Its been a really long time but if I rememeber correctly, you want to get an antenna that is as close to the signal length as possible or half of it. Most metal whips are full wave antenna and it had been my experience that you can get half wave fiberglass ones that work well. The antenna is set up with an SWR meter which hooks between the antenna and the CB and measures how well they are working together. It measures the Signal to Wave Ratio and that like the antenna, needs to be as close to the wave lenght as possible. There are adjustments that can be made to the antenna that varies this. Unless you want to buy this meter, there isnt any real way to tell what the SWR is and you risk burning out your radio if its off too badly. Do as Cuervo suggested, go to a truck stop and ask, you might luck out and find someone that knows how and has the meter. Thats the scoop as I rememeber it, maybe I will stand corrected. Good Luck! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/notooth.gif" alt="" />