Midland GMRS Product updates

[berkinet]

How far down?  I looked thru it and its like saying you will find the answer in the newspaper....

Maybe a thank you? I was shopping with my wife and didn’t have time to search. But, I figured you’d like to get some help so I responded with what I could do in the moment, thinking you’d do what I did when I first found that link, keep scrolling until I found something useful.

[AdmiralCochrane]

I scrolled and scrolled and scrolled and I used the search feature.  Came up completely blank. I don't ask for help unless its just not visable at all, I didn't ask just because it wasn't in the top 10 posts, I couldn't find it all. 

[berkinet]

I scrolled and scrolled and scrolled and I used the search feature.  Came up completely blank. I don't ask for help unless its just not visable at all, I didn't ask just because it wasn't in the top 10 posts, I couldn't find it all.

Well, it would appear you didn’t scroll down as far as 15-May and 20-May of this year?

 

May I suggest that next time you ask for help, you trying being a bit more polite and avoid sarcasm and snarky comments. Nobody is paid to participate here, we do it freely because we want to be helpful and enjoy the community.

[AdmiralCochrane]

Could you point out the rude part of my comment?  I asked for secondary help, no sarcasm or rudeness in the text.   I truly wanted to know how far down to scroll.  Thanks for the detail I was hoping to find.   Is there a time limit on how far back the search feature works on?  I really used it and came up blank.

[AdmiralCochrane]

It took  me several tries, but Facebook finally showed me the posts from mid-May.  It really was a lot to search thru the way Facebook presents itself to my browser and computer.  My wife almost always sees things a day ahead of me, even when I click most recent. 

Thanks again for the help (and the picky details).

[berkinet]

Could you point out the rude part of my comment?  I asked for secondary help, no sarcasm or rudeness in the text.   ...

Well, at least to me, “I looked thru it and its like saying you will find the answer in the newspaper.” sounds like sarcasm, especially when there isn’t some recognition of someone’s effort associated with the comment. But, I am glad you found the post and hope it helps you, and, thanks for the thanks.

[Hans]

I want to say good work and thank y'all for the effort. I have been sidetracked with other stuff for a bit and never got back around to messing with it.

 

This is good news for a lot of people, IMHO.

[AdmiralCochrane]

After my wife figured out I had the com cable driver and Midland software on different ports, I got my MXT400 programed as I want it.   Confirmed you can program the blank channels to something new and that the radio recieves 70cm HAM just fine if you program it to receive it.  I have 8-14 programed to monitor nearby 70cm repeaters as a convenience. 

 

When I first turned my radio on after programming and went thru the channels with the dial or hit scan, it only went up to 22, but when I pressed the up button on the mic, it went all the way thru all 30 channels and now always sees the repeater channels. May have needed to be cycled on and off again or something like that.

 

Still waiting on 65 ft of LMR 400 to do my permenant antenna mount above my roof line. 

[Riktar]

  Good news on the middle channels. I did all the other programing i wanted (split tone and used naming instead of channel number for the repeaters) but left the middle channels alone after hearing conflicting info regarding their ability to be programmed.

 

 Time to get out the programming cable and dive back in.... 

[uplander]

Check out this thread on midwest gmrs .com  

 

Tells you how to get the midland software and the programming cable you need  and how to use both and program for spit codes and wide bandwidth.

https://mwgmrs.com/forums/topic/midland-mxt400-programing/

 

I did it and it works easily

[berkinet]

Check out this thread on midwest gmrs .com  

 

Tells you how to get the midland software and the programming cable you need  and how to use both and program for spit codes and wide bandwidth.

https://mwgmrs.com/forums/topic/midland-mxt400-programing/

 

All well there. But, do you realize that same information was posted to this MyGMRS in this same thread back in July?

[uplander]

Yes I do but this thread included a utube video of the process which some folks who are unfamiliar with programming a radio and using the software involved could appreciate. It added information so as not be redundant

[marcspaz]

I know this has been said before, but why pay twice as much for a Type Approved/Certified radio, just to reprogram it, nullifying the certification, making the radio non-compliant/illegal?  I don't endorse it, but if you're going to run an illegal radio, there are way better and more affordable radios out there.

