Midland MXT275 keeps receiving static bursts…

[sycboi]

I apologize ahead of time. I am not overly knowledgeable when it comes to a lot of things concerning GMRS radio. I keep reading and trying to educate myself though…

I have a Midland MXT275 hard wired into my Jeep. I have the base unit, hand mic and a Midland external speaker all set to work at the same time. Topless Jeeps going down the highway make it difficult to hear things. I run the Midland Ghost Antenna on the front right of my cowl panel at the base of the windshield. I have a pair of Midland GXT1000VP4 handhelds that I let the other Jeeps in the convoy use so we can communicate. All are set to channel 22 and CTCSS privacy code 22…

The MXT275 works great at transmitting clear messages and are received by the handhelds with no complaints of static. The handhelds are static free and have zero interference. They are working beautifully for our intended purpose…

The issue is when I am not transmitting and the MXT275 is sitting idle. Every few seconds I get an RX transmission burst of static for about a second. It keeps happening as long as the radio is turned on. It doesn’t matter if I am sitting in my driveway or 100 miles from home in the hills. It doesn’t matter if the handhelds are turned on or off. I can’t figure out if it’s a setting I have configured wrong or what…

Has anyone else encountered a similar issue? 

Thank you for any assistance someone may provide!

 

-Michael, WRML814 

[MichaelLAX]

In another thread, I facetiously said that a similar problem with Midlands was: "a feature and not a bug!"

But hearing these complaints over and over again, I am starting to believe in the efficacy of my own advice!

While they may have the "advantage" of being easy for Newbies to use "right out of the box;" that feature is worthless if the hardware is overpriced junk!

That being said, I much prefer discounted junk! 

[sycboi]

1 hour ago, frankinshine said:

Is the radio wired directly to the battery? or through the accessories on the ignition?   i would try isolating the power from the electric on the JEEP.?

It’s actually hardwired through the fuse box on a dedicated circuit. Sounds like going straight to the battery may be the first attempt at isolating the issue…

[Sshannon]

4 hours ago, Surfer59840 said:

I know this is a Zombie - but I have the same static bursts all the time on my new MXT575 with the new or old microphone. It seems to do this for an hour and then stops. 

I've tried changing the wire attachment points from directly on the battery to the first power relay box from the factory.

Vehicle: 2005 Chevy Trail Blazer - Engine 4.2 Liter L6 - Model: EXT (extended wheelbase).

I have a few GMRS HTs and when they are in the same vehicle, they are stone-quiet while the MXT575 goes nuts.  

I can sit under the repeater antenna (it's mine and it operates normally for everyone else) and still get the squelch-breaking in cycles, lighting up the green "Receive" light

The ONLY cyclical devices on this vehicle that run ON-OFF for a while are the oxygen sensor heaters, but I ran my OBD-2 scanner and these do not operate in the same time period, nor cyclic-rate as the noise in the radio.

I'm beginning to see that there are not just a few people experiencing the same trouble with the MXT575s, and I have MXT275s in three other vehicles and they work correctly and are not doing the same thing. 

I feel it's a bad cap or circuit in the radio base itself and it has to be hitting Midland with a bunch of complaints by now. 

Has anyone figured out a repair or way to make this stop acting up? 

 

Joe - WRQJ422

. 

Perhaps bonding the body parts of your vehicle will help.  Some people do it.  I haven’t, but I don’t seem to have the same problem.

http://www.k0bg.com/bonding.html

[WRXP381]

Might want to get out from under the midlands.   

[OffRoaderX]

Does this happen when the engine is running and when it's not running?  and does it happen across ALL channels?

 

[sycboi]

It happens no matter if the engine is running or not. It happens no matter the channel. It receives a static burst every few seconds…

What I haven’t tried is turning the privacy code off. I should try that after work today, just to see…

[OffRoaderX]

I highly doubt the code (which is NOT private, BTW) has anything to do with it..

My first guess is that something in the Jeep is causing the noise - the only way to know for sure is to take the radio out of the jeep and try it in another vehicle or in the house (if you have a power supply) - if the same thing happens, then send it back.

When you have your handheld radios in the jeep, do they get any of the static bursts?

[sycboi]

2 minutes ago, OffRoaderX said:

I highly doubt the code (which is NOT private, BTW) has anything to do with it..

I just use the PCs to keep my communications clear of other peoples banter. I know they can hear us though…

When you have your handheld radios in the jeep, do they get any of the static bursts?

Not at all. Clear as can be expected…

 

[sycboi]

7 minutes ago, OffRoaderX said:

My first guess is that something in the Jeep is causing the noise - the only way to know for sure is to take the radio out of the jeep and try it in another vehicle or in the house (if you have a power supply) - if the same thing happens, then send it back.

