Step up from Midland MXT400 class...to what?

[RenoHuskerDu]

From this thread NXT400 discussion in 2020 I gleaned that the Midland MXT400, now at over $250, is a big step up from bubble pack but as @mmckenna says does not match the capabilities of a Part 95 commercial radio. Right away I spotted that it has only 3 power levels starting at 3w. I prefer to use lower wattage whenever it works.

Which Part 95 commercial radios would you recommend as a step up from the MXT400? I need to purchase at least 5 mobile units for my small business and family use. We have a GMRS license. I have a 70cm amp in a box with my spare ham stuff, but only one. So a mobile with more watts on the head unit would be best. We're in rural Texas and rarely hear repeater traffic on our scanners.

Of course I plan to do well-grounded nmo mounts in the vehicle roofs, dedicated 70cm whips, solid wiring to the battery, well fused, copper butter, etc.

SNIP
We all know that GMRS users that really understand the capabilities of 50 watts on UHF will prefer to use a Part 95 commercial mobile that the end user can program the way they want. SNIP

 

[mmckenna]

Kenwood TK-8180K is a good choice. I'm running the VHF version in my wife's truck. A lot more programming options compared to the consumer stuff. If you are using these in a high noise environment add an external speaker and the audio is clean and loud.

RF amplifiers require type certification, too, so an amp designed for amateur radio 70cm use may not be legal. There are Part 95 approved amps out there, but few and far between. A good mobile and permanent mounted antenna is a better option.

Don't use ham grade 70cm antennas. Most of them are tuned down around 440MHz and may not be ideal for what you are doing. Get a good Larsen NMO mount antenna tuned for 462MHz if you are going to run simplex, or ~465 if you are going to use repeaters. Permanent mount antenna in the center of the vehicle roof. Don't cut corners on your installation. Power directly off the battery, permanent NMO.

 

[RenoHuskerDu]

Kenwood TK-8180K is a good choice. I'm running the VHF version in my wife's truck. A lot more programming options compared to the consumer stuff. If you are using these in a high noise environment add an external speaker and the audio is clean and loud.

RF amplifiers require type certification, too, so an amp designed for amateur radio 70cm use may not be legal. There are Part 95 approved amps out there, but few and far between. A good mobile and permanent mounted antenna is a better option.

Don't use ham grade 70cm antennas. Most of them are tuned down around 440MHz and may not be ideal for what you are doing. Get a good Larsen NMO mount antenna tuned for 462MHz if you are going to run simplex, or ~465 if you are going to use repeaters. Permanent mount antenna in the center of the vehicle roof. Don't cut corners on your installation. Power directly off the battery, permanent NMO.

Great minds stink alike, but you forgot nmo rain caps in case you remove the whip! You and I are in violent agreement. I want that SWR down low. Is HRO still a go-to source for good prices and quality equipment? I lived in yurrup for 20 years and am no longer up to date. I see no HROs or Radio Shacks around anymore. I live pretty far rural but we still go to town every month or so.

 

[DeoVindice]

I'll second the TK-8180, with a TK-880 as a secondary suggestion if small size is critical. They'll both do FleetSync caller ID and the 8180 will also do MDC1200. I've used both models quite a bit (as well as the NX-900 and TK-980 800 MHz versions) and about the only bad thing I can say about them is that interchangeable labeled keycaps are not available, and if I remember correctly a function key cannot be used to toggle between high and low power.

I use an EF Johnson 5300ES as my GMRS mobile right now with the 8180 as my base and an 880 as a backup. The 5300ES is a monstrous military-grade brick of a radio but programming is more complicated than a Kenwood and we're currently between batches of surplus so availability is very limited.

 

[RenoHuskerDu]

Thanks guys, I was able to nab two 8180HK2 models just now on fleabay. The last two in stock on fleabay today.
American Communication Systems has more than two in stock, but at well over double the price. Ouch.

 

[RenoHuskerDu]

Also, if anyone's interested, here's a forum dedicated to GMRS only

myGMRS.com Forums

forums.mygmrs.com

 

[mmckenna]

Thanks guys, I was able to nab two 8180HK2 models just now on fleabay. The last two in stock on fleabay today.
American Communication Systems has more than two in stock, but at well over double the price. Ouch.

HK2's and K2's do not have Part 95 acceptance. Only the K does.

But unlikely anyone will know….

 

[mmckenna]

Great minds stink alike, but you forgot nmo rain caps in case you remove the whip!

Only if you remove the whip. I have one in my toolbox, but I don't carry it in the truck. It won't fit through car washes, so no need to remove it.

Is HRO still a go-to source for good prices and quality equipment?

They sell Larsen antennas and mounts. Just don't let the hams that work in there talk you into those silly hammy antennas. Go with Larsen, Laird, etc. Don't buy the Chinese junk.
www.TheAntennaFarm.com is a good source of this stuff, they ship pretty quick and their prices are good. When I'm placing small orders at work that are under the minimum orders for the bigger companies, I'll often use Antenna Farm.

 

[RenoHuskerDu]

I also had good results with AntennaFarm for my 70cm scanner setup. Thanks again guys.

> HK2's and K2's do not have Part 95 acceptance. Only the K does.

Thanks for that info. Out here in rural TX we really need the wattage. Lots of rolling hills perturbing LOS.

 

[mmckenna]

Thanks for that info. Out here in rural TX we really need the wattage. Lots of rolling hills perturbing LOS.

