RIPPER238

I am glad you are enjoying your radio. I also have that same model on my Impala with the same antenna. It is my wife's primary vehicle and I have shown her how to use it. It is a great radio for a small setup that is easy to use.

I would respond to a radio check. There just aren’t many GMRS users yet in my area.


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Could always just sit and key up and key down with roger beep going off......I'm sure someone would speak up at some point.....;) 

For legal Tx on GMRS and Rx for everything the KG-UV9G is currently the flag-ship of consumer GMRS + True-Dual Receive multi-band scanners.

I own the KG-UV9P which is the identical radio without GMRS Tx capability and it performs quite well for its price in my semi-rural environment. At the same time, I dislike the fact that the screen is mostly unusable outdoors during daylight hours and it has features perhaps not relevant to most GMRS users. But we all end up buying what the manufacturers sell, even when it is less than what we ideally might want.

There are surely going to be more radios that find themselves on the market as more and more individuals purchase product and the market of license users grows.


Michael
WRHS965
KE8PLM

I own the KG-1000G, but I use it as a base within my home. I use HT’s in the car along with external antenna and speaker mic. If I were going to do an official install in the car, I would currently go with another 1000G. It is IMO the mobile equivalent of the UV9G. It does not do commercial FM like the 9G does, but that IMO is not needed since nearly every car on the road already has that.

While the 9G does have multi-band Rx capably, my 1000G is programmed exclusively for GMRS, and it handles it quite well in my environment. I do not use it to scan anything except GMRS, but admit on occasion I tune in NOAA, or enter a specific local amateur frequency I want to monitor.

I agree with WyoJoe, best is subjective. What is best for you may not be best for me and vice versa.

IMO Midland radios may be best when it comes to operational simplicity for GMRS. The 1000G may be best in terms of programability options. Commercial radios may be best from an RF performance and reliability standpoint.

Food for thought.


Michael
WRHS965
KE8PLM

The KG-UV9G is an HT (handheld transceiver), not a "mobile" (automotive style) radio. The used commercial Kenwood/Motorola type radios you can find on eBay are often mobile radios, although HTs can be found there as well. Many mobile radios offer higher wattage output than what an HT will deliver. Most HTs will put out 5 watts at the most.
Midland offers mobile radios (like your MXT275) that put out as much as 40 watts (MXT400) or as little as 5 watts (MXT105). Anytone has a small mobile radio (AT-779U) that puts out 20 watts. B-Tech and Wouxon offer 50 watt radios (GMRS-50X1 and KG-1000G, respectively).
A lot of what you decide should be based on how you plan to use the radio. If you'll just be using it to talk to other people in your family while you're out hiking, or while traveling in one car following a family member in another car, then you would likely be fine with just an HT (well actually, a pair of them). If you want to talk to other people while driving to work, for example, or talk over longer distances, then a mobile radio would likely give you an advantage due to both the higher power output and the better antenna that most mobile radios are paired with.
The KG-UV9G is probably the most feature rich GMRS HT available. In the mobile arena, the KG-1000G is probably the most feature rich GMRS mobile radio available. Both of these radios, as well as a number of others, allow you to monitor other frequencies, including some ham frequencies. There are a lot of choices out there, but what would be best will depend on how you want to use it.

yes, wow. I think its much better...

If i recall in order to label "Made in USA" the majority of the product needs to be made/sourced from US companies and the final product assembly must be done in the US. Being radios are mostly electronic devices and virtually all electronics are outsourced overseas you will likely never find any radios with "made in USA" branding. 
 
I believe Midland does do much of is manufacturing/assembly in the US but not the majority of parts. 

Sorry, couldn't resist 
 

First time trying to communicate with others on my Midland MXT275.
 
I gave my call sign and asked for a simple radio check.
 
Response was "mobil radio, mobile radio hahaha. I responded thank you, gad it works. and the response again was "mobil radio, mobile radio..."
 
I got some winners around me. 
 

Me too.
 
Well at least in this case i chose to give money to the government.  

