Midland Radios

[JoCoBrian]

New to GMRS, and I am looking at the MXT400 and maybe the MXT115 to set up at home for a base station.  Wife and I work from home, so I don't really need a mobile radio.  We're looking at 5w HTs as well.  Nothing bought yet. 

I live well within the footprint of Indy600 and I am considering TRAM 1486 for the base antenna up on a push pole or TV mast maybe 25-30 feet.  I'd feed it with coax, maybe 40 feet to the shack.   I think omni directional is what I want instead of a beam...does that sound reasonable?  The TRAM falls about in the middle price wise, I am seeing UHF verticals from $60 to $300 with the TRAM about $100 and seems to be recommended often.  Is that reasonable?  On the other end of my house I will be installing another mast with a 2m beam pointed due north to Indianapolis.  I don't think that will be an interference issue...will it? 

MXT400 is 40w

MXT115 is 15w

Price diff isn't really that much.  Other mobile/base units in the $250 and under range I should consider? 

In the realm of HTs there are SO MANY...$30 to $300 recommendations?  Would like to keep the two HTs under $100 each. 

 

[WRUU653]

51 minutes ago, JoCoBrian said:

In the realm of HTs there are SO MANY...$30 to $300 recommendations

I do have a recommendation though it’s over your $100 dollar budget ($139.99). The Wouxun KG-S88G is a super Het radio, UHF only, IP67 water proof. It’s pricey for its features but really good quality, good sound, solid, small and simple. I chose this as one of my HT radios because I wanted a radio that I could hand the wife that worked and wasn’t laden with a lot of bells and whistles that would intimidate her. I have other radios and other favorites for different things but for simple GMRS coms I reach for the KG-S88G. I may need to get another one.  Hope this helps. Geez that souded like a commercial... I don't always drink beer but when I do... 

 

[WRUU653]

My recollection on the Midlands is the MXT115 isn't wide band but the MXT400 is so I would go for the 400 over the 115. Someone who has these radios could tell you more. 

 

[JoCoBrian]

WRUU653 thanks for the info on the Wouxun.  Having been a diehard Elecraft, and Yaesu guy I have never really ventured into the realm of Chinese radios, cheap or otherwise but I will give the KG-S88G a good look.  What do you mean by wide band? 

MXT115 -  462.5500 ~ 462.725

MXT400 - 462.5500 ~ 462.725

Thanks! 

 

[JoCoBrian]

WRUU653....I have been digging into the poop on the KGS88G...the one feature that might be the one that makes me go that way is the fact the radio comes in pink.  Yes.  My sweetie pie thinks she needs a pink radio.  

 

[KAF6045]

1 hour ago, JoCoBrian said:

WRUU653 thanks for the info on the Wouxun.  Having been a diehard Elecraft, and Yaesu guy I have never really ventured into the realm of Chinese radios, cheap or otherwise but I will give the KG-S88G a good look.  What do you mean by wide band? 

MXT115 -  462.5500 ~ 462.725

MXT400 - 462.5500 ~ 462.725

Thanks! 

 

Bandwidth is the amount of space a single /signal/ is allowed to take up.

The MXT-115 uses 12.5kHz NFM -- the same bandwidth as FRS. GMRS is authorized 20kHz (though most rigs these days tend to bluff it at 25kHz -- especially as the modulation mode tends to be 16k, vs 11k for narrowband). It makes for a difference in the audio quality going between the two bandwidths (regular FM will be clipped by an NFM receiver, while an NFM signal won't be using the full dynamics of an FM receiver).

[wayoverthere]

1 hour ago, JoCoBrian said:

WRUU653 thanks for the info on the Wouxun.  Having been a diehard Elecraft, and Yaesu guy I have never really ventured into the realm of Chinese radios, cheap or otherwise but I will give the KG-S88G a good look.  What do you mean by wide band? 

MXT115 -  462.5500 ~ 462.725

MXT400 - 462.5500 ~ 462.725

Thanks! 

 

Wideband vs narrowband refers to how much spectrum the transmitted signal uses; 20 or 25kHz for wideband, vs 12.5kHz for narrowband.

narrowband signals is how the handhelds only FRS channels can squeeze in between the repeater inputs in the 467.xxx range (467.550 and 467.575, with a FRS channel wedged in at 467.5675, etc).

As @KAF6045mentions, the big issue is when the settings don't match between stations (one set wideband, the other narrow). When both match, the difference between wide and narrowband in practical use isn't huge.

[WRUU653]

To the best of my knowledge Yaesu and Elecraft don't make a part 95 approved radio (I'm not telling). Here is a little more on wide vs narrow though it's pretty much as @wayoverthere and @KAF6045 have explained.

https://www.ailunce.comhttp//www.ailunce.com/blog/what-is-the-difference-between-narrowband-and-wideband-on-gmrs-radios

 

[WRUU653]

35 minutes ago, JoCoBrian said:

My sweetie pie thinks she needs a pink radio.  

I didn't want to assume but I thought maybe she might. 

This guy made a video... No it's not that guy  

Yaesu FT-60 vs Wouxun KG-S88G | The Blind Radio Taste Test  

good luck with whatever you decide. 

[marcspaz]

The antenna will be fine... fair price.

I would buy an authentic MXT400 v2 (or newer) over the 115 because if you are going to be talking to repeaters, programming the repeater channels to operate wide band will ensure your audio levels are proper and there will be less noise in your signal.

Wouxun KG905g would be my recommendation. The S88g is great, too, but after taxes and shipping it may be over $150.

 

[JoCoBrian]

5 hours ago, WRUU653 said:

I didn't want to assume but I thought maybe she might. 

This guy made a video... No it's not that guy  

Yaesu FT-60 vs Wouxun KG-S88G | The Blind Radio Taste Test  

good luck with whatever you decide. 

The FT60R I had for five years was one of the best HT's I ever owned.  When COVID hit in March 2020, we got sent home to work, we're still working at home and looks like we will be for the rest of my working life.  So I sold it.  I regret selling every radio I have ever sold...and that's been a bunch.  Leaning hard toward the KG-S88G for GMRS.  I don't really need a 2m/440 HT around here.  No one to talk to and not much going on other than drive time, and I don't have any drive time now.