1. A Fun Popular Hobby

There are a huge number of individuals that support the citizen band and ham radio community. The community as a whole has become what it once was in the beginning: selective enthusiasts who can enjoy using the radios, tinkering and modifying them and staying in touch with like-minded individuals. There are many CB and Ham Radio clubs up and down the country and numerous forums online. It's a fun and engaging hobby where you can meet and make new friends.

2. Guaranteed Radio Signal

Depending on your lifestyle, you might often find yourself in areas where signal and service are unreliable for a mobile phone. This situation can be pretty dangerous, especially if you're off-roading in your jeep or hiking. Even some towns and villages struggle with decent connections, so it’s not all about being out adventuring.

A CB radio will always have a signal no matter where you are.

3. Emergency Communication

Radios of any kind are designed with communication at their heart, from the music and news radio stations to CB radios themselves. But with natural disasters on the rise, emergency communication is where the latter differentiates from the former – and in quite a significant way.

CB radios allow truck drivers, car drivers, farmers, campers, preppers, survivalists, RVers, hikers, rescue teams and just about anyone else to communicate with others in an emergency – and with natural disasters becoming more common than ever before, that’s a necessity. Ensuring you have a connection to others no matter where you go is essential to keep you safe, and CB radios offer that protection.

Many Preppers have a CB radio because they know of the importance and value of radio communication. Especially, in preparation for a time when satellites no longer work and mobile cellular communication ceases to function. That in itself is one of the main reasons why it is important to consider owning even a portable citizen band radio.

4. Save Money

An underrated benefit of opting for a CB radio over a mobile phone is the cost. If you're a radio enthusiast and this is a hobby, the cost may not be of as much concern to you. Still, for those thinking about using CB radios as an alternative to a phone (e.g., survivalists, parents, etc.), cost will be a factor.

CB radio doesn't require a licence or monthly subscription. Once you have invested in your radio set-up you just power it up and it's free to use.

These days, mobile phones can be expensive and are full of all sorts of apps and features. While this can be seen as a good thing for those interested, if all you want is to be able to contact your friends and family, it can be annoying at best and overwhelming at worst. The best thing about a CB radio is that it takes all of that complication away and keeps simple communication at its heart.

5. Adventure Assistance

Finally, if you're an outdoorsy person constantly hiking, fishing, hunting, or doing any other sport that takes you to places in the middle of nowhere, a CB radio is close enough to a must-have. Especially if you’re out and about alone, some of these adventure activities can be dangerous, and even the more tame ones still risk you tripping and hurting yourself.

But it’s not just about lack of signal when you’re adventuring – if your phone battery dies or you’ve used all your data and call minutes, having a CB radio can be the difference in whether you get help or not. Have a CB radio on you at all times and explore to your heart's content, knowing you can contact the emergency services should you need to.

Please bear in mind that CB radio is for short-range communication and should be one of a number backup communication devices you should use for emergency situations.

6. Keeping Track of Kids

Staying on the subject of the key difference between regular radio and CB radio is that only one can help you keep track of your children and better protect them. You guessed it, it's CB. If both you and your children have a radio, you can easily communicate whenever needed.

That means you can always know where they are without having to give in and buy them a phone. It might be that you feel your kids are too young or have no interest in getting one, but a CB radio is a great way to contact your children without relying on a phone.