Pre-sale on the new 15-watt Midland MXT275 GMRS Radio

Earlier today Midland announced they are releasing their latest radio (MXT275) on July 23, but you can pre-order now. Just placed my order for $150 for the kit. I have no idea why they won't allow additional purchases with a pre-sale, but I plan on acquiring all the supplies to do a clean install remotely in my truck since the controls are all built into the mic.

I hope it was worth the wait...



Edit: 6/30/2021 Maybe Midland must have read this post? Or they heard from many people about the split-tone issue, because they just released an updated version of this radio that allows split-tone repeaters! Therefore, I am updating this post to give credit where credit is due. It's a solid radio and works great.

Edit: 4/1/2019 I have used this radio for eight months now. This radio is awesome as long as you don't need to connect to a split-tone repeater. When communicating via a split-tone repeater, you must be in "monitor" mode and you are forced to hear all the loud static in order to receive transmissions. If Midland had enabled what is called a "Carrier squelch" to block raw static, this would have eliminated the problem. Being in monitor mode became too annoying, so I am upgrading to a radio with carrier squelch and split-tone programming capability...

 

Explain this to me please.

I'm looking to go fishing in areas where I don't have cell reception so I've just recently been looking into getting a CB radio and antenna. Please educate me.

 

Nothing wrong with CB, but this radio talks to both GMRS and FRS with much better voice clarity and simplicity than CB (or anything else other than a cell phone) for several miles in mild to moderate terrain. I have used this model's nearly identical twin, the

$165 MXT115 - 15 Watt GMRS MicroMobile Two Way Trails Radio - Off Roading Outdoor RZR Farm - 8 Repeater Channels Extended Range - External Magnetic Mount Antenna - NOAA Weather Alerts

MXT115, which has the display and controls in the base instead of the mic. I'll let the hardcore radioheads take it from here since I just got into radio early this year...

 

Is it worth getting this new model over an older cheaper model?

Does anybody have pictures of something similar to this mounted in the truck?

 

GMRS is great if you want to talk with someone who has it, but there lies it’s weakness. I rely on my Ham rigs a lot, with a license you can use those to talk with other Hams very long distances away, but a CB is also good for talking with more people on the road and for emergency calls in the backcountry and on remote highways, so I keep one for backup too. Also have a PLB for dire emergencies only, unlike a SPOT or Garmin beacon that allow you to send non-emergency messages, they dont require a subscription and are only for distress calls to satellites from anywhere on Earth.

 

Don’t rely on any radio for an emergency even ham. Get a Spot, Inreach or PLB for backcountry emergencies.

Radios are good for communicating with others in your group.

 

had a CB and handle back in the 70's and early 80's, now I think you need a license for a CB, not familiar with the others, but will look into this, thanks...

 

Looks cool, but who has GMRS radios?

 

The FCC required CB licenses when they first came out, but the band sort of went public domain after that. Thats why people use handles and never identify themselves with a valid call ID like Hams do.

 

Had a SPOT for work I used to do, their monthly subscription rates are expensive if you are only using it for emergency calls, otherwise they are good for doing position sharing (tracking mode), for sending non emergency messages, and yes, you can order pizza and beer delivery with a SPOT PLB too. I only used my SPOT once for an emergency call in a three year period at a motorcycle accident scene, but made a lot of check-in messages with it.

I stopped using my SPOT PLB, and purchased a ACR ResQLink+ (EPIRB - Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon). EPIRB’s are initially expensive to buy, but do not require a subscription. Their only drawback is that they are only for sending out emergency calls for people, not pets, and not to call for a tow if your truck breaks down (well yes, if you are broken down in Death Valley backcountry in the summer and are running low on water while waiting under your truck, you best use it then for a emergency ride out).

My Ham rigs are great for other calls - I was able to send messages home from Death Valley and eastern Oregon with no problems (using packet and APRS - a digital message mode and position sharing function).

NVNV is right though, any type of PLB is best for making sure your emergency calls get out from mostly anywhere on Earth (like with GPS, you have to see the sky for SPOT to work really well, but EPIRB’s also send a seperate radio signal out that can be picked up and triangulated by satellites even if it’s not reporting your GPS position).

 

I use my ham a lot for messaging but never rely on it fully if I need help. SMSGTE is an awesome service and works really well. Unfortunately Nevada has some huge gaps in repeater coverage.

I’ve been eyeing the ResQlink instead of the Spot or Inreach. I really don’t need the tracking or messaging and only care about the big red button if SHTF and I need help. Plus from what I’ve read the PLBs are more reliable and have a higher probability of getting out if activated.

 

Not a ton of people but a lot of the guys in the expedition YouTube vids have run them thus getting the info out there that they are an alternative. The only issue is that Midland is the only company who has been making mobile versions/non-handhelds, excluding export radios or hams that program in the GMRS frequencies. And there mid-tier option was a piece of shit with receive issues. Not sure if they fixed that.

GMRS also requires a 10yr license if you want to play by the rules. But it extends to your family and doesn’t require a test.

Edit: GMRS also benefits from repeaters just like HAM. At least in GA there is a decent repeater network and I could communicate with guys up in North, GA with myself being very much south end of the state.

 

I've been doing some research on it today, and it seems like a good system. Unfortunately for practical use it's more important to use what others commonly have which seems to be HAM or CB. I've used VHF for a long time while boating, but looking to get into something else. HAM is definitely the best, but the learning curve is steep, plus the licenses, plus higher equipment costs. I'm going to do more research on GMRS though, since it seems like the ideal cost/benefit ratio.

 

Ordered mine yesterday! I also got one of these a while back in preparation for a clean install.

 

It looks like the ResQlink does not require a service to operate. Is that true. That's what kept me away from the spot ect was the high monthly service costs.

 

The ResQlink does not require a service subscription, it is designed to only transmit your location for emergency service calls and can’t be used for messaging like the Spot system.

It is better than the SPOT for emergency calls because it is more successful at getting the distress call out if you are in a canyon or under a lot of obstructions. It transmits at several frequencies- one for satellites to find your position, and another to send a beacon for rescuers to locate you on the ground. It doesnt need to have a GPS fix on you to locate your position (it does if it can though), otherwise satellites will just triangulate your position within 100m or so by the radio signals it sends.

 

So you can't talk to people who have CBs with this? Only other GMRS radios? I really like the small form factor of these devices but if all my other friends have to have one, don't think it'll viable for me.

 

Totally different bands. CB is HF, and GMRS is UHF.

 

Don't forget that you can get a CB with SSB (single side band). SSB can travel further and does not require a license like a Ham operator. I used one for years. CB frequency uses 4 watts and some radios their SSB uses 8 watts. So you are definitely pushing out your signal further, and still legal.

 

Link?

Can you guys do a install write up. I'm looking to add something like this and know nothing about CBs radios and what not. I dont even know what GMRS is.