My radio is werid it seems like mine never gets clear it gets clear but not really clear also if I turn it all the way counter clockwise I hear nothing, then I turn it just a little I’ll hear stuff and then ones I get a quarter way turned it stops and the rest of adjustment is nothing.
Could also be a dirty squelch potentiometer (name for the variable resistor control that the knob turns). If it's scratchy like a volume knob sometimes can be, would cause the squelch threshold to also act erratic (removing the bottom cover of the radio then spraying some contact cleaner into the opening on the back of all the controls might help).
As for finding someone to talk to, you might have a better chance finding someone on it at night.
At night that "California thing" (atmospheric skip) generally goes away after the sun goes down and you should then be able to hear much further locally around your area (and others being able to hear you). You might have to spin the dial around a few times, maybe try at different times in the evening, but many areas do still have active local groups (and many areas are also devoid of CB activity, so it could go either way).
If you're near an interstate highway, you might be able to catch some people passing through too. But as said earlier, even truck drivers aren't using as much as they once did (I s'pose they probably have a phone app that uses the internet that's replaced CB for the most part since cell service is usually available along interstates).
Regarding clarity, it's also common to get a lot of static during comms. Some radios have beautifully clear transception, with good quality components like a high-end microphone. Most people never buy better parts. That's not to say that the mics that come with the radios aren't good - theyre just "ok"; good enough. You can tell when a high quality setup is used.
The Cobra 75 you suggested earlier would be a glaring exception to that... Those radios don't qualify for even "ok, good enough", they have the worst microphones built into them (planting your face into a pillow and yelling into it works about as good, because that's about what they sound like). And because the mic is the whole radio, you can't just replace/upgrade it like you can on a regular radio (not without microsurgery anyway).
Instead, this would be a much better recommendation for an all-in-the-mic radio (and you can use it portable too if you want):
Everyone you communicate with who's experienced the transmitting end of a Cobra 75 will greatly appreciate it!
