jwilkers's Full Review: Midland GXT850VP4 (7 Channels) Two Way Radio
Midland GXT850 Review
FCC ID: MMAGXT850
An FCC issued GMRS license is required to use these radios.
Advertised power output 5 watts.
Actual Power Output ERP:
1.6379 Watts (GMRS High)
0.278 Watts GMRS/Med
0.2035 Watts (FRS/Low)
Advertised power outputs are typically listed via measurements that have no merit on this type of radio. Actual ERP ratings, such as I list are the true power output.
This radio had a hefty look and feel. It is advertised as being waterproof.
I did not test this.These radio have both CTCSS and DCS coded squelch
to assist in interference protection.
Sound Quality: The radio had a nich hefty audio quality. Volume was
sufficient for all but the noisiest environments.
Ease of operation: I considered the menu layout to be confusing at first.
Setting CTCSS and DCS codes was a bit more complicated than I would
have liked to see. Nonetheless, after learning the functions with
the help of the manual, I was able to navigate easily.
Advanced Features: NOAA weather reception with alert is available.
These radios have an advanced selective calling system. It allows each user to input an
ID tag and selectively call individual radios, or the entire group. Each radio is set with an
ID tag and a group number. This system is effective with large groups and wasn't tested
in a group mode. It worked great with the two units I had. At first, it was a bit complicated; but we got it down after
a little while.
Advertised Maximum Range: 25 miles.
Actual Ranges:
Car to car: .75 miles
Car to house: 1.18 miles
Person to person outdoors: 1.55 miles
Person to house: 1.18 miles
Advertised ranges are typically inflated to increase sales. Advertised ranges are only attainable under very specific, controlled conditions.
Battery Life: Charge life of supplied battery pack is effective for
normal use all day. Battery did not indicate loss of power during
test period. Supplied charger charges both the supplied pack, and your own
AA cells.
Final Comments: I enjoyed these radios. Admittedly, they were a bit more
complicated to use, but then they had a lot of features. They are durable and effective.
The Midland GXT-850 boasts an amazing 5 watts of power, allowing for a range of up to 26 miles in optimal conditions (typically 2 miles or less in urb...More at eBay
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