Midland MXT275 MicroMobile

Jerry Bransford said:
Zorba look up QRP power which is ham interest in running very low amounts of power to communicate over very long distances on the HF band. Power is much less of an issue on the HF band than it is on the VHF and UHF bands. 😊
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Yea, that's true too - in fact, QRP is something I want to look into.
 
Zorba said:
I completely concur - however, I do have a question. In "practical terms", where does the balance between CB and GMRS lie in regards to power? Yes, the HF signal goes further all other things being equal, but GMRS allows one to use over 12X the power. I don't have the answer to this...

As for those asking why GMRS sounds better, as others have stated, its simply AM vs FM - but what doesn't help CB in the slightest are all the idiots running illegal linear amps, over modulating with "power mics" cranked to 11, stupid echo effects, using 3X their bandwidth because of said linears, etc, etc, blah, blah, blah... AM and CB *can* be pretty clear, but the idiot in SoCal on a 1KW linear shooting skip into Florida (or wherever) like I heard just this afternoon doesn't do anybody any favors. I used to love to listen and talk to the truckers on 19 - today on I-95 all I got was over amped fools from out of state, and not a peep from any of the trucks I was rolling with.
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It depends
Are you using a repeater or simplex?
Pikes Peak down into Kansas or 20mi off shore to ???
Are you shooting skip because of an opening or tropospheric ducting?

Lots of variables but it’s possible to use the moon as a repeater with 50w on UHF
 
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never monday said:
It depends
Are you using a repeater or simplex?
Pikes Peak down into Kansas or 20mi off shore to ???
Are you shooting skip because of an opening or tropospheric ducting?

Lots of variables but it’s possible to use the moon as a repeater with 50w on UHF
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Naw, I'm trying for knife edge diffraction!
 
I have run a CB for 20 years and recently added the the Midland MXT275 because so many people around here are using GMRS. It also overlaps with my kid's bubble pack walkie talkies which is a plus not only for them, but also because I have a few spares of those too loan out on the trail, and those are like >$20 a pair.

The sound quality and range with my little 15 watt GMRS is far and away better in every situation I have tested it in. The ability to utilize local repeaters is a huge plus. I have yet to be on the trail where I know other people have CB's and said "let's switch to CB, I'm losing you." I have lost CB only people in our same group though.

I mounted a little J-pole to the kid's treehouse and gave them a UV-5R to plug in to it (spare me the part 95 speech, please). They get a kick out of talking to me from their treehouse when I'm out and about in the Jeep. They also figured out several of their friends in the area have bubble pack radios and now they chat away about Pokemon and whatever else on them. Better then them asking to video call on FB messenger as far as I'm concerned.
GMRS is far better than CB in every way and every situation I have thrown at it, hypothetical HF skips aside.

As for the MXT275, it's fine and well suited for a Jeep with tight spaces if you are trying to keep things clean. Functionality is good, but not being able to label repeaters or have repeaters on the same channel with different tones preprogrammed is annoying. I just purchased a new 50 watt rig for the Jeep and plan to install the MXT275 in the treehouse for the boys soon.
 
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SkylinesSuck said:
t tones canI have run a CB for 20 years and recently added the the Midland MXT275 because so many people around here are using GMRS. It also overlaps with my kid's bubble pack walkie talkies which is a plus not only for them, but also because I have a few spares of those too loan out on the trail, and those are like >$20 a pair.

The sound quality and range with my little 15 watt GMRS is far and away better in every situation I have tested it in. The ability to utilize local repeaters is a huge plus. I have yet to be on the trail where I know other people have CB's and said "let's switch to CB, I'm losing you." I have lost CB only people in our same group though.

I mounted a little J-pole to the kid's treehouse and gave them a UV-5R to plug in to it (spare me the part 95 speech, please). They get a kick out of talking to me from their treehouse when I'm out and about in the Jeep. They also figured out several of their friends in the area have bubble pack radios and now they chat away about Pokemon and whatever else on them. Better then them asking to video call on FB messenger as far as I'm concerned.
GMRS is far better than CB in every way and every situation I have thrown at it, hypothetical HF skips aside.

