Overwhelmed Newbie

[Bumper2722]

I just recently got my license and a GMRS MidlandMXT275. I've read a bunch and watch videos. However I still feel overwhelmed like I'm in over my head. I got this because I've been told it's better than CB by far. Is there any easy step by step guide or charts or a down and dirty GMRS notes type site that may help me out? Thank you!

[OffRoaderX]

The MXT275 is about as simple as it gets..here's the down & dirty notes on using GMRS on a MXT275:

1) turn radio on

2) Select channel you want to talk on

3) Push button on mic, point noise-hole at mic, talk

4) Let go of button on mic

5) Listen

If you have any other more specific questions I'm sure the community can help.

[marcspaz]

I'm not sure there is any kind of sites that focus around setup.  Out of the box, the MXT275 is no more complicated to install or use than a CB. 

 

There is an option to enable use of a repeater, which your best source of information on that is your owner's manual.  Do you need help understanding what repeaters are or what they do?  Do you have any specific questions? 

[Screech]

Welcome Bumper,

First, do you plan to use repeaters? If so, there are two related items I'll go over next, if not skip them.

1. If you plan to use repeaters, you will need to enable that through the menus on the radio's mic. The best place to learn how to do this is the manual as there is a lot of useful information in there in addition to how to enable the repeater channels, so it's worth at least one read through.
2. Next, most repeaters are wide band, if your radio is narrow band on the repeater channels you may sound quiet to other users if that repeater is using wide band. If your MXT275 has a USB-A port, it's narrow band only, sorry. If it has the updated hardware with the USB-C port, it may be using narrow or wide band on the repeater channels. The only way I know to determine which way it is setup is to do a reset and observer the versions that will flash on the screen. The radio is so simple that a reset is not a big deal.
   
   To reset the radio:
   1. Start with the radio off.
   2. Press and hold the PTT and WX buttons
   3. Press and hold the Power button until it comes on
   4. I released the buttons at this point, though Midland didn't really direct me on when to release them.
   5. Watch for the two version codes to appear and note the Rx number that will appear after Ux.
   6. The Ux version is not important for this.
      If the Rx number is R8 the radio is using narrow band on the repeater channels.
      If the Rx number is R9 it's using wide band on the repeater channels, all non-repeater channels are still narrow band. My understanding is that Midland does this so that the mobile radios have the best compatibility with FRS and GMRS HTs and keeping the radio controls as simple as possible.
   7. If you want the mode your radio doesn't have for the repeater channels the only way to change it is to contact Midland and mail the radio in for them to update it. I know they will update from R8 to R9, I'm not sure about the other way around.

I had my upgraded from R8 to R9. And the above information I got directly from Midland support.

************** Skip to here if no interest in repeaters ************

Second, the most annoying thing about the radio is that the CTCSS and DSC codes are not in a readable format on the radio. Once you know the CTCSS or DCS code you need to use, you then have to look it up on the chart in the manual to determine that frequency/code's number. The best thing you can do for yourself here is either take a picture of that manual page and tag it as a favorite on your phone so you can find it easily or download the manual/image of the chart to the phone. 

John.

[Sandspur]

It sounds like you may be over thinking it. Relax and breathe. If you're not using a repeater, using GMRS is just as simple to use as the walkie talkies you may have used as a kid. If you want to use repeaters, just take your time and do a little research. This site is a great place to start. I also recommend using a programming software such as CHIRP to set up your repeater channel list.

[Screech]

1 hour ago, Sandspur said:

It sounds like you may be over thinking it. Relax and breathe. If you're not using a repeater, using GMRS is just as simple to use as the walkie talkies you may have used as a kid. If you want to use repeaters, just take your time and do a little research. This site is a great place to start. I also recommend using a programming software such as CHIRP to set up your repeater channel list.

How does one go about using CHIRP with a Midland MXT275? I've found no way to. 

[OffRoaderX]

1 hour ago, Screech said:

How does one go about using CHIRP with a Midland MXT275? I've found no way to. 

You can't because CHRIP is not compatible with the MXT275 (source: https://chirp.danplanet.com/projects/chirp/wiki/Supported_Radios )

Pro Tip: Be wary of the online "experts" that dont know what they're talking about.

[Screech]

3 hours ago, OffRoaderX said:

You can't because CHRIP is not compatible with the MXT275 (source: https://chirp.danplanet.com/projects/chirp/wiki/Supported_Radios )

Pro Tip: Be wary of the online "experts" that dont know what they're talking about.

