Increasing range...

Tuning your antenna, having good coax, and tuning the output and input of your radio should do the trick, k40 antennas are good, it's a matter of preference for the most part

 

It's called a "peak and tune", it should be around 30 dollars, but make sure a good CB shop does it,, a lot of CB shops suck and they will actually mess up the radio.

 

Agreed! Although a Wilson 2000 trucker is good too. And make sure you run good RG8X coax. These two items make or break ANY radio, even the biggest of the biggest. Also you want as much metal whip of the CB antenna in the air.

Forget those 3 and 4 foot fiberglass whips....they only work for so far, whereas a metal steel whip antenna surpasses them.

 

Not as straighjtorward as it sounds at first.

1. Are the SWR's acceptable?
2. Is the antenna Mostly clear of surrounding metal?

You should get out way further than 50m yards even with a weak stock setup.

3. Does the radio put out at least 3.5 to 3 watts? Even that's good for better than 50 yards