Another Gmrs question

[JOMOjl]

So I look at a GMRS radio like my winch: there when I need it but I hope I never have to use it.

I don’t overland. I don’t even go to a park that often. Emergency use in a busy park or listening to the chatter in the line of jeeps around me, that’s all I’d be using it for.

I go windows and doors off as much as I can so I’m worried about a permanent radio. Would a handheld unit work for me? I like the idea of taking it out when I won’t need it.

Specifically I’m looking at the Midland gxt1000vp4. It looks easy to use and it’s 5 watts. Would this be enough for wooded hilly terrain?

Any suggestions are welcome. Thanks

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[Jeep4Win]

So I look at a GMRS radio like my winch: there when I need it but I hope I never have to use it.

I don’t overland. I don’t even go to a park that often. Emergency use in a busy park or listening to the chatter in the line of jeeps around me, that’s all I’d be using it for.

I go windows and doors off as much as I can so I’m worried about a permanent radio. Would a handheld unit work for me? I like the idea of taking it out when I won’t need it.

Specifically I’m looking at the Midland gxt1000vp4. It looks easy to use and it’s 5 watts. Would this be enough for wooded hilly terrain?

Any suggestions are welcome. Thanks

I am pretty happy with my Midland MXT275. It’s small if you want to plug it in and use when needed or it can be hidden for a permanent install.

 

[JOMOjl]

I am pretty happy with my Midland MXT275. It’s small if you want to plug it in and use when needed or it can be hidden for a permanent install.

That’s the other option. Is it easy to use? I am completely new at this part.

 

[davewald]

I have both the GXT1000 and the MXT275, and do a lot of trails like the Rubicon, Moab and local ORV parks in hilly areas with lots of trees. It really depends on what you want to use it for. We use the handhelds mostly for spotting to vehicles that have the 275’s. They all work well, but the 275’s obviously have more range.

 

[Jeep4Win]

That’s the other option. Is it easy to use? I am completely new at this part.

Super easy to use! Main benefit is that all controls are on the mic instead of the box.

 

[GATORB8]

We also run a 275 and GXTs.

I’d grab a set of GXTs to see what your usage is, and bump to the installed setup when you decide. You can then use the GXTs for spotting or guests.

 

[LKG]

So I look at a GMRS radio like my winch: there when I need it but I hope I never have to use it.

I don’t overland. I don’t even go to a park that often. Emergency use in a busy park or listening to the chatter in the line of jeeps around me, that’s all I’d be using it for.

I go windows and doors off as much as I can so I’m worried about a permanent radio. Would a handheld unit work for me? I like the idea of taking it out when I won’t need it.

Specifically I’m looking at the Midland gxt1000vp4. It looks easy to use and it’s 5 watts. Would this be enough for wooded hilly terrain?

Any suggestions are welcome. Thanks

Notarubicon YouTube channel will have all the info you could ever need, he's pretty funny too.

I have the MXT275 and a Baofeng GM-15 handheld to loan out. My buddies have the Baofeng's as well, they work great. They're good to a couple miles in fairly dense forest, I've heard people 50 miles away with a clear line of sight.

 

[Mark75H]

GMRS is pretty crappy in hilly and dense woods regardless of the hardware used. A good HT with 5 watts will function almost as well as a hard mounted unit as long as you have line of sight. Look at the Wouxon radios instead of Midland. Midland is king of marketing, not design or manufacturing.

 

[JeepinAZ]

The Wouxun KG-805G is the recommended GMRS radio for our large club. It's very simple to operate and is high quality. https://www.buytwowayradios.com/wouxun-kg-805g.html

 

[tomk62]

Notarubicon YouTube channel will have all the info you could ever need, he's pretty funny too.

I second this. Go watch his videos for a bit, educational and entertaining.

https://www.youtube.com/@TheNotaRubicon

 

[CopperMtnGuy]

Midland MXT275. Takes 5 mins to set up before wheeling and throw it in the center console and have just the mic out. Love it for wheeling.

 

[Craigger]

So I look at a GMRS radio like my winch: there when I need it but I hope I never have to use it.

I don’t overland. I don’t even go to a park that often. Emergency use in a busy park or listening to the chatter in the line of jeeps around me, that’s all I’d be using it for.

I go windows and doors off as much as I can so I’m worried about a permanent radio. Would a handheld unit work for me? I like the idea of taking it out when I won’t need it.

Specifically I’m looking at the Midland gxt1000vp4. It looks easy to use and it’s 5 watts. Would this be enough for wooded hilly terrain?

Any suggestions are welcome. Thanks

It really depends on your usage but if you're really only using it for emergency use and listening in, you might want to consider a broad freq radio like the BAOFENG BF-F8HP. It's more of a learning curve and you have to map GMRS channels to frequencies but that's not hard. Also, it's 8 watts so it'll transmit quite a bit further. That being said, don't wait for an emergency to figure out how to use it.

 

[NWJeepr]

Is the MXT275 much better than a cheap handheld?

I like the Midland pictures of where they have it mounted to the side of the center console for a permanent install. Does anyone have a writeup of how they ran power and/or external antenna?

 

[GATORB8]

Is the MXT275 much better than a cheap handheld?

I like the Midland pictures of where they have it mounted to the side of the center console for a permanent install. Does anyone have a writeup of how they ran power and/or external antenna?

The head does not need to be exposed, mine is behind the trim panel under the steering wheel. Power and antenna route through a grommet that covers the hole the clutch would route through on a stick.

 

[Mark75H]

I ran my antenna wire thru the floor drain plug (LOL, now it's a grommet) and along the frame to a spare tire antenna mount bracket

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