jsouth

Do you have a good driver for the cable and select the correct port?

Hello and welcome! Glad to have you on board. Unfortunately most midland radios are unable to do split tones. I learned this the hard way myself. The MXT400 will do split tones if you buy a programming cable and find software for it. Keep in mind that you only have seven slots available to make custom stations on the 400. If you do a search on this site, you’ll find many topics and discussions about this very topic.

In answer to your question, I agree with Citizen, it will be easier if you have another radio rather than changing channels. If it helps, I do like the Wouxun KG-805G as it receives a bit better than a less expensive radio but you will pay more.

Got an extra 12volt battery hanging around? I keep a small 16ah battery on my bench just for that reason.

Mbrun is correct. The Midland micro mobile units have very limited custom capabilities. When one privacy code is selected, that’s what you get in and out. He is also correct about the MXT400 but there are only 7 frequency slots available to program split tone or custom frequencies. Midland makes great radios but they are also made to be as simple as possible. I recommend these to people that don’t want to learn anything about radios - just want them to work when they’re needed. For the rest of us, I recommend something else so you can make them work the way you want.

Mbrun is correct. The Midland micro mobile units have very limited custom capabilities. When one privacy code is selected, that’s what you get in and out. He is also correct about the MXT400 but there are only 7 frequency slots available to program split tone or custom frequencies. Midland makes great radios but they are also made to be as simple as possible. I recommend these to people that don’t want to learn anything about radios - just want them to work when they’re needed. For the rest of us, I recommend something else so you can make them work the way you want.

I purchased one for a friend.  I am disappointed that I cant change DCS codes and CTCSS codes from the radios menu.  I have the same issue with sections "canceling".    I purchased the programing cable and after a lot of trail-and-error was able to program the radio the way I wanted.
 
I have a Wouxun KG-805G that I use daily.  The menus area a lot more simple and straight forward.  Everything in the menus actually functions.  After the price of the Retevis, shipping, and the programing cable, I'd suggest the Wouxun.  It's more but not much more.

There are a few threads on this site with MXT 400 software and programming. Try this...
 
https://forums.mygmrs.com/topic/1837-midland-gmrs-product-updates/?p=17118
 
I’ve used the software that’s available in that Dropbox and it works. Need a USB to 3.5 cable to program. This is the one I purchased...
 
https://www.rtsystemsinc.com/USB-29A-Programming-Cable_p_748.html

Hello and welcome. I personally like to keep a few bubble pack radios on my bench for quick testing. That way I know that a new radio I purchased at least transmits and receives.
Best of luck to you.

Hello and welcome. I personally like to keep a few bubble pack radios on my bench for quick testing. That way I know that a new radio I purchased at least transmits and receives.
Best of luck to you.

Hello WREC915, 
I am currently using the same radio and it is my first GMRS radio. Also using the same antenna, but haven't had any luck talking to anyone on a repeater or even on simplex.  I know the radio is working because I have two motorola hand held radios and I can hear my mobile on them. It is hard to find a repeater in my area that is not private use and I'm not able to get the PL tones to them. Let me know how your MXT 400 works because I am thinking of doing the same thing you are, but not sure about midland.
Good luck
retiredpc in Tennessee.

I hate to admit it but I had set the privacy tones incorrectly. Still learning, that's for sure. I was able to hit it with the 115 with no problem.  Yes - I have line of sight and since swapping the 115 with the 400, I can hit the repeater easily even on the low setting(about 5 watts) at 31 miles away. I do like the way that the 400 works better than the 115 or the 275. It's seems to be more sensitive on the receive side as well. Is it worth the extra $100? Maybe. I'm wondering now if I should upgrade my antenna or if this is good enough to do everything I want? 
Also, SWR is in the 1.15:1 range.

I didn't thought much of grounding antennas until I moved to my current house and needed every bit of range I could muster. Grounding the antenna made a significant reception difference, as in, it went from ~5 miles max to ~15 miles easy... grounding the antenna did lower the dB floor according to my spectrum analyzer, thus substantially improving reception range.
 
