I have a couple of Hardened Power Systems' base station packages, including an Operator 115 that needed some plastic surgery to fit properly in the ammo can. Bought it for $220 two years ago directly from HPS. Bought a larger can kit last year. Told myself "yeah, they're expensive, but it's a great idea -- radio in an ammo can. Just deal with the poor quality and lavish pricetag."
This week I learned that they've dropped most of their previous product lineup and are now offering a couple of new packages specifically for Midland USA GMRS radios at ripoff prices. The MXPW 115 is, according to the HPS website, made for the Midland MXT115. The HPS website also says it's made for the MXT 500, but that seems to be an error. The MXT500 is too deep to fit in the .30-cal ammo can. The MXPW 115's price on the HPS website is $574.99. Midland USA offers it for $424.99. In either case, that doesn't include the radio. Just the can, plastic frame, faceplate, battery and connectors. It looks just like the Operator that I bought in 2020. Might have a better battery, but not one worth $200 or $350 more.
The second new product is the MXPW500, which costs $749.99 on the HPS website, or $599.99 from Midland USA. It's basically an updated version of the Recon 1, which used to cost about $400 and is apparently no longer offered. The photo of the MXPW500 on the HPS website shows the faceplate labelled "Recon 5". Again, the radio is not included in the pricetag. The photos of the MXPW 115 and 500 on the Midland website seem to show some data labels on the inside of the can lids. The HPS website doesn't show these labels. The photo gallery on the company's homepage includes pictures of the Operator and Recon 1, but if you click on them for details you get nothing.
Hardened Power has gotten even sloppier with its website and customer service than before, and has now priced its products to discourage retail orders. Happy to oblige. I got mine and I'm done.
If there's anyone out there who's willing to do some set-up work with a 3-D printer and attention to detail, there's an untapped market for an affordable kit that will turn the new generation of GMRS mobile radios into a handy portable base station. Price the can kit for less than the actual radio that fits it and you will have a winning best-seller.
