I don’t think Midland radios are very good.

[WRYZ926]

40 minutes ago, nokones said:

My MXT500 has a capacity of 128 channels and can be custom programmed for repeaters from Ch. 23 all the way to Ch. 128 and with split tones. Also, I can program channels 8-14 with custom repeaters channels.

Did it come like that new out of the box or did you have to do a firmware update?

I had to do the firmware update before my MXT500 would have 128 programmable channels.

[SteveShannon]

15 minutes ago, WSAK691 said:

So when you said "-120dbm vs -124dbm" that sounds like you're on someone's receive and measuring that anecdotally. Am I right? Because that's not typical receive sensitivity metrics.

 

What metrics do you use?

[SvenMarbles]

1 minute ago, Sshannon said:

What metrics do you use?

SINAD

[nokones]

10 minutes ago, WRXP381 said:

But you still paid 2-3xs the money of a better radio.  
 

for the money I’d never own a midland radio.  

I bought it for the physical size of the radio to use it as a jerk and run plug it in to the cigarette lighter type radio and lay it on the seat type of radio. Last year I acquired a Kenwood for that purpose because it has a majority of the radio features I want like Zones, talkaround, and PL Defeat features where as the Midland does not. One of my cars will not accommodate a radio installation and if I end up driving my wife's grocery getter, the small radio is perfect.

The Motorola XTL5000 dashmounts are just to big for that purpose.

[SvenMarbles]

And I know the metrics of both

[nokones]

11 minutes ago, WRYZ926 said:

Did it come like that new out of the box or did you have to do a firmware update?

I had to do the firmware update before my MXT500 would have 128 programmable channels.

It was a firmware update.

[marcspaz]

8 minutes ago, WSAK691 said:

So when you said "-120dbm vs 124dbm" that sounds like you're on someone's receive and measuring that anecdotally. Am I right? Because that's not typical receive sensitivity metrics.

 

 

Dude... I have no idea how you would even do what you wrote.  That doesn't make sense. 

 

I performed a 12 dB SINAD sensitivity test using a signal generator, testing at 462.55 MHz and 462.725 MHz on both radios.  I also performed SQ4 opening and closing tests.  The Midland SQ4 opening was -120.7 and closing was -124.4, but the Yaesu SQ4 was at -116.7/-121.

[SvenMarbles]

4 minutes ago, marcspaz said:

 

Dude... I have no idea how you would even do what you wrote.  That doesn't make sense. 

 

I performed a 12 dB SINAD sensitivity test using a signal generator, testing at 462.55 MHz and 462.725 MHz on both radios.  I also performed SQ4 opening and closing tests.  The Midland SQ4 opening was -120.7 and closing was -124.4, but the Yaesu SQ4 was at -116.7/-121.

I see.. did you account for the negative gravity co-efficient?

[marcspaz]

Oh boy... I guess this conversation is over. 

[SvenMarbles]

I want to know more about your SQ4 findings..

Can you just sort of lay that all out in detail?

 

[SvenMarbles]

 

Quote

I performed a 12 dB SINAD sensitivity test using a signal generator, testing at 462.55 MHz and 462.725 MHz on both radios.

You did? That's a strange coincidence..  Can we see your signal generator and radio-lab? You just happened to do a head-to-head of two radios that surely nobody would buy at once, but is the topic of this discussion..?

[SvenMarbles]

30 minutes ago, marcspaz said:

 

Dude... I have no idea how you would even do what you wrote.  That doesn't make sense.

 You take a guy with a dbm style S-meter and you stick him some distance away. you key up and he tells you what your reading is. What's nuts about that?

It's weird to me that you wouldn't even know how that could be done, but you're over there doing GS7 tests.

 

 

[dosw]

I have two MXT-275 Midland radios, and two GTX-1000 radios. They work great, and are easy to use.

 

They lack some things that I might find useful; the ability to configure more than one memory location per frequency (ie, the ability to use more than one repeater that operates on the same frequency, for example)... and I don't think the handhelds are repeater capable in the first place. But for what I use them for primarily, that's fine. I tend to set all my radios to use the same DSC/PL tone on channel 18, and the same one on channel 6. Then I can tell others "go to channel 6" and I know we'll be talking lower-power, or "go to 18" and we'll be talking at a higher power setting.

 

The antennas are pretty good. I have the 3db "ghost" antenna that I use most of the time, and the higher gain 6db antenna that I mount on the RV or use at home.

 

My other radios are Baofengs; two UV-5G radios, and I'll probably get a UV-5G Plus sooner or later. But I don't "need" what they have to offer, I just enjoy the flexibility they offer for tinkering. When it comes to actually using the radios, I'm perfectly happy with the Midlands.

 

Clarifying my use cases: Talking between the RV and family / friends out hiking, keeping our ski party together (sometimes we end up at the base of different lifts), taking trips with more than one vehicle, getting help from my son as I back the tow vehicle (no rear facing camera) up to the trailer, keeping together when we're at crowded, spread out destinations (theme park, shopping districts, etc), kayaking, sailing (ship-to-shore chatter, since VHF Marine Radio is rather particular/stodgy about ship-to-shore communications). I do listen in on repeaters but don't make much use of them; there's just not much need. Either we're within range of each other, or we're out somewhere remote where there aren't any repeaters to help, anyway.

