as Garly Dog commented, one of the reasons for my choice was the NOAA WX radio channels...my home radios have the SAME localized warning systems, but it's nice to have some capability on the road....my "peaked" Radio Shack unit is portable with a cigarette plug in for power and a magnetic Hustler antenna...have someone with a meter check the standing wave ratio to tune the antenna's length (and mounting location if a magnetic mount)... and as stated in an earlier post, having the antennas tied down with curve to the antenna orients the ground plane for closer range reception..

all in all the reliable range for my CB is about 3 miles for highway use... more if talking to a ground station with a high antenna...I do a lot of interstate driving, and like having some voice communication regarding road blockages

prior to cell phones they were widely used on the coast here, but not so much any more...some hunters have the sideband units illeagly converted to non allocated channels to talk within hunt camps...

it is an option,but for serious communications I would look at the amateur radio license