As for the MXT275, it's fine and well suited for a Jeep with tight spaces if you are trying to keep things clean. Functionality is good, but not being able to label repeaters or have repeaters on the same channel with different tones preprogrammed is annoying. I just purchased a new 50 watt rig for the Jeep and plan to install the MXT275 in the treehouse for the boys soon.
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Yes, repeaters with split tones will challenge the 275. It's not a deal breaker for the benefit of it's simplicity and compactness. I turn on both speakers and just turn on monitor mode to rx the tx. A little annoying, but doable.
 
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Not just split tones, but also different repeaters on the same freq with different tones. Like when you travel.

I just fired up my new radio and started tinkering then realized one thing I hate hate hate about the Midland. It won't automatically turn itself on with switched power. Obviously it turns off with power, but you need to physically turn it back on after every time you start the Jeep. That annoys the piss out of me.
 
Sorry but I am a plumber and not an electrician so all this watts and radio waves are greek to me. :)
So looking at the MXT400 is the additional watts only used on repeaters ? and why does it have sooo many more buttons than the little brother the MXT115 ?
 
Also confused on how DCS codes work, if there are only 8 channels w/o repeaters how do you keep from hearing everyone else using say channel 4 when out with a large jeep event ?
 
CTCSS & DCS codes/tones are like sticking your fingers in your ears except for anyone also on that specific code/tone. Everybody else without the tones will hear you, but you won't hear them. It's the opposite of privacy. Reference a big Jeep event, there are 22 channels, not 8, but if you wanted to be on the same channel and not hear everyone else, CTCSS/DCS codes are designed exactly for that. Not sure how well that would work on a super busy frequency in a small area though, sorry. I'd just use a different channel.

You can run 5/15/40/50w on simplex or a repeater. One is not related to the other. Mo powa (watts) = mo range. Mo buttons = mo features. For somebody who is only going to turn it on occasionally when they hit the trail and want it dead nuts simple, the Midland MXT275 is fine.
 
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The CTCSS/DCS codes/tones are also used for repeater privacy(or lack there of). A repeater will have a certain receive/transmit frequency, and a certain privacy tone assigned to it. You have to know what ctcss or dcs tone it has in order to tx to it.
 
SkylinesSuck said:
CTCSS & DCS codes/tones are like sticking your fingers in your ears except for anyone also on that specific code/tone. Everybody else without the tones will hear you, but you won't hear them. It's the opposite of privacy. Reference a big Jeep event, there are 22 channels, not 8, but if you wanted to be on the same channel and not hear everyone else, CTCSS/DCS codes are designed exactly for that. Not sure how well that would work on a super busy frequency in a small area though, sorry. I'd just use a different channel.

You can run 5/15/40/50w on simplex or a repeater. One is not related to the other. Mo powa (watts) = mo range. Mo buttons = mo features. For somebody who is only going to turn it on occasionally when they hit the trail and want it dead nuts simple, the Midland MXT275 is fine.
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How did you come up 22 channels ? just asking

Midlands show these numbers

8 Repeater Channels

15 Hi Power Channels (GMRS Channels: 1-7 & 15-22)


so 15 and if you add the 8 Repeater Channels you get 23,
 
.

Frequency-Channel-Chart.jpg
 
Roger. I hadn't really paid attention to my Midland in those super low power channels so didn't notice they were missing. That's where I got my numbers from though.
 
So going to order the Midland MXT275 radio and keep my CB also. Currently my CB is power through a switch on my sPOD, any issues with connecting the GMRS radio to the same sPOD switch. So when the switch is turned on it would send power to both radios. And would there be any problems if for some reason both radios were turned on ?
 
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Plumber1 said:
So going to order the Midland MXT275 radio and keep my CB also. Currently my CB is power through a switch on my sPOD, any issues with connecting the GMRS radio to the same sPOD switch. So when the switch is turned on it would send power to both radios. And would there be any problems if for some reason both radios were turned on ?
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dont know about power wise, but I dont get any interference if I turn on my CB and GMRS. I have the Uniden pro 510xl 3' firestik right next to my midlan mxt275 upgraded antenna. Both are wired to a custom auxillary fuse block that goes directly to the battery. I can use it with the jeep on or off and I dont have any issues.
 
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