[Citizen]

[Snip] ...why pay twice as much for a Type Approved/Certified radio, just to reprogram it, nullifying the certification, making the radio non-compliant/illegal?  I don't endorse it, but if you're going to run an illegal radio, there are way better and more affordable radios out there.

 

I have held off buying a high power GMRS to use as a base until I could find more info about them.  Leaning toward MXT400 and programming per above (but keeping it GMRS certified), but considering what has been said, am also considering the Kenwood TK-8180H or TK-840HU.  However, I cannot find where to buy or even the price of new Kenwood rigs.  Tried their site, but prices are hidden.  Can't seem to find new equipment on Amazon.

 

Anyone know where is the best place to buy a Kenwood radio (not a car entertainment radio)?  Thx.

 

...

[marcspaz]

I have held off buying a high power GMRS to use as a base until I could find more info about them.  Leaning toward MXT400 and programming per above (but keeping it GMRS certified), but considering what has been said, am also considering the Kenwood TK-8180H or TK-840HU.  However, I cannot find where to buy or even the price of new Kenwood rigs.  Tried their site, but prices are hidden.  Can't seem to find new equipment on Amazon.

 

Anyone know where is the best place to buy a Kenwood radio (not a car entertainment radio)?  Thx.

 

...

 

It reads like you are not familiar with how the certification stuff works, but the second you flash the radio to anything but 100% stock... it's certification is null and now a non-compliant radio.  In fact, per §95.335, you modifying your radio yourself is also illegal.  So, you are actually violating 2 federal rules by modifying and transmitting on a modified, formally certified GMRS radio.  There is no such thing as programing it, but keeping it's certification. 

[Citizen]

It reads like you are not familiar with how the certification stuff works, but the second you flash the radio to anything but 100% stock... it's certification is null and now a non-compliant radio.  In fact, per §95.335, you modifying your radio yourself is also illegal.  So, you are actually violating 2 federal rules by modifying and transmitting on a modified, formally certified GMRS radio.  There is no such thing as programing it, but keeping it's certification. 

 

Ok, good to know.  Thanks for the clarification on that.

 

Also, what are some of the way better and more affordable radios?  I like the Kenwood TK-8180H, but have a gut feeling it is just as expensive as the MXT400, or more.

 

...

[Hans]

I know this has been said before, but why pay twice as much for a Type Approved/Certified radio, just to reprogram it, nullifying the certification, making the radio non-compliant/illegal?  I don't endorse it, but if you're going to run an illegal radio, there are way better and more affordable radios out there.

The sticker and database entry; prima facie.

 

If someone is searching your radio beyond viewing the sticker or an FCC ID database search, you have bigger problems than an uncertified radio.

[marcspaz]

The sticker and database entry; prima facie.

 

If someone is searching your radio beyond viewing the sticker or an FCC ID database search, you have bigger problems than an uncertified radio.

 

True, but getting on the internet talking about how you plan on and/or are breaking the law is the invitation for the "bigger problems" to walk through the door.

 

Maybe that is the real convo to have... hihi

[Hans]

True, but getting on the internet talking about how you plan on and/or are breaking the law is the invitation for the "bigger problems" to walk through the door.

 

Maybe that is the real convo to have... hihi

True, but again, there are much bigger issues at hand if one is having their posts on the internet dug up over a certified radio that might or might not be programmed.

 

For example, I could say I am 6'7" tall and play a mean game of basketball. That doesn't make it true or even likely. Only when other evidence correlates with online posts does it really matter much.

 

I think the main thing is that when a radio, at first glance, passes the sticker/FCC ID smell test, all other possibilities drop to near zero... UNLESS there is something much bigger behind the inquiry. The sticker and FCC ID are prima facie evidence that "these are not the droids you are looking for."

[Riktar]

I know this has been said before, but why pay twice as much for a Type Approved/Certified radio, just to reprogram it, nullifying the certification, making the radio non-compliant/illegal?  I don't endorse it, but if you're going to run an illegal radio, there are way better and more affordable radios out there.

