Question re: Midland MXT275 remote mount GMRS mobile radio

[gumshoe4]

Greetings, all. I'm thinking about getting the radio described above for installation in a vehicle with no good place to mount a conventional radio.

I am aware that the Midland mobile rigs cannot do split tones...not a big deal in this area...however, there is a repeater which uses a DTCSS tone on the input, but nothing on the output. This is potentially a problem if the radio's tone control automatically programs both input and output on the same tone, since I would then not be able to hear the output...the output tone in the radio would mute it.

I'd like to know if the Midland will allow itself to programmed that way (tone on input, carrier squelch on output), or if that would also be considered splitting tones, from the radio's software perspective. Thanks in advance for all your help

73 de WRFJ682

 

[tweiss3]

Greetings, all. I'm thinking about getting the radio described above for installation in a vehicle with no good place to mount a conventional radio.

I am aware that the Midland mobile rigs cannot do split tones...not a big deal in this area...however, there is a repeater which uses a DTCSS tone on the input, but nothing on the output. This is potentially a problem if the radio's tone control automatically programs both input and output on the same tone, since I would then not be able to hear the output...the output tone in the radio would mute it.

I'd like to know if the Midland will allow itself to programmed that way (tone on input, carrier squelch on output), or if that would also be considered splitting tones, from the radio's software perspective. Thanks in advance for all your help

73 de WRFJ682

What you describe is split tones. With the Midland, it's same tone in and out, or all off.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

A problem with the Midland radios is that they are narrow band. GMRS service allows 16K0F3E which is a wide band emission +/- 5.0 KHz deviation. Most GMRS repeaters are wide band because the performance is better and most commercial grade radios are capable of wide band. Using a Midland radio on a wide band system might work but there are potentially two problems.

1) The modulation will be weak and noisy because the Midland TX deviation is only +/- 2.5 KHz , 1/2 the modulation and that unused bandwidth will be occupied with channel noise.

2) The DCS or CTCSS decoder of the repeater is expecting to see 800 to 1000 Hz subaudible deviation from the mobile and the mobile is sending 400 to 500 Hz deviation. So the repeater may be erratic in decoding the DCS or CTCSS.

You can buy many used Kenwood mobiles that are Part 95 certified. The only difficulty is getting them programmed.

As much as I like the MXT275 radio, the fact that is narrow band has me using Kenwood, Motorola Saber, and Spectra (Part 90). Also Ritron has Part 95 wide band radios.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

What you describe is split tones. With the Midland, it's same tone in and out, or all off.

I have not checked, but most commercial grade radios will defeat RX coded squelch if the Mike is removed from the hang up bracket. This to provide monitoring of the channel before TX . If Midland does not provide a monitor function like this, automatically, or via button, they dont provide the licensee the capability to monitor the channel. Something the FCC has considered in denying certain operations.

 

[alcahuete]

Another great thing about the commercial radios is that many have detatchable faces. So if you are unable to mount a conventional radio, just throw the body under the seat, or trunk, or wherever, and run the remote face somewhere convenient. Way easier to mount just the face of the radio than an entire radio, body and all.

 

[gumshoe4]

Thanks for the info, guys. You confirmed what I was thinking. Guess we'll have to look at alternative ways of doing things.

 

[Coffeemug]

I'm tired of the nonsense back and forth about which radio can I use for GMRS. It wasn't until 2014 or 2015 that Midland started a line of GMRS mobiles. I perfer the Motorola Maxtrac & CDM series of KENWOOD mobiles. I use my Connect Systems CS 800D for GMRS as well as Amateur Radio DMR. Even though the CS 800D is Part 90 I don't really see an issue unless. As long I obide by the rules on use of channels and transmit output. Who care weather or not that my radio FCC part 95 A or 95 E accept as long I'm resoncible licensee understand that those channels shared. Besides a thousands of GMRS licensee use surplus or used Part 90 radios. Even Now with the Wide Band radios are being discarded they only two options, 70cm amateur band or GMRS. I agree some FRS channels should not be programmed to transmit.

 

[N1SAK]

I have a Midland MXT275 in my wife's car. We use it with a local repeater very often and have had zero issues with it being narrow band. I'm almost always talking to her on a GMRS HT set to wide-band around my property. Again no issues with volume or intelligible reception on the handhelds or in the vehicle. Seen many people state this will be an issue as a matter of fact - and maybe it is, theoretically factual. Probably is. However, I'd wager few have actually tested this out and I wouldn't be the least surprised to find out some have done this, by accident, from HT to HT without ever realizing it "supposed" to be an issue because they weren't having one. Anyway, call me "Lucky" because I have this narrow-band-only radio and I've not had any issue using it. On the next occasion I think of, I'll test this out by setting my HT to narrow. It's possible I don't realize what I've been missing. However, if I don't, it's because I'm hearing transmissions from the vehicle just fine, no? (I am not using the Midland's stock antenna.) BTW, I bought the MXT275 radio for exactly the reason the original poster has. I had like zero dash space and plans to ditch the car in a year, so I had no desire to take on a project running the cabling around to a head unit where it'd be another project to transfer it to another car. (I'm a neat freak; won't have those cables showing the install.) Having the display on the mic was the one feature I refused to give up. Could've afforded any radio, of any transmit power (strongly considered the Wouxan KG-1000G), but alas. Anyway, while I only have the 15 watts, it's serving me at or above my expectations. Probably above since I'd read this narrow/wide band thing many times and was worried about it, only to find it hasn't held back our communications at all even though we live in a densely wooded area with many rolling hills. Yeah, there's some tough spots but that's geography working against us, not the radios. Since it has a plug for a cigarette adaptor, why not save some coin, try it out and see how you do? If it doesn't suit you, or you find this banding thing an issue, you can pack it up neatly and send it back. No harm, no foul.