Midland Radio Review, by Chas Carmichael

[Justin Crossley]

If you use handheld radios on any of your trips, you will definitely want to read Chas Carmichael's latest article. I know he was very impressed with these radios and after reading the review, I want a pair myself!

Midland GXT1050VP4 Two-Way Radio Review - Rokslide

 

[Buckman]

Great review, thanks. Good to have options.

 

[loggerchas]

It's nice to have options that everybody can use. The GMRS licensing fee is a bit out of line compared to amateur radio licensing, but with no study/testing requirement they are easy to get since all you have to do is fill out the paperwork. Mine took less than 2 days to receive though a modification to my license is taking much longer (typo on license).

For those who get a license (which GCC requires), be SURE to keep track of your FCC FRN and password. It is king of a pain to reset and research if you misplace those. (FRN = federal registration number) If you already have a FRN from an amateur license then the process takes about 5 minutes and when you receive the license it is just one less thing an LEO could hassle you about.

I write my GMRS license call sign on the face of my radio battery so I always have it available to reference should I ever need it.

 

[Justin Crossley]

Great review Chas. I'm thinking about getting a pair of these after reading it.

 

[loggerchas]

For me, the crossing of price per unit and durability function per ounce is what tipped the scales. Any $50 amateur radio is way low in the ruggedness department (drop a Baofeng on a rock and watch the parts scatter - I had that accident) and the Midland units are light and very battery efficient. I love that accessories interchange with common pinouts/components in the industry and interchange among the base and portables.

And looking deeper, there are limited repeaters available also for longer distance options. Here are some in Washington:

 

[Piscatory_4]

I've had a set of these for about 3-4 years, used intermittently with decent results. My cousin has had a set and uses them more often than I since he hunts with his wife while I'm typically alone. Talking with him this year during season and he said he has ruined a couple sets of them where they will not transmit, he suspects from water intrusion. We hunt coastal Washington state where yes it rains a bit more than most other places. He has gone to a more serious waterproof radio this year. I've had mine out in the weather some and not had any trouble. He can receive, just not transmit. Just sharing that since a longer soak in water may render them pretty much useless.

 

[loggerchas]

Transmit failure could be water intrusion but may also be antenna related or failure of the PTT circuit. When I decided to test "waterproof" I read the instruction manual (crazy, I know) and found the "waterproof rating" and then researched it. In layman's terms, it means splashproof from any angle. It is important to note that if using any accessories in wet weather, while the pinouts/spacing on the side of the radio are common to several radio brands, only the Midland accessory plug fits the opening well enough to maintain weather protection.

Water intrusion typically shows initially as fog in the screen of a radio, from my experience. Constant high humidity can also promote "greenies" growing in any electronics due to dissimilar metals. Even with the splash protection, when I go canoeing this summer I plan to use a true waterproof cover (several manufacturers make these in various levels of durability, example: https://www.amazon.com/Zerone-Transparent-Waterproof-Electronic-Protection/dp/B07DB2H4T4/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1546966333&sr=8-5&keywords=waterproof+walkie+talkie+cover

 

[fwafwow]

Great review - thank you! I'm just about to pull the trigger on these, but does anyone have another option (anything a "tier" higher) that I should review? The review makes this sound like the perfect choice, but have the gear fun is doing the comparing and research!

 

[fwafwow]

And if I get a license for my set, does one license work for the pair, or does each user need a license?

 

[loggerchas]

Each user is supposed to have a license.

I do not know of another tier - to me the next tier is getting into the durable business class DMR radios which is a whole different discussion regarding durability and programming. These little units have many of the features and a full line of accessories which is unique to "off the shelf" offerings. That is a big deal when customizing them for your particular use. Feel free to shoot me a PM is you want to dive deep into that end of things.

HAM radio is admittedly cheaper in terms of licensing, but radios are much more complex to use and a GMRS license is still required for GMRS frequencies. HAM also requires study and a test, not just a flat fee.