Deciding on my first GMRS mobile

[VETCOMMS]

It looks like the Midland MXT500 and the Wouxon kg-1000g are two of the higher quality mobile radio options out there.

I understand the Wouxon can store multiple repeaters with different tones on the same channel.  I don't have any repeaters near me but will travel and possibly encounter multiple repeaters on the same frequencies.

Would the Midland do just as good as the Wouxon in areas of sparse repeater concentration?  It seems one is a superheterodyne radio which I hear is a higher quality radio, am I correct on that?

Does one radio have the ability to monitor a wider frequency range than the other?  I guess I'm just trying to weigh the pros and cons of each radio and am hoping this who've used both can educate me.

School is in session, I'm taking notes

[W6ORV]

It looks like the Wox has a little more general rx capability than the Midlland, which just seems to have GMRS and NOAA RX.  All manufacturing literature aside, putting good coax to a good antenna can make up the difference between a mediocre radio and a good radio.  I would plan on an aftermarket antenna.  I ran the included mag mount mini with my Midland and its okay.  From HAM experience, just switching out the antenna can make a noticeable difference. 

[KAF6045]

44 minutes ago, WRTZ750 said:

It looks like the Midland MXT500 and the Wouxon kg-1000g are two of the higher quality mobile radio options out there.

I understand the Wouxon can store multiple repeaters with different tones on the same channel.  I don't have any repeaters near me but will travel and possibly encounter multiple repeaters on the same frequencies.

Would the Midland do just as good as the Wouxon in areas of sparse repeater concentration?  It seems one is a superheterodyne radio which I hear is a higher quality radio, am I correct on that?

Does one radio have the ability to monitor a wider frequency range than the other?  I guess I'm just trying to weigh the pros and cons of each radio and am hoping this who've used both can educate me.

School is in session, I'm taking notes

Per the Manual https://cdn.accentuate.io/6946947694769/1644868577928/MXT500-Owners-Manual-05-27-21.pdf?v=0 and Programming Guide https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0531/2856/0817/files/MXT500_Programming_Guide.pdf?v=1640104635 for the MXT500, you are locked into the GMRS frequencies. The 0.5W NFM 467MHz frequencies are not available at all (in the unified FRS/GMRS numbering scheme, these are channels 8-14. The programming guide indicates that you CAN program 8-14, but only with frequencies from the 8 GMRS MAIN channels  (guide says 16, but that's only because they treat simplex and duplex [repeater] as separate channels, you can not duplicate the interstitials [1-7] with different tones). So... If you have a number of repeaters on the same frequency using different tones, you can program them into the 7 empty slots instead of having to change tones as you move from one to another. NO SCANNING or selection of frequencies outside of those predefined channels GMRS channels.

The KG-1000G manual https://www.buytwowayradios.com/downloads/dl/file/id/1411/product/5287/wouxun_kg_1000g_owners_manual.pdf specifically lists wide receive capability (including AM Air band, and 6m Amateur). They didn't spend much money on images in the manual -- page 26 shows a rig set for 2m and 70cm bands. Manual also implies you have receive-only for the 0.5W NFM (8-14) (which are not available at all on the MXT500).  It has just short of 1000 slots available for specific repeater configurations, or receive only non-GMRS frequencies.

 

[marcspaz]

Yeah, we have chatted about this a bit here. Just my personal opinion, the KG-1000 is a great mobile radio if you are a radio geek and really enjoy bell's and whistles AND you are a technically inclined person. The MXT500 is great if you want a full power, full bandwidth, repeater ready radio... no frills, works out of the box and not confusing to operate. 

 

There are many good radios available when you look at new market specific gear, as well as legacy LMR equipment... but those two just seem to be my top favorites.

[VETCOMMS]

Ok, I have the radio geek tendencies and like that I can monitor more frequencies on the Wouxon.  Performance wise and sound quality wise they are very similar?

[marcspaz]

They both have good audio fidelity, but the KG-1000 has a better class of receiver. It has a better ability to discriminate between noise and weak signals, making it a better receiver.