I am afraid this may be my only alternative. Keep trying different configurations to see what happens in each situation…

I was hoping maybe I just had something set wrong and could hit a couple buttons to correct it…

[H8SPVMT]

If this happens on all channel setting I would suspect what ever makes the the "squelch setting level" is bad in the unit.  Try changing the squelch setting and see how the unit reacts.  With that information call Midland and ask to sent the unit back for a checkout.

I am a newbie and just throwing this out there.  I too get pops of static in certain locations but it seems to be transmissions/burst of telecommunications stuff in different locations but unlike your situation it only happens in different areas. 

[frankinshine]

10 hours ago, sycboi said:

I apologize ahead of time. I am not overly knowledgeable when it comes to a lot of things concerning GMRS radio. I keep reading and trying to educate myself though…

I have a Midland MXT275 hard wired into my Jeep. I have the base unit, hand mic and a Midland external speaker all set to work at the same time. Topless Jeeps going down the highway make it difficult to hear things. I run the Midland Ghost Antenna on the front right of my cowl panel at the base of the windshield. I have a pair of Midland GXT1000VP4 handhelds that I let the other Jeeps in the convoy use so we can communicate. All are set to channel 22 and CTCSS privacy code 22…

The MXT275 works great at transmitting clear messages and are received by the handhelds with no complaints of static. The handhelds are static free and have zero interference. They are working beautifully for our intended purpose…

The issue is when I am not transmitting and the MXT275 is sitting idle. Every few seconds I get an RX transmission burst of static for about a second. It keeps happening as long as the radio is turned on. It doesn’t matter if I am sitting in my driveway or 100 miles from home in the hills. It doesn’t matter if the handhelds are turned on or off. I can’t figure out if it’s a setting I have configured wrong or what…

Has anyone else encountered a similar issue? 

Thank you for any assistance someone may provide!

 

-Michael, WRML814 

Is the radio wired directly to the battery? or through the accessories on the ignition?   i would try isolating the power from the electric on the JEEP.?

[Surfer59840]

On 6/5/2022 at 11:33 PM, sycboi said:

I apologize ahead of time. I am not overly knowledgeable when it comes to a lot of things concerning GMRS radio. I keep reading and trying to educate myself though…

I have a Midland MXT275 hard wired into my Jeep. I have the base unit, hand mic and a Midland external speaker all set to work at the same time. Topless Jeeps going down the highway make it difficult to hear things. I run the Midland Ghost Antenna on the front right of my cowl panel at the base of the windshield. I have a pair of Midland GXT1000VP4 handhelds that I let the other Jeeps in the convoy use so we can communicate. All are set to channel 22 and CTCSS privacy code 22…

The MXT275 works great at transmitting clear messages and are received by the handhelds with no complaints of static. The handhelds are static free and have zero interference. They are working beautifully for our intended purpose…

The issue is when I am not transmitting and the MXT275 is sitting idle. Every few seconds I get an RX transmission burst of static for about a second. It keeps happening as long as the radio is turned on. It doesn’t matter if I am sitting in my driveway or 100 miles from home in the hills. It doesn’t matter if the handhelds are turned on or off. I can’t figure out if it’s a setting I have configured wrong or what…

Has anyone else encountered a similar issue? 

Thank you for any assistance someone may provide!

 

-Michael, WRML814 

I know this is a Zombie - but I have the same static bursts all the time on my new MXT575 with the new or old microphone. It seems to do this for an hour and then stops. 

I've tried changing the wire attachment points from directly on the battery to the first power relay box from the factory.

Vehicle: 2005 Chevy Trail Blazer - Engine 4.2 Liter L6 - Model: EXT (extended wheelbase).

I have a few GMRS HTs and when they are in the same vehicle, they are stone-quiet while the MXT575 goes nuts.  

I can sit under the repeater antenna (it's mine and it operates normally for everyone else) and still get the squelch-breaking in cycles, lighting up the green "Receive" light

The ONLY cyclical devices on this vehicle that run ON-OFF for a while are the oxygen sensor heaters, but I ran my OBD-2 scanner and these do not operate in the same time period, nor cyclic-rate as the noise in the radio.

I'm beginning to see that there are not just a few people experiencing the same trouble with the MXT575s, and I have MXT275s in three other vehicles and they work correctly and are not doing the same thing. 

I feel it's a bad cap or circuit in the radio base itself and it has to be hitting Midland with a bunch of complaints by now. 

Has anyone figured out a repair or way to make this stop acting up? 

 

Joe - WRQJ422

. 

[Bmcgough3]

Very newbie here but is the ghost Antenna near the antenna for the radio? I’ve been told that might cause interference.

[marino389]

Same issue on my new 575. Anyone find a resolution?