Having a warped sense of humor, sometimes I reply to such radio check requests...
 
"I've just checked, and mine are still here...
 
...seriously, you are ________ !"

I just installed a MXT275 with the standard antenna and the Midland 6db nmo antenna for when i off road on my 4Runner. I had to use some of my Sons old erector-set parts to mount the mic and the smaller antenna. lol
 

 
 
I just cant fit in the garage with the 6db antenna since i have it on the mag mount dead center of the roof. So i use the small one that came with the unit for my daily driving. 
 

 
 

Yep, you got it.
 
Unfortunately, there are issues with outdated repeaters in the database, either defunct or listings not maintained. My area of california has a few as well.

Repeaters that use split tones can be a challenge for the mxt-275. Split tones are when a repeater uses a different tx tone than the rx tone. Many repeaters in my area will use the same input/output tones, but there are some that use split tones. Sadly, you can't program for split tones with the 275. You can, however, turn the squelch off (turn on monitor button). You have to listen to static, but you'll hear the rx transmission. I turn both speakers on and key the mike so that just the power unit's speaker is on so the static isn't so annoying. Word has it the soon to be available MXT-575 will fix this. 

You would have to know what the tones are.
 
For example, my family and I use 100.0 for the low power channel, and 462 high power and repeater channels.
 
This translates in my Cobra FRS radios to CTCSS number 12.
 
The book should have a list for the codes and how they correspond in the radio.
 
So if you wanted to get in my local and repeater channels, you would use channel 15, and channel 15 repeater and whatever code number the chart has for 100.00

I got my VRX-7000 from https://www.ebay.com/sch/refitradio/m.html?ssPageName= and looks like price is up... You will need a programing cable and software with a PC with Window XP and above.
 
I have TWO 805G and one new 905G... get the 905G is a great radio with group scanning... well worth the $30 over the 805G (which is $80 and 905G is $110).. The extra $30 you will thank me later...  Or you can buy one of my 805G at $70... joking... I like the 805G for the kids to us on FRS.
 
I can not help you with Midland products... all I know is they have issues with repeaters.  
 
So if you get a 805G or 905G, I can help you and show you how to connect to a repeater with permission from owner... Just PM me and we can talk and share config files... If you get either 805G or 905G get the following... https://www.buytwowayradios.com/wouxun-pco-001.html  Just so you know I personally have had issues with a a 805G but later to see I did not do setup correctly, and BTWR said return it and they will replace it... but I found I screwed up the config file and reinstalled the factory file and all was well...  So happy that they stand behind there products they are dealer for with someone like me who screwed up the config file.  I also get all my accessories from them...  
 
If you want, we can have a phone conversation, just PM you phone number and best two dates and times for me to call you so we can spend time to got answer to your question...  
 
I'm a Newbie back in Nov and learned a lot from this forum and have some great coaches and mentors..  Way above my pay grade.  So I can answer the easy questions.  Just so you know I have 10 plus Newbies that I was able to help them get the knowledge so they could make the decision they needs for them and family on products, what there plans are.
 
Jack

i had a long reply typed out earlier, but missed clicking to post it   ..wrcy896 covered most of it.
 
if you're logged into the main page (it's separate from the forum, last i checked, but you can use the same login & password for both), if a repeater is listed as open, it should show the input and output frequencies (which you'll equate to channels on the radio), and input and output tones (which you'll take to the tone charts in the manual to see which code you need to enter in the menu). the 'repeater' channels on the radio are set up with the appropriate offset between transmit and receive.
 
for example, if i want to use an open repeater with an output of 462.625, input of 467.625, and input/output tones of 141.3:
the table on page 27 shows that to be channel 18RP, so i'll tune to that then, go to the table on page 28 and look for 141.3 (it's ctcss) and find this equates to ctcss code 22 with the radio on 18rp, go into the menu setting for tones, select CT, select code 22, and save. mxt275 is online in pdf form here: https://midlandusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/MXT275-Owners-Manual.pdf
 
does this make it all a little clearer?