Midland GXT-900 Review

[jwilkers]

You cannot modify these radio legally. Use of modified radios is in violation of FCC regulations. Also make sure you have a GMRS license prior to operation of these radios on channels other than 8-14.

[KingCobra]

Originally Posted by jwilkers

You now need to understand you no longer can legally use these radios. Modifications are strictly forbidden by regulation. Since these radios also have FRS frequencies which forbid radios with external anrennas, your mods violate the type acceptance on ALL frequencies. You will need to throw them away, or send them to Midland for full legal repairs.

Since you want to put it so bluntly, I would rather MOD my radios if the next best think would be to throw them away. I have the GXT950(same radio) and it IS trash as is. So, I would rather try and improve upon the cheapness of the recieve and transmit range by modding it if I must. It is a shame that we must result to illeagalities,but, I don't just throw $90 down the drain every day. YES, it is illegal, but, IT DOES need at least a better antenna, that what is supplied/built in. Too bad, it is a nicely built radio included with a cheap antenna that isn't an easy interchangable type as with other radios. I am afraid but I am sure that all of us but you may be guilty of 'tricking' a radio from time to time. I just hope Midland does a better job so they don't put us in a position to become illegal because we want to improve on something that might as well end up in the trash. If my 950's/900's don't improve, they will end up in the trash and I am finished with any other purchases from Midland. Yeh, I saw the 30 mile (up to) and I thought well, maybe they will at least do 8 miles which is how far my wife works from here. NOT A CHANCE! YES I am discruntled and it pisses me off more to here someone say>>>>> WAAAAAAAAAA, now it's illegal! Give us a break. I have been in the radio field for 20 or so years. Enough to know that these radios are junk as-is for most of us. Hell, CB ch.14 walkie talkies get out farther than these. So, UNLESS you work for Midland, keep your legal talk to yourself. We aren't stupid. And I don't believe modifying an antenna is anymore illegal that turning the radio on and off. We aren't messing with the wattage. I could go on all day I am so mad at purchasing these 950/900's. I'm sorry, but, stop jumping on people trying to make the best of junk radios! MIDLAND is walking a fine line between truth and false advertisment! I would not recomment anyone to purchase anymore 900'/950's until Midland gets realistice in the transmit and recieve distance. Who wants to buy a ham license for a radio that talks 1 mile on 5.3 watts??????? Not me. I've wasted $90 so far. If after changing antenna capabilities and finding that, that does the trick, THEN, I'm a happy customer. I bet you hold a ham license and don't tell me you never 'tricked a radio beyound changing antennas before.Again, I apologize but right now, I am not a happy customer and yes, I did write Midland. I also didn't see you answer the person about if these radios operate off repeaters in CTCSS mode. Scott

[leoibb]

hello mate i am new here and would like to know how to modify them to get better range

[speedypetey]

King, you are making yourself look foolish. You say you are in the "radio field" for 20 years, yet you could not see through Midland's false marketing claims? Either that or you just blissfully ignored it.

Just because you are disgruntled don't take it out on us. We are simply trying to do the right thing. Something many Americans feel doesn't apply to them I guess.
I bet you are the radio shop that sells GMRS radios to schools and say "No problem. You can use them."

Your ham reference is also lame. Hams are ALLOWED to modify, build and alter radios radios and antennas. Then again, you think you are too good to even know this.

As far as keeping our "illegal" talk to ourselves, how about YOU keep YOUR illegal modification talk to YOURSELF.

[KingCobra]

Originally Posted by speedypetey

King, you are making yourself look foolish. You say you are in the "radio field" for 20 years, yet you could not see through Midland's false marketing claims? Either that or you just blissfully ignored it.

Just because you are disgruntled don't take it out on us. We are simply trying to do the right thing. Something many Americans feel doesn't apply to them I guess.
I bet you are the radio shop that sells GMRS radios to schools and say "No problem. You can use them."

Your ham reference is also lame. Hams are ALLOWED to modify, build and alter radios radios and antennas. Then again, you think you are too good to even know this.

As far as keeping our "illegal" talk to ourselves, how about YOU keep YOUR illegal modification talk to YOURSELF.