[PRadio]

35 minutes ago, WSAK691 said:

 

You did? That's a strange coincidence..  Can we see your signal generator and radio-lab? You just happened to do a head-to-head of two radios that surely nobody would buy at once, but is the topic of this discussion..?

Hilarious, you obviously do not know anything about who you are talking to. 

[SvenMarbles]

Just now, PRadio said:

Hilarious, you obviously do not know anything about who you are talking to. 

You're correct. Who is it?

[PRadio]

2 minutes ago, WSAK691 said:

You're correct. Who is it?

Someone who would actually buy two radios that no one would buy at once, and who would test them head to head. His knowledge and his testing are top notch. He knows what he is doing. 

[SvenMarbles]

1 minute ago, PRadio said:

Someone who would actually buy two radios that no one would buy at once, and who would test them head to head. His knowledge and his testing are top notch. He knows what he is doing. 

Well I'm about it.. Where is that channel.

[SvenMarbles]

And by the way... I'm a life long radio guy. 30ish years of playing around with things.But I recognize that there are better ones than me. Plenty actually. I subscribe to them all. ALLLLL of the old hams. OG, Jim(W6LG), etc.. I watch the nerd stuff like most people watch the netflix.. So If I've just missed a whole bunch and this guy can tell me about it, I'll take a picture of my ass and put it here..

[nokones]

40 minutes ago, WSAK691 said:

And by the way... I'm a life long radio guy. 30ish years of playing around with things.But I recognize that there are better ones than me. Plenty actually. I subscribe to them all. ALLLLL of the old hams. OG, Jim(W6LG), etc.. I watch the nerd stuff like most people watch the netflix.. So If I've just missed a whole bunch and this guy can tell me about it, I'll take a picture of my ass and put it here..

And only had your GMRS license for a couple months thus that makes you very new to this forum

[SvenMarbles]

7 minutes ago, nokones said:

And only had your GMRS license for a couple months thus that makes you very new to this forum

Yes I bought my GMRS fishing license 4 months ago. What's your point?

I wasn't the type to buy my GMRS license first and learn radio second..

 

[SvenMarbles]

26 minutes ago, nokones said:

And only had your GMRS license for a couple months thus that makes you very new to this forum

I dabble in GMRS, among varied radio interests. 

[nokones]

32 minutes ago, WSAK691 said:

Yes I bought my GMRS fishing license 4 months ago. What's your point?

I wasn't the type to buy my GMRS license first and learn radio second..

 

You're new to the Forum and you may be losing support in being nominated to the "Righteous Dude" list and you will end up only being recogized as one of those "Some People".

It appears that you are questioning Marc's expertise in measuring the sensitivity of the two subject radios. Do you think Marc just pulled out the findings of his test out of the air and that he doesn't know what he is doing? Do you actually think anyone without that kind of education/experience could even come close and talk-the-talk? 

He clearly explained a typical test procedure in measuring the receiver's sensitivity and you responded with a different procedure that you said he should have used in place of his procedure.

Was there something wrong with his test  procedure?

Since, you are new to the list, I think it would have been best for you to lurk for awhile so you have an idea who the players are and how they roll instead showing up and stepping on people's protruding body parts.   

[SvenMarbles]

17 minutes ago, nokones said:

You're new to the Forum and you may be losing support in being nominated to the "Righteous Dude" list and you will end up only being recogized as one of those "Some People".

It appears that you are questioning Marc's expertise in measuring the sensitivity of the two subject radios. Do you think Marc just pulled out the findings of his test out of the air and that he doesn't know what he is doing? Do you actually think anyone without that kind of education/experience could even come close and talk-the-talk? 

He clearly explained a typical test procedure in measuring the receiver's sensitivity and you responded with a different procedure that you said he should have used in place of his procedure.

Was there something wrong with his test  procedure?

Since, you are new to the list, I think it would have been best for you to lurk for awhile so you have an idea who the players are and how they roll instead showing up and stepping on people's protruding body parts.   

You're right, I don't know who "the players are" here. But frankly I don't care. I do radio. I know the radio things.

I'm assuredly not "some people". Those ones are those who care about "who the players are" and the perceived "players" themselves.

I don't fall in line with conventional dogma. When I speak on something it's because I've had empirical experience in trying that thing out. And in this case I know ALLLLL about the silicon labs radio chip things vs. superheterodyne receivers. I know where they're good and where they're not. I know about the "chuff" tuning vs constant and variable tuning. The squelch muting, and the vulnerability to harmonics. Bad first IF stages, etc... I'll be glad to have a conversation with any "players" here about it..

I know it's difficult to imagine. That there could be such a person out in the wild whose been doing the radio hobby for decades and just now signed up for MYMGRS, Hi. You've met one.

[SvenMarbles]

By the way,... not a ham.. Could pass a tech exam, and continue to general tomorrow morning,.. hungover.. Not interested.

[nokones]

12 minutes ago, WSAK691 said:

By the way,... not a ham.. Could pass a tech exam, and continue to general tomorrow morning,.. hungover.. Not interested.

Well, that might be a save from being called a "Sad HAM".