I already knew the answer. I was hoping for them to learn something, or acknowledge they were so eager to assert their knowledge superiority that they neglected to keep the model radio the OP stated they have in mind. 

[OffRoaderX]

6 minutes ago, Screech said:

I already knew the answer. I was hoping for them to learn something, or acknowledge they were so eager to assert their knowledge superiority that they neglected to keep the model radio the OP stated they have in mind. 

Oh, you are going to fit in just perfect here!

[MichaelLAX]

I thought the point of Midland is "plug and play" because quite honestly, reading all these threads about these radios leaves me at a loss to understand why anyone would buy one, other than: "Instant GMRS: just add hot water!"

That being said, "those people" who will then use Midlands, will never understand or be able to conquer the niceties of COM ports let alone programming software!!

[Screech]

@MichaelLAXWell, they are very much plug and "play", especially the kits that include the antenna and all in the box. Their "simplicity" also includes what I think of as marketing goals or driven by polls of non-radio users. I see no release with modern displays that they would not just add a 3rd large digit and show CTCSS and DCS setting as the actual Frequency/code. The only "reason" I see is that if you have a Midland and you get your friends to buy them to, you can even sell them on getting a Midland too because then you don't worry about the actual freqs/codes, you all just share that indexed value for the freq/code and your set. It is likely that if they went to a bunch of non-radio people surveying them on how they would prefer to setup the CTCSS/DCS between them and friends, those people do agree that just a 1-124 value is way easier to handle and share than what to them are randomly selected freqs/codes. I would venture to say that most Midland buyers are not looking for repeater support, I think this is supported by that option being disabled in the default config of their radios. 

And "those people" likely will never care, nor miss, those niceties as they are way beyond their goals for using the radio to simply talk to friends/family. And that is perfectly fine with me. Let those that don't want much have a radio that works for them, I prefer that over hundreds of posts where people can't get their radio working at all because the manual is +100 pages and has several options that impact other options and they by mistake changed something they should not have. It doesn't not impact those of us that want more from our systems from buying the nicer radio/bigger antenna or such. 

I have different goals for my radio use based on where I am and what I'm doing. At home for my base I just use a Midland, I have set the local repeater and it just works. In my truck I'm working installing the KG-1000G, I like that I can store repeaters from the various areas I end up with my truck, and I can listen to way more than GMRS, I can run in a reverse repeater setup for testing, or if really in an odd mood set RX&TX to a 467.xxx repeater frequency in a congested radio area where there are no repeaters on the frequency I'm using and have that all to ourselves. My HTs are about as capable as the KG-1000G, but just 4W output.

[marcspaz]

OP hasn't come back... bummer.

@Screech Not sure if you had a chance to mess with the MXT500.  It's a nice setup with compromise between "easy out of the box" and advanced performance.  I have been recommending them to people who already have a no-frills radio and are looking for a replacement with a touch more to it.

 

Out of the box, it's almost the same as any of the other complete kits, with the exception of it actually displaying your CTCSS and DCS values instead of a sequence number.  However, you can enable repeater use, it has 8 customizable channels for programing via the software (including custom names/display options), supports split tones, and can easily be switched between NB and WB, for improved quality of comms depending on what the other person/people are using.

 

When they released this radio, I started thinking they may be starting to develop a product line that will appeal a bit more to advanced users.

 

That said... I really agree with what you feel the mindset is for people getting them.  Monthly, I have people with zero experience with radio and they what something for traveling in groups, going offroading, camping, etc.  If they don't want to spend a lot of money and understand power/range, battery and speaker limits, I push them toward a cheap HT.  If the want more range, battery life and to hear better while driving, then I push them toward one of the Micro Mobile radios.

 

For Hams and advanced GMRS users, I tell them about the the KG-1000 (since its based on a Ham radio) and/or depending on the person, the MARS/CAP mod for existing gear.

[Sandspur]

On 5/17/2022 at 3:53 PM, Screech said:

I already knew the answer. I was hoping for them to learn something, or acknowledge they were so eager to assert their knowledge superiority that they neglected to keep the model radio the OP stated they have in mind. 

Actually I leave it up to the individual to determine whether CHIRP is compatible with their given radio. I assure you and everyone else here I make no claims to expertise or knowledge superiority. I was only making a suggestion. No need to beat me down if my answer didnt satisfy the crowd.

[Sandspur]

On 5/17/2022 at 3:59 PM, OffRoaderX said:

Oh, you are going to fit in just perfect here!

