Midland GXT650VP4 (14 Channels) Two Way Radio

Pros: Good transmission range, sound quality, solid battery, uses AA batteries, car charger, headsets, low price
Cons: power battery life, Weak design. Heavy. Weak belt clip.

Before I purchased this radio I had Motorola TalkAbout 5500 (1-watt, 5-miles) and Motorola SX800R (2-watt, 18-miles) radios. Based on my experience with these two radios I evaluated the Midland GXT650 VP4. The price was not a concer for me when I ...

Pros: Transmission distance, small size..
Cons: Call feature can't be turned off, squelch break after transmission.

I purchased a set of Midland 650VP4s for hunting with friends. We chose the Midlands based on advertised features, small size, and cost ($65.00 after rebate @ Dicks). There were four sets among the group and out of 8 radios one came out of the box ...

Pros: Tough, water resistant, well thought out design. Works like they are supposed to!
Cons: Accessories not interchangeable with past model accessories in some cases.

I was not too sure about the camouflage finish (Hey, I loose equipment easy enough... I really didn't need radios that hide from me.) but they were in stock, and reasonably priced. They have lived through a few weeks of hard job-site life, and never ...

Pros: High power, low price, charger and ear piece included.
Cons: The boom style ear pieces are alkward and uncomfortable, I might replace them.

Found these at Gander Mountain for $50 with the AC and auto charger with ear pieces. What a deal! If you look up the FCC ID : MMAGXT600 you'll find their actual power output is 1.5 Watts, which is still pretty darn high considering the highest actual output I've seen is 1.6 watts from the Midland GXT850 but at $90 I couldn't justify the difference (forget about the motorolas, I haven't seen any with actual power over 1 Watt). Will write more when i try them out. I need them for fishing so my wife can reach me when i'm 2.5 miles out at the hotspot, these should do the trick! The the old FRS radios didn't reach.

Also the rechargeable battery packs are NiMH 6V 700maH - I think there's just 4 AAA rechargeables in that pack,
I think you could use some rechargeable AA's and get 2500maH. I'll report on actual battery life too once i find that out.