Midland GMRS portable radios repeater capable?

[Robert831]

Hello. I am looking at the midland gmrs handheld radios, do any work on repeaters? I know their mobile radios do.

Thanks

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

One thing that Midland (and BaoFeng) does differently on most models is that they employ narrow band emissions (11k0F3E or less) on their transmitter modulation. This means that nominal deviation is topped out at +/- 2.5 KHz for modulation and the CTCSS tone is reduced as well, ~ +/- 500 hZ. GMRS channels with 25 KHz channel spacing, the pairs used for repeaters are authorized for 16K0F3E or 20K0F3E which means +/- 5.0 KHz with CTCSS tone (or DCS) around +/- 700 Hz.

You will find that with reduced deviation, your radio will sound weak and the tone or digital squelch may not activate the repeater.

When you choose a radio for GMRS, seek radios authorized for 16K0F3E or 20K0F3E on the FCC Certification.

 

[prcguy]

One thing that Midland (and BaoFeng) does differently on most models is that they employ narrow band emissions (11k0F3E or less) on their transmitter modulation. This means that nominal deviation is topped out at +/- 2.5 KHz for modulation and the CTCSS tone is reduced as well, ~ +/- 500 hZ. GMRS channels with 25 KHz channel spacing, the pairs used for repeaters are authorized for 16K0F3E or 20K0F3E which means +/- 5.0 KHz with CTCSS tone (or DCS) around +/- 700 Hz.

You will find that with reduced deviation, your radio will sound weak and the tone or digital squelch may not activate the repeater.

When you choose a radio for GMRS, seek radios authorized for 16K0F3E or 20K0F3E on the FCC Certification.

Early Midlands were narrow band, later versions allow wide band.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

Early Midlands were narrow band, later versions allow wide band.

That is somewhat a mystery. An anecdotal tale.

Some of the radios apparently were programmable by some software distributed by Midland support. However these same radios were never type accepted for a wideband modulation. They are listed 12K0F3E or lower. So why would Midland risk the wrath of the FCC to aid end users in "modifying" a radio? Or did the software actually do nothing, beyond perhaps change the receiver bandwidth. I am waiting for someone to prove me wrong by showing before and after on a modulation analyzer.

Have you benched one of those radios?

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

I will concede that SOME of their new radios are wideband, one even does both:​

​

MXT500VP3-WHIP MicroMobile®Two-Way Radio

Get the most powerful GMRS radio for your farm or ranch at Midland Radio. The waterproof MXT500 MicroMobile two-way radio offers 15 GMRS channels.

midlandusa.com

MMAMXT575​

462.55-462.725 MHz	48.87 Watts	2.5ppm	16K0F3E	95E	1.1
462.5625-462.7125 MHz	4.08 Watts	2.5ppm	16K0F3E	95E	1.2
467.55-467.725 MHz	46.67 Watts	2.5ppm	16K0F3E	95E	1.3

​

But this popular model is not

MXT105 MicroMobile® Two-Way Radio

With 5 Watts of power and NOAA Weather Radio, the Midland MXT105 MicroMobile 2-Way Radio is one of Midland's most versatile two-way GMRS radios.

midlandusa.com

FCC ID MMAMXT105​

462.55-462.725 MHz

4.9 Watts

1.3200000000ppm

11K0F3E

95A

1

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

Nor is this new portable:

Midland X-TALKER T295VP4 GMRS Two-Way Hunting Radio

The Midland X-TALKER T295VP4 GMRS two-way radio features weather scan technology and 5 animal tones. Purchase this hunting radio at Midland Radio.

midlandusa.com

FCC ID MMAT295​

462.55-462.725 MHz	2.85 Watts	2.5ppm	10K5F3E	95A	1.3
462.5625-462.7125 MHz	2.85 Watts	2.5ppm	10K5F3E	95A	1.1
467.5625-467.7125 MHz	500 mW	2.5ppm	10K5F3E	95A	1.2
5.86-5.92 GHz	56 mW	4.2400000000ppm	8M08D1D	95E	2.1

That Midland has even made a move toward releasing wideband radios, is probably due to the MANY public comments I have made in past about their narrowband radios.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

It is caveat emptor when buying radios. You must look up the FCC ID number for any assurance of the performance you are getting. I suggest even going as far as looking at the modulation plots in the test reports.

 

[prcguy]

That is somewhat a mystery. An anecdotal tale.

Some of the radios apparently were programmable by some software distributed by Midland support. However these same radios were never type accepted for a wideband modulation. They are listed 12K0F3E or lower. So why would Midland risk the wrath of the FCC to aid end users in "modifying" a radio? Or did the software actually do nothing, beyond perhaps change the receiver bandwidth. I am waiting for someone to prove me wrong by showing before and after on a modulation analyzer.

Have you benched one of those radios?

No but I belong to an off road vehicle group who has been using the Midland model MTX275 and MTX575 GMRS radios and they have examples of early versions that are narrow band only and later versions that do wide band on channels where wide band is allowed. There is a certain mfg date when Midland made the change.