UHF is line of sight in most instances, going from 30 watts on the K to the 45 on the HK won't be much of a difference.

 

[W8UU]

Anything commercial grade is the way to go on GMRS. It's all I ever used. Still running a couple of GE MLS 16 channel units with Maxrad 5 dB gain antennas cut for GMRS. Works well. Base station is a Kenwood TK-890 on a power supply with desk mic.

 

[W8UU]

They sell Larsen antennas and mounts. Just don't let the hams that work in there talk you into those silly hammy antennas. Go with Larsen, Laird, etc. Don't buy the Chinese junk. www.TheAntennaFarm.com is a good source of this stuff, they ship pretty quick and their prices are good.

Yes. 1000 times over. Stay away from the ham radio cheap junk and the homemade antennas. The Chinese radios aren't worth the gunpowder it would take to blow them away. Get on eBay or one of the dozen or so Facebook groups that offer commercial grade equipment for sale. You can do better - often for less money - going that route than by mail ordering the China crap.

The Antenna Farm gives great deals and good service. An excellent place to shop for someone who needs ONE antenna.

 

[RenoHuskerDu]

I've zero'd in on the Laird Technologies B4503R because of its short whip and integrated elastomer spring. Low hanging branches happen out on our dirt roads. It's a 3dB gain but with the Kenwoods I won't be hurting for tx power.

 

[mmckenna]

That should be fine.

I prefer the Larsen and EM Wave bases over the Lairds.

https://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=191_192_196_214&products_id=816

https://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=191_192_196_214&products_id=9248

The EM Wave are nice antennas, I recently started using them on my own personal trucks. It's less expensive than the Larsen and Laird, depending on where you purchase.

 

[RenoHuskerDu]

SNIP
The EM Wave are nice antennas, I recently started using them on my own personal trucks. It's less expensive than the Larsen and Laird, depending on where you purchase.

Hmmm, the EM Flex has a black stainless mast. I prefer that. Thank you.

As for the Tram 1252-FME NMO cables that Antenna Farm offers, I haven't seen Tram parts before. Do you believe they are OK?

 

[RenoHuskerDu]

SNIP

The Antenna Farm gives great deals and good service. An excellent place to shop for someone who needs ONE antenna.

I just noticed your comment. I'm buying FOUR antennas. @mmckenna mentioned the EM Flex and that suits me fine. Is there someplace that you recommend for buying multiple antennas and nmo mounts?

 

[tweiss3]

Hmmm, the EM Flex has a black stainless mast. I prefer that. Thank you.

As for the Tram 1252-FME NMO cables that Antenna Farm offers, I haven't seen Tram parts before. Do you believe they are OK?

I used that tram without issue for a year, it was yanked this past weekend for Larsen NMOKHFUDNI (Type N) and added a Larsen NMOKHFUDSMAI (SMA) as I was adding an antenna and switching things around. The Tram works well, but the Larsen is much better put together.

I just noticed your comment. I'm buying FOUR antennas. @mmckenna mentioned the EM Flex and that suits me fine. Is there someplace that you recommend for buying multiple antennas and nmo mounts?

Antenna Farm is great, as is Arcantenna, I usually shop both and see which is the better price and better shipping deal.

 

[mmckenna]

As for the Tram 1252-FME NMO cables that Antenna Farm offers, I haven't seen Tram parts before. Do you believe they are OK?

NO!

The NMO mounts themselves are OK. Not impressive, but just 'OK'.
Where they really suck is the coaxial connectors. My dad bought a Tram NMO mount for his new truck a few years ago and I helped him install it. I cut the pre-installed connector off to route the cable easier and just reinstalled a new connector once we got the cable routed and cut to length.

That short bit of cable with a PL-259 connector sat there on my bench for a few weeks. Mocking me…. If people found out I had installed a Tram NMO mount, my reputation would be ruined. But there it sat, mocking me, daring me to disassemble it.

Finally, I did.
The center conductor was soldered, but the outer shield was just crimped in place. And by 'crimped in place', I mean it looks like someone smacked it with center punch. Just enough to hold it in place. The part that was sort of crimped around the connector, had been crimped with the wrong tool. They they gob the thing up with an over molded strain relief. Looked good on the outside, but when you look at what is underneath, it wasn't a quality connector, wasn't a proper connection. Just crap covered up with some shiny rubber to make it look good.

The coaxial cable itself appeared to be decent quality. Not super outstanding stuff, but decent run of the mill RG-58. The NMO connector looked OK, and it worked. But not high quality.

If you were to cut the connectors off and install your own, you'd probably be OK. But if you are going to keep the stock FME connectors, I'd say go with a name brand.

Tram/Browning were big names in CB radios back in the early years. They disappeared. Then someone bought the names, and started putting it on crap from China and selling it to unsuspecting people that either didn't know, or though the old name brand quality was back (it isn't.)

Really, if you want a decent setup, stick with Larsen. I've been using them for 30 years and never had one fail.

 

[mmckenna]

I just noticed your comment. I'm buying FOUR antennas. @mmckenna mentioned the EM Flex and that suits me fine. Is there someplace that you recommend for buying multiple antennas and nmo mounts?

For small orders like that, Antenna Farm is hard to beat.
There are other places to buy them, but as a consumer, you won't get a good price.

 

[RenoHuskerDu]

I switched to Larsen cables and EM Flex antennas. Got all the info I needed right here, before Antenna Farm customer service even answered. Come to think of it, they never answered my question a few months back about my scanner antenna.

Thanks guys.