To do grounding I read a lot of advice from people who do commercial tower installations and the NEC guidelines, etc.
 
So, here is what worked for me:
 
I purchased two Times Microwave Arresters, both N female, both Low PIM (low Passive Inter-Modulation), and both are bolted to the metal mast that holds the antenna(s) and the mast (1.25" steel pipe) is grounded using two copper clamps and a 10AWG wire to the house ground rod electrical box.
 
The first arrester is placed right before the antenna, at the top of the mast. The second one is at the bottom of the mast. The short run between the antenna and the first arrester is a 4 foot LMR400 patch, coiled twice and both ends are silver plated connectors for low PIM. Then, from the first arrester (at the top) to the 2nd arrester at the bottom of the mast there is a 20 feet Heliax 1/2" cable run, both are N male ends and tri-metal low PIM connectors. The bottom arrester has a 90 degree elbow (silver plated) and another Heliax 1/2" 6 feet run, (both ends of this cable are also tri-metal low PIM) to the input of the "radio box" ... Inside the radio box I am using MILSPEC RG-214 patch cables with N male silver plated connectors for low PIM. The only connections that have any chrome plating are the antenna's SO239 and the Vertex Standard EVX-5300's mini-UHF connector.
 
As you can see, I ditched all the UHF connectors and my SWR no longer creeps over time due to connectors being exposed to the crap weather. It was a "Copernican turn" for me, as all I had before was 239 stuff... glad I moved away from those, and from chrome plating... which caused a host of problems with the massive 1400 Candelabra tower sitting less than 2 miles from my antenna mast...
 
All my radios are connected to a solar panel array and a 12VDC battery bank, thus not sharing anything electrical with the house, but the negative (ground) of the battery bank is connected to the same ground 10AWG wire the antenna mast is.
 
G.

I've been thinking a lot about antenna grounding. I don't live in an area with a lot of lightning but it does happen from time to time. I've been reading on the interwebs about some that say it is absolutely critical but others say that they never ground their antennas because grounding them acts as a bullseye for lightning strikes. I would love to hear from those that are for and against, if possible. If I decide to ground it then what are the best ways to do so and how to keep it budget friendly.
My antenna is an Ed Fong encsased in PVC and mounted directly to the side of my house at the roof line with 2 metal U-straps. 
 
Thank you in advance.

I've been thinking a lot about antenna grounding. I don't live in an area with a lot of lightning but it does happen from time to time. I've been reading on the interwebs about some that say it is absolutely critical but others say that they never ground their antennas because grounding them acts as a bullseye for lightning strikes. I would love to hear from those that are for and against, if possible. If I decide to ground it then what are the best ways to do so and how to keep it budget friendly.
My antenna is an Ed Fong encsased in PVC and mounted directly to the side of my house at the roof line with 2 metal U-straps. 
 
Thank you in advance.

If your antenna can “see” the repeater with an unobstructed line of sight, I don’t see why the 115 wouldn’t work. I have the 115 in my truck and can hit repeaters easily at 12-15 miles using the stock antenna. Amateur radio operators talk to the ISS with 5w Baofengs, so it’s not all about wattage.
 
I would check your SWR first. Should be less than 1.5 if possible.
 
Other than that, you could try a Yagi antenna and focus all the RF towards the repeater and see if that works.
 
Best of luck and 73,
 
WREX979
KO4CWG

Jsouth. I would suggest you pick up a copy of the ARRL antenna handbook. It will give you a great insight to how your antenna works, and what you can do to improve both transmit and receive. It also will give you the knowledge you need to build your own antenna. Antenna for UHF 460-470Mhz can be easily made from material obtained at Homedepot,   less a few small items you will need to purchase online. The high Dbgain of a directional antenna, it is amazing what can be accomplished. Always remember in most cases the higher you get your antenna the better.