Customer Reviews
Minuteman @ the Border used and approved.!
Background: I spent 5 weekends at the Border in October 2005 as a Minuteman, working as a leader in the Security/Medical Team. We used GMRS handsets for individual commo between patrol team members, as well as for team to team commo. The Leadership group also used digitally encrypted pro-level UHF handsets for higher level logistics, security and medical commo. I picked up a blister pack of GXT500's & Headsets before the mission, since I wasn't sure my old Motorola FRS handset would cut it out their "on the line".
My use/testing area was a 1mile wide (East/West) by 2mile long (North/South) strip of fairly flat desert, slowly rolling down to the border fence (at the south, obviously). It was line-of-sight in most of the area, with the exception of the back 1/2mile toward the North, which had small rolling hills, and a few mountains.
I used the GXT500 12hrs a day, for 11 days, in this same area, in the same month, which probably makes this the most extensive controlled test of these units posted anywhere on the Web.
As for the unit hardware itself: Robust. Easy to use. Easy Menu system (much easier than my Motorola FRS!) Easy to see the LCD screen in all lighting. Nice sound choices. Great Volume levels. Good Belt Clip. Headset worked great. Chargers worked great; both in 12v auto and 120v home. Dropped both units a few times on rocks and they didn't break, nor did the battery cover fly off. Rechargeable batteries lasted all day at a 10/90 usage level. Bottom Line, these units are great! I'd buy them again!
As for the distance issue (Trust me on this...11 days in the desert, remember?) 1.5 miles maximum, period, end of story.
I was one of the few who had the 5 watt model out their. Most had 3 watts or lower. Most people could hear me pretty well at 1 to 1.5 miles, but I couldn't hear them past 1 mile, with the exception of the 3 watt Midlands, which I could hear out to 1.25 miles. At 1 mile, when concealed by low hills, nobody could hear me. At 3/4 miles, concealed by low hills, I could be heard OK.
By comparison, the digitally encrypted UHF pro radios we were also using maxed out at 2mi., or 1.5mi behind hills. The solution for us there was to switch to a repeater frequency, which then gave us near unlimited distance.
There you have it. These are great units and I highly recommend them (or any of the other GXT series). I'd also recommend springing for the kit that includes the rechargeable batteries and headsets... quite a deal all told.
Only beef I have with Midland is they should be honest, take the high road in the industry and state that this unit can reach "up to 1.5 miles reliably", which is the furthest any GMRS unit can reach, from my experience.
Be safe out there: carry water, first-aid and good commo!
Just about what I expected...
the 500 series is by far the best two-way radio for under $70.
I have tested them to around 3 miles. I only bought them for use inside of buildings when we are doing jobs. The clarity is excellent for close range (within approx. 1/2 mile). At around 2.5 - 3 miles the reception gets staticky. These are best used for closer range within 3 miles in a city environment unless you live in an area where this is minimal interference.
best toy radio ever!
I am a rf tecnician. I work with professional equipment. I bought these for my kids so I could call them home for dinner. I am impressed on how far they go through houses, trees and stuff. I decided to experiment and put the charger and radios in a plastic storage bin high up in a 50 foot tree with an extension cord attached. I hard wired the two radios in vox mode by splicing the headsets together in opposition. Each radio is on a different channel so that the plastic box is now a relay. WOW!!! were talkin' miles of coverage.
