The Most Highly Anticipated 50 Watt Radio is Now Available

Metcalf

Expedition Leader
Any news on if GMRS is going to be expanded? Being 50w on only 8 channels is almost as annoying as only having 22 channels.
 

MidlandUSA

Supporting Sponsor
Any news on if GMRS is going to be expanded? Being 50w on only 8 channels is almost as annoying as only having 22 channels.
We wish there was more channels but that's an FCC thing. We will reach out to them and hopefully hear back in 1 to 2 years :). You can always use the privacy codes to keep unwanted chatter away.
 

Metcalf

Expedition Leader
We wish there was more channels but that's an FCC thing. We will reach out to them and hopefully hear back in 1 to 2 years :). You can always use the privacy codes to keep unwanted chatter away.
For close in group comms, I usually just crank the squelch to keep bleed over away. The privacy tones don't really solve congestion issues, they just mask them. If someone else is still using the channel, it makes it so you can't hear if anyone is on the channel....and you can't talk over them.....or you also mess up their transmission if you do. Once the tone opens the channel, you can still hear bleed trying to come through at the same time.
 

NudeLobster

Member
Any news on if GMRS is going to be expanded? Being 50w on only 8 channels is almost as annoying as only having 22 channels.
For close in group comms, I usually just crank the squelch to keep bleed over away. The privacy tones don't really solve congestion issues, they just mask them. If someone else is still using the channel, it makes it so you can't hear if anyone is on the channel....and you can't talk over them.....or you also mess up their transmission if you do. Once the tone opens the channel, you can still hear bleed trying to come through at the same time.

There is over 100 digital DCS privacy codes and like 40 analogue CTCSS privacy codes for each GMRS main channel. That effectively turns those 8x hi-power main channels into over 1000 individual privacy channels. They aren't perfect, I'd say once a day my radio will pick up a main channel transmission on my DCS privacy sub channel, but thats like 1%.

Baofengs can do the privacy channels as well, albeit they are different sub channel codes, and on baofengs you have to set transmission and receive codes separately where as Midland's apply the same code to both automatically.

 

Metcalf

Expedition Leader
There is over 100 digital DCS privacy codes and like 40 analogue CTCSS privacy codes for each GMRS main channel. That effectively turns those 8x hi-power main channels into over 1000 individual privacy channels. They aren't perfect, I'd say once a day my radio will pick up a main channel transmission on my DCS privacy sub channel, but thats like 1%.

Baofengs can do the privacy channels as well, albeit they are different sub channel codes, and on baofengs you have to set transmission and receive codes separately where as Midland's apply the same code to both automatically.


If someone else is transmitting at the same time, on the same frequency ( channel ), the privacy codes doesn't really help. The CTCSS code from your transmission just opens the channel and then you will hear the bleed from the other transmitter. The DCS privacy channel is slightly better as it uses a digital carrier, but if someone else is transmitting on the same channel it will still mess up your message. I won't go into the nightmare of matching DCS coding between different radios.

More channels is still the best answer. It is such a narrow bandwidth channel spread, adding them to the system would be easy. Many other countries like Australia have much larger 'GMRS' type band plans working already. We just need to catch up.
 

DaveInDenver

Middle Income Semi-Redneck
DCS doesn't use a digital carrier. DCS is sending a low baud 23-bit telegram at 134 bps superimposed on your analog FM signal. It's so slow it would sound like a very low frequency tone if it wasn't filtered, just like the actual low frequency sub tone of CTCSS, which are analog tones mixed with your voice. Both types of privacy are below 300 Hz and are filtered from the heard audio.

You're correct that CTCSS and DCS don't increase channel capacity but just mask other users. There's really no advantage to using them over plain carrier squelch. In fact anyone running a radio with privacy tones off will hear everyone's conversation anyway, so "privacy" has always been a major misnomer.

If there's not enough high power GMRS channels you need to complain to the FCC, not Midland. There's plenty of bandwidth on the amateur bands, it's rarely a problem for us to find a clear frequency to use.
 

donaldj

Observer
Question: Is there a way to integrate the radio into vehicle head units like UConnect?

I'm envisioning being in the Bluetooth or AUX mode on my Jeep, and hearing the radio over the vehicle speakers. Added bonus for using the steering wheel "talk" button as a PTT.

Is this even remotely possible?
 

donmontalvo

Member
Of course Midland releases this bad boy after I bought my <redacted> 50W radio.

I personally am a fan of detachable face plates, but it's too late since I committed.

Kudos to Midland for learning from the past, being raked over the coals, etc. :)
 

Ninelitetrip

Well-known member
@MidlandUSA

Any plan to add the MXMC01 to a bundle to replace the MA75? Bit of waste to have to discard the MA75.

I went by your booth at Expo West, should have ordered the MXT575VP4-Whip bundle then to get the Expo discount. Missed out on that.
 

craig333

Expedition Leader
i have an CB like that. I don't care for all the controls on the mic myself but it is compact.
 

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