 

I completely agree with you from the standpoint of making the decision to purchase the MXT400 on the basis of being able to overcome it's (factory) limitations. There are better radios (TK-8180 just as an example) available on the used market that can be had for 1/2 the price (possibly less) of a MXT400.

 

That being said, the information is well receieved for those who already have a MXT400 and find it not completely useable due to the lack of split tones that some repeaters use.

[berkinet]

... the second you flash the radio to anything but 100% stock... it's certification is null and now a non-compliant radio. ...

... There is no such thing as programing it, but keeping it's certification. 

 

Are you sure of this? Perhaps I misread your post.  I would think that if the manufacturer (or whoever is getting the radio certified) included the capability to configure elements of the radios via software, and documented those capabilities in the certification application, that doing so would be Ok.  Note in particular the Kenwood GMRS radios that have keypad programming locked out but can be programmed with the appropriate software.

 

Of course, programming would not include changes that would not be allowed in GMRS, like transmission on non-GMRS frequencies, power and bandwidth settings > the FCC specified limits for a channel, etc.  However, organizing memory locations and banks, setting PL, etc. and audio signaling, adding text labels, roger-beeps (though those should be categorically outlawed!), etc. would all seem to be things that can be changed by the end user without voiding the certification.

[Hans]

Are you sure of this? Perhaps I misread your post.  I would think that if the manufacturer (or whoever is getting the radio certified) included the capability to configure elements of the radios via software, and documented those capabilities in the certification application, that doing so would be Ok.  Note in particular the Kenwood GMRS radios that have keypad programming locked out but can be programmed with the appropriate software.

 

Of course, programming would not include changes that would not be allowed in GMRS, like transmission on non-GMRS frequencies, power and bandwidth settings > the FCC specified limits for a channel, etc.  However, organizing memory locations and banks, setting PL, etc. and audio signaling, adding text labels, roger-beeps (though those should be categorically outlawed!), etc. would all seem to be things that can be changed by the end user without voiding the certification.

If they only tested it in narrow, etc then it wouldn't be certified for those features. However, if, as you point out, they did test and document them through the certification process then it would not invalidate the certification. Someone needs to dig through the documents listed under that FCC ID and determine if those features, especially wide band, were certified. I suspect that it wasn't because, IIRC, wide for that radio is 25 KHz and GMRS wide band was reduced (kind of like MURS was).

[Hans]

I just checked and at first glance they only have certification for narrow band.
 

The Emissions Designator 10K5F3E signifies a wireless radio which transfers data over a modulated wave using Single analog channel signal. This signal transmits at a 10.5 kHz [10K5] maximum bandwidth . bandwith does not indicate frequency of the signal. Emissions Designators describe the type of signal only.

https://fccid.io/MMAMXT400

Edited to add: My guess is that the CCR base of this radio is incapable of being set to a wide band signal to meet the GMRS width on wide. I'd bet it only does 25 KHz for wide.

[berkinet]

I just checked and at first glance they only have certification for narrow band....

...Edited to add: My guess is that the CCR base of this radio is incapable of being set to a wide band signal to meet the GMRS width on wide. I'd bet it only does 25 KHz for wide.

@Marcspaz noted that the MXT400 was only certified for NB in an earlier post. So, I think it is clear that setting that radio to WB would violate certification.

 

However, the Luiton LT-590 (which you first identified as the same radio) does seem to  allow setting bandwidth to 12.5, 20 & 25 kHz. That is, the software provides the option. I have no idea if it actually works.   See this post upthread in this topic.

[Hans]

@Marcspaz noted that the MXT400 was only certified for NB in an earlier post. So, I think it is clear that setting that radio to WB would violate certification.

 

However, the Luiton LT-590 (which you first identified as the same radio) does seem to  allow setting bandwidth to 12.5, 20 & 25 kHz. That is, the software provides the option. I have no idea if it actually works.   See this post upthread in this topic.

Awesome. Admittedly, I am behind the times on the issue. Thanks for getting me up to speed.