He may fit in here, not too sure whether I do. I offered friendy advice and apparently fell into a gotcha trap. Starting to smell "hammy" in here.

[Screech]

1 hour ago, Sandspur said:

Actually I leave it up to the individual to determine whether CHIRP is compatible with their given radio. I assure you and everyone else here I make no claims to expertise or knowledge superiority. I was only making a suggestion. No need to beat me down if my answer didnt satisfy the crowd.

If it's a new user looking for radio suggestions, yes I would definitely mention Chirp and that there are radios that support it and leave the decision for them to find radio a radio meeting their needs, and if they want Chirp support that would be part of their selection. I agree Chirp is awesome, use it for my HTs  But if a user were to post stating which radio they already have, if it doesn't support that feature I'm probably not going to mention it to them simply because it's not relevant to the conversation concerning their radio. If you were to ask me, to bring up a feature known to not be supported on their radio that feels a little Hammish, as in "you need a better radio that supports this" way.

Mentioning features on a thread about a specific radio that doesn't support those features also causes confusion for new users. Say you said use Chirp,  oh I can program with Chirp, they download Chirp, try to use it to program their radio, can't figure out how to make it work, they think they're doing something wrong because somebody on the internet said oh this software is great for programming radios in a thread they made about their radio. 

 

[marcspaz]

 

I mean, in your defense, you said "programming software such as CHIRP"

So, I'm a semantics guy and saying use something "like CHIRP" isn't the same thing as saying "use CHIRP".  That said, I will agree with the aforementioned that because CHIRP isn't compatible, it can cause confusion for new people by mentioning a platform that doesn't actually work.

 

4 hours ago, Sandspur said:

He may fit in here, not too sure whether I do. I offered friendy advice and apparently fell into a gotcha trap. Starting to smell "hammy" in here.

 

@OffRoaderX... did this dude just assume your license status? Hahaha

 

[OffRoaderX]

3 minutes ago, marcspaz said:

@OffRoaderX... did this dude just assume your license status? Hahaha

I hope the ham-smell isn't starting to get on me!

[WRHS218]

5 hours ago, Sandspur said:

Starting to smell "hammy" in here.

I think you hang around here long enough you will find OffRoaderX, in regards to the radio airwave spectrum, to be almost Hebraic in his view of HAM.

[MichaelLAX]

On 5/17/2022 at 7:15 AM, Sandspur said:

I also recommend using a programming software such as CHIRP to set up your repeater channel list.

I agree with @marcspaz.

There are three types of programming software possibly available for every GMRS radio:

The manufacture's programming software, whether for free or a separate fee (mostly free);

From RT Systems for a fee and generally you must purchase their programming cable as well; and

CHIRP, which is always free to download.

I have NO experience with any Midland, but it would be radio-malpractice if they sold it without one or more of the foregoing options ("programming software such as CHIRP") being available.

[Sandspur]

50 minutes ago, WRHS218 said:

I think you hang around here long enough you will find OffRoaderX, in regards to the radio airwave spectrum, to be almost Hebraic in his view of HAM.

I watch NotaRubicon on YouTube. Love his channel. The hammy comment wasnt directed at him.

[Sandspur]

1 hour ago, OffRoaderX said:

I hope the ham-smell isn't starting to get on me!

Nope. I know where you stand from your YouTube channel. I just dont like being called out saying programming software may be useful. Im not checking everyone's radio compatability for the software. 

[Screech]

Well, by now we've deviated quite far from the OPs original post.

51 minutes ago, MichaelLAX said:

I agree with @marcspaz.

There are three types of programming software possibly available for every GMRS radio:

The manufacture's programming software, whether for free or a separate fee (mostly free);

From RT Systems for a fee and generally you must purchase their programming cable as well; and

CHIRP, which is always free to download.

I have NO experience with any Midland, but it would be radio-malpractice if they sold it without one or more of the foregoing options ("programming software such as CHIRP") being available.

In the case of the Midland MXT275 that does not currently appear to be true. None for it from Midland. Chirp does not support it, they only support Midland's CT-210 and DBR2500 (both using a different radio model so likely just a rebranded radio sold under Midland name) and RT Systems also does not support the MXT275, they only support the DBR2500... wait, their page likely has a typo showing it as DRB2500 in the bold print under the image.

This radio is so simple that there is no need for software, just the chart in the manual so you can convert CTCSS freq/DCS code to the index number. I think offering software on it with how simple it is would only make it more complicated. 