I am not taking it out on anyone in general. We do-gooders just don't need to be slapped if we step out of line from time to time with tweeking transmitters. IF it is a policy here to repremand people like me, because you sell transmitters at your site, and to protect yourselves from FCC watchdogs, then I understand. YES, I have used CB etc, since I was 14 yrs old and I am 47 now. OK, more than 20 years LOL. I usually have my buddies fix my radios for me because they have the osilloscopes, meters, etc. that I don't have. I try to leave the tweeking to the professionals. I did read UP TO 30 miles, and knew that was bull, but, I thought, hmmmmm maybe 8 miles then. No go there even. I have read that there is hope. I also didn't know that vegitation eats up the radiation from GMRS radios! I know now. I am told to use VHF instead. I still don't know if VHF can go 8 miles with out a repeater. I can install a repeater at my buddies shop halfway between our home and my wifes work 8 miles away if need be. I will be getting my tech license soon and wonder what handhelds I can then use that will talk 8 miles away with no problems. My wife will be sitting in her car and I can be in our house or in the yard on a hand held. Sorry bout the blowup but after getting, what I call robbed with this pair of radios, I just snapped when I read' THAT IS NOW AN ILLEGAL RADIO" one too many times. Anyway, I'm over it now and learned my lesson the hard way. I understand that it was a selling tactic just to sell a poor performing product. We won't go into my Connex 4400HP or my Texas Star Linears Scott

[jwilkers]

Originally Posted by speedypetey

As far as keeping our "illegal" talk to ourselves, how about YOU keep YOUR illegal modification talk to YOURSELF.

Hear, Hear! I won't bother responding to the guy.

[leoibb]

hello all i bought a set of these radios and the range isnt what is claimed now surely by modifyin them you are only makin them do what they say they do , how can that be ilegal i personally think if stuff like this ever went to a court it would be laughed out, so i am all for modifyin these radios, the other thing is the licences they give for radios is just a way of taking money off people there is no real gain in havin a licence i bet 90 percent of people dont even bother with licence, im my view the goverment just have to find a way to make people pay for everything and this is what the licence is, but back to these midland 900 who knows how to mod them cos i want to do it with mine but limited experience so could do with help

[Danny]

Guys,

While we're usually quite tolerant when it comes to the topics that we allow to be discussed here, this thread is getting dangerously close to a line that we cannot cross.

Modifying certain types of radios, including equipment approved for GMRS use, is illegal. That is a fact. How you feel about this law as well as whether or not it is actually enforced is irrelevant. Having these topics discussed here could potentially cause problems for us, so we're going to have to set and enforce some specific rules on what will and will not be allowed on this topic:

• Discussion concerning the law itself, for example why you feel that it is good or bad or enforced or not enforced, is permissible.
  
• Discussion, without specifics, of the performance (or lack thereof) of components of certain radio models and how performance could potentially be impacted with a different/better component is permissible. For example: "The antenna on radio X is terrible. With a better antenna, I expect the range would improve 200%!"
  
• Discussion of tweaks or modifications with specifics that could be replicated or used by others to modify radios is NOT permissible. On the first offense, users violating this rule will be warned and their post will be removed. A second offense will result in a ban.

If anyone has any questions or needs any clarification, please send a PM.

[speedypetey]

King, three last comments:

1) You specifically stated you "have been in the radio field for 20 or so years".
I don't think there is one of us out here that would not take that as you saying you work in the radio field as your profession.
If you are a hobbyist then I can see where you would get mislead by the marketing hype.

2) No, I do not "work" here. I am just another hobbyist, GMRS licensee and ham trying to help out.

3) If your wife is sitting in her car that is KILLING her signal and reception.

How about you try getting your GMRS license, which covers you, your wife and your whole family, and getting some "real" GMRS radios. Your wife can then have a mobile antenna connected to her HT in the car and I bet you get close to your 8 miles.

[leoibb]

your missing the point fellow , and the point is we buy these things because they state certain things on the box, once bought and tried we realize we aint gettin what it says on the tin. why should we buy other radios we have the claims that these things do well and they let us down, its a bit like you gettin sold a car and then realize you was given a car but there is no engine,
its basic lies that they are tellin. some of us aint got loads of money to be just buyin and buyin in the hope they work we belive what we get sold to us because it is in writing. and your answer is to get a licence? i say kiss my .... to the licence . why on earth would i or anyone buy a licence to use radios that dont work propperly? is that not false economy,
it may encourage people to get licence if we could buy a radio and it did what it says, then we would maybe think well its worth havin a licence for these because they do what i want them to.
As far as i can see there is an issue with what the radios do and what they say they do. me for one if i buy white paint i expect white paint not pink or orange. i wrote to this midland and it werent very nice i also got in touch with legal people to see what could be done about it , all i want is something that does what it says if it dont then i have wasted my money and my time, so getting a licence before tryin them out is a waste of money as you may never use the said frequency if the radios dont do what they say. you understand? and please do not come back with some pony