Midland has a new MXT500 & MXT575 50-watt GMRS radio

[Uncle Gump]

That's part of it too... I'm just not certain I need a $400 radio. It probably won't be used often enough to justify the expense. However cell phone signal in many areas of Northern Michigan is poor at best. It would be nice to have a nice base unit at home and a high power unit in the Bronco...

 

[Shran]

If y'all run across a group buy or coupons or something for these, I am in for a MXT500. I hear that they occasionally offer 20% off.

Several of my buddies have the old MXT275 and like them a lot. I have a Juentai radio (Baofeng knockoff) in my Explorer and it works well enough but it annoys me that the GMRS channels aren't programmed into it. The only time I use that radio to any large degree is when I'm with them...so it would make sense to replace it with one that works better. Then I can put the old radio in another truck that I use around town since my club uses other frequencies that are outside the GMRS channels.

 

[Uncle Gump]

I know Midland treated us right at the last trail ride... they also offered up a discount. I don't remember what it was though.

I would probably be in for a group buy if that could happen.

 

[sgtsandman]

That's part of it too... I'm just not certain I need a $400 radio. It probably won't be used often enough to justify the expense. However cell phone signal in many areas of Northern Michigan is poor at best. It would be nice to have a nice base unit at home and a high power unit in the Bronco...

Just keep in mind about the line of site limitation. Some HAM radios bands actually bend some with the terrain. I would have to look into which bands but I believe it tends to be the lower VHF bands. Of course that would require a HAM license...

 

[gw33gp]

2 meter HAM does not have much bend round terrain, but it pretty good at bouncing to get around terrain. Usually mountains or large hills will block the signal unless there is a good bounce path to get it through. Two years ago, I was with a group in The Maze section of Canyonlands National Park. One night we had to split up and camp a least 10 miles apart with small mountains between us. Fortunately, there was a canyon for the signal to propagate around the mountains and we could communicate as clearly as if we were a few 100 feet apart.

 

[Shran]

I know Midland treated us right at the last trail ride... they also offered up a discount. I don't remember what it was though.

I would probably be in for a group buy if that could happen.

I know of two more people besides me that said they're in for these radios too.

 

[sgtsandman]

I know Midland treated us right at the last trail ride... they also offered up a discount. I don't remember what it was though.

I would probably be in for a group buy if that could happen.

Check the post with the announcement flyer. The discount might still be good. You could do an exploratory, pretend purchase and see if the discount code in that post still works.

 

[Uncle Gump]

Check the post with the announcement flyer. The discount might still be good. You could do an exploratory, pretend purchase and see if the discount code in that post still works.

Good call... never thought of trying that. I just might test the water with the idea though.

I think for now I'm just going to add a power and ground circuit to my harness so the provisions to wire it are there.

I'm thinking I need tires and a set of door panels for the Bronco II before I spend my limited slush fund money on a radio... guess it depends how good tax returns are this year.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Discount was supposed to be good until 12/31. I tried it when I ordered my handhelds after Christmas and I couldnt get it to work.