I could not leave advice to use software with this radio unchallenged. First, if the information is wrong the thread needed that clear up so a new user doesn't start chasing options they simple do not have. Second, if there is software for it that I was unaware of, I want to know. That is why my first post was asking how does one do as suggested with the subject radio. I may have been in a mood later that day after OffroaderX replied. And in the future should some software be released I would attempt to update my post to state that "Now" at the time of edit software xyz is an option for doing this. I've had to edit my posts for being inaccurate before, such as when I posted that the MXT275 was narrow band only on all channels and was corrected by WRQB993. Prior to being corrected on that matter I had reached out to Midland about this and was told by them there was no wide band option with this radio, so I was going off of "official" word from Midland support. But, that information was clearly a couple months out of date.

[MichaelLAX]

Let me see if I understand this correctly:

I agreed with @marcspaz's statement that you said: "programming software something like CHIRP" and now you apparently are taking offense?!?

AND: I said: "There are three types of programming software possibly available for every GMRS radio..."

NOTE the word in bold.

Lastly, this is exactly what the OP asked about: help with using his MXT275 and the apparent lack of need to use programming software for a newbie radio.

[Screech]

I didn't take offense, just stating how I see it. Regardless, there is no public software option for this radio that anyone had been able to show me. To suggest any programming software, or suggesting they find one for this radio is misinformation and would likely only end up frustrating the user looking for options that don't exists for their current hardware. I've been using Chirp as that was the by name example marcspaz gave. If I was discussing options for reconfiguring a module in a Ford I may say "you'll need to flash the updated configuration to that unit using software such as Ford's IDS", but the named software is one that will work, and there are others if that user wanted to look more into it. I wouldn't name a software that didn't work with the car, so I wouldn't expect a user to name software they didn't know, or at least thought, would work with the radio in this case. 

As far as how I read your post: First, I'm no English major, I was a solid D in English 28 years ago in HS. How I read that is that "At least one of three types programming software options are available for every GMRS radio". If you wrote it as "for most GMRS radios", that would have been easier for my D English to comprehend as you seem to be saying you intended it.
 

  

38 minutes ago, MichaelLAX said:

Lastly, this is exactly what the OP asked about: help with using his MXT275 and the apparent lack of need to use programming software for a newbie radio.

  

On 5/16/2022 at 10:50 PM, Bumper2722 said:

I just recently got my license and a GMRS MidlandMXT275. I've read a bunch and watch videos. However I still feel overwhelmed like I'm in over my head. I got this because I've been told it's better than CB by far. Is there any easy step by step guide or charts or a down and dirty GMRS notes type site that may help me out? Thank you!

Let see, "recently got license", "got a Midland MXT275", "been reading up and watching videos" (not sure if about GMRS in general or that radio in particular), "feels overwhelmed", "got GMRS based on suggestions from other(s)", "looking for step by step guide or chart (maybe a flow chart)". Sorry I don't see that, where exactly did they mention software or programming?

When you go on saying it's "radio-malpractice if they sold it without one or more of the foregoing options", to me you are implying it's a bad radio for not having one of those options and is not worthy to be used without them. In contrast, I think it is a great starter radio because it is so simple it doesn't need any of those options. 

Edited May 21, 2022 by Screech
From the quotes down added.

[MichaelLAX]

20 hours ago, Screech said:

As far as how I read your post: First, I'm no English major, I was a solid D in English 28 years ago in HS. How I read that is that "At least one of three types programming software options are available for every GMRS radio". If you wrote it as "for most GMRS radios", that would have been easier for my D English to comprehend as you seem to be saying you intended it.
 

 I was not the one who said he was a "semantics guy..."  

I was however, the one who said: "

"There are three types of programming software possibly available for every GMRS radio..."

 

Let see, "recently got license", "got a Midland MXT275", "been reading up and watching videos" (not sure if about GMRS in general or that radio in particular), "feels overwhelmed", "got GMRS based on suggestions from other(s)", "looking for step by step guide or chart (maybe a flow chart)". Sorry I don't see that, where exactly did they mention software or programming?

The Topic is Overwhelmed Newbie: programming software is a fundamental issue for any newbie...

When you go on saying it's "radio-malpractice if they sold it without one or more of the foregoing options", to me you are implying it's a bad radio for not having one of those options and is not worthy to be used without them. In contrast, I think it is a great starter radio because it is so simple it doesn't need any of those options. 

I'll take that as a challenge -- NEVER SAY NEVER!