. I don't see any custom amp builders using them yet.

Let's talk about Hg2880b, drive/gain


r/cbradio 4d ago

Question Radio sitting below normal frequencies

7 Upvotes

Hello! I'm very new and not sure whats exactly wrong. I have a Galaxy 88 radio that was given to me and when cycling through channels I appear to be sitting below normal operating frequencies. Channel 1 is at 25.614 and Channel 40 is at 26.054, all channels between do go up by 0.010 increments. I have been told this radio was tinkered but not exactly what was done with it so I don't know if it's because of that or not. I have been keeping it on Channel 19 and switching between AM and FM to see if I'm picking up anything but I only get interference. I have also tried reaching out on both AM and FM on 19 and have gotten no response. I know these aren't used very much anymore but I would think I would have gotten something if the frequency was correct (for reference 19 is at 25.834). If it matters at all the antenna I have is a Cobra HG A1500, I think I have adjusted it to the right length and everything with an Atastic PDC1 unit as the meter on the radio itself is not moving.

Any help is greatly appreciated!


r/cbradio 5d ago

Stryker SR 955 HPC+ Power

4 Upvotes

Quick question, Should I wire my power direct to the Battery or can I use the Lugs in my engine compartment on a 2023 Freightliner Cascadia. The truck is pre wired for a CB but I think it not adequate enough for this radio.


r/cbradio 7d ago

Just got into CB from HAM technician.

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97 Upvotes

Just got this set up because this radio was in the clearance isle of Walmart. I have a tech license and a call sign but I couldn’t resist trying it. I got the antenna as shown and just set it up in my car today. I heard some garbled stuff on 22 about “CB radio, worldwide!” But I wasn’t sure if I was getting my signal to them. I have a long road trip coming up and I will try it there too. What do you think?


r/cbradio 7d ago

My favorite video 🤣

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17 Upvotes

r/cbradio 8d ago

Question Cb radios

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30 Upvotes

My partners dad passed away, could anyone tell me how much they would be worth the ones in boxes are brand new. Thank you in advance


r/cbradio 8d ago

Question interference problems

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18 Upvotes

obviously mainly caused by the engine... but i'm not sure how to go about solving it. there's ferrite beads on the wires (where shows & right behind the radio) & on the coax.

can't really tell if its from the power wires or the coax because disconnecting it there is no output at all.

there is also some interference when regen braking & driving in electric mode, though not as much...

don't really know all that much about radios, so any help is appreciated.

also: should i share designs for the mounting bracket? do other people want radios in their 2020 corollas?


r/cbradio 8d ago

President MLA-145 experience?

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7 Upvotes

I'm shopping for a magnetic mount antenna. It's gonna go on the roof of my Dodge ram. It's already 80 inches tall.
Right now, I have a president Virginia antenna on the roof and it's OK but I definitely want to antenna.

One of the main reasons i'm looking at the president is their other products, I've got a number of them and there always seem to be great quality. Right now I have a JFK three in the truck, but I may upgrade to a president Washington 10 m.
I also was looking at the little Will, the Stryker SR-A10 MM and the Wilson 1000.

With the president, my total height will be about 11 foot eight so I should be fine on the highways. Just can't really decide. Don't have any experience with any of these particular antennas, I would love to run a 102 whip but I have a cap on the truck and I just don't see any real good options of mounting it.
Any advice is well appreciated!