Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Value, December 17, 2004
I received my first walkie talkies as a young kid during the 60's. Back then, the transmit range was about 50'. IE, it was just as convenient to shout to the other person as it was to use the walkie talkies. But I was really fascinated with them. Then the 70's came along and I was swept up in the CB craze and learned a lot about the importance of the radio and the antenna itself. Anyway, I am now blown away by the performance of these little radios.
I had fun reading reviews and specs and studying up on them. But when it came to choosing a model, I had a hard time. I have never seen such a disparity in user reviews as with these guys. Some people love a model, others hate it. But the reason is obvious to me. It is always about failed expectations. I blame the manufacturer's marketing department for this. All of them.
The theme of the dissapointed walkie talkie enthusiast here was almost always the same - range. Well, let's face it, when the manufacturer says 10 mile range, the savvy consumer figures "baloney, but hey, I'd be happy with the 5 mile range it should provide". Forget it. Plan on two miles tops, maybe more if you are on one mountain top and your friend is on another. Car-to-car ? A mile or so. A car is a very noisy electrical environment. So too are all the other cars around you. Not to mention you are encased in metal. These factors all severly hamper range.
A couple of other things. Range is a function of the fourth root of output power. What the heck does that mean ? It means if your radio has an output power of 2 watts and you want to double the transmission range, you'd need 16 watts of output power. So, the transmission range difference between a radio that puts out 3 watts and one like this one that puts out 4 watts is not 25% greater. It is much less than that. But like chicken soup, what could it hurt ? That's why I got them.
In summary, for $ 50, these radios are a superb deal. They are built well and work great. I saved twenty bucks by getting the version without the headsets. Who needs 'em ? The weather channel is a real bonus. By the way, don't forego this radio for model that has "weather alert". That feature drains the battery. Even with the radio "off", it is still essentially "on" listening for a weather alert.
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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
One of the better values going right now., February 2, 2005
I've owned and used a pair of the Midland GXT400 radios for about 6 months. I'm basically a gadget guy, but this has been my first experience with FRS/GMRS radios.
As an inexperienced buyer, I found shopping for two-way radios to be very confusing. There are *so* many options in terms of number of channels, number of privacy codes, different power levels of transmitters, etc. It can be quite overwhelming. It is difficult to determine what features will be useful to you and what features are not worthwhile. There aren't many web resources available. Heck, even Amazon lists about 100 different models of two-way radios. Pretty much all of the models have good and bad owner reviews.
How is the average consumer, who isn't a radio-head or wireless communication expert, supposed to ever make a decision? Ugh.
I shopped obsessively until I finally settled on the Midland units. The main decision factors for me were:
(1) This is the only model that claimed a 4 watt transmitter at the time. (Not sure that is still the case)
(2) It uses readily available AA batteries and not some crazy rechargeable battery pack, which would require me to pack yet another charger when I travel.
(3) The price was reasonable.
First, I have to say that I'm really impressed with the radio technology overall. FRS/GMRS radios really do work. These are truly a quantum leap from the old walkie-talkies you had as a kid.
Range -- As others have mentioned, forget the silly range numbers that are advertised on the package. You will be disappointed if you really expect to get more than a mile or two in real world conditions. The range all depends on the environment. In a city setting, you are lucky to get a mile. Out in the country you can get more.
Battery life -- I'm happy with the battery life on the Midland units. I use NiMH AA rechargeable batteries and I've used them all day, two days in a row and never seen the low battery sign. Granted, I didn't spend a LOT of time talking on them, but they were still on the whole time.
For doing car-to-car communication as you convoy down the road, they are absolutely fantastic. Don't expect to get much more than line of sight range, but the sound quality is excellent and it makes traveling in multiple cars much easier. You can plan stops, check maps, etc. without having to pull over or use expensive cell phone time. This is especially true when you are navigating in an unfamiliar city.
I've also used my radios on the ski slopes. In that environment, the range is much better. I've had good luck contacting friends who were spread out all over the mountain. I have not had any problems communicating with other brands of radios. I've actually been surprised at how far I'm able to reach other people under good conditions.
Having sung the praises of FRS/GMRS radios in general and of the Midland units in particular, I do have a couple of minor issues:
- One minor complaint is that the PTT (push to talk) button on one unit is a little bit tricky. You've got to give it a good firm push to transmit. The other unit is much softer touch.
- The menu system to do the settings is not completely self-explanatory. If you swap the batteries, the unit has to be completely reset, which takes a minute. I don't use the radios every day, so I forget exactly what each menu setting does if I haven't used them in awhile. I wish I could set it and then have the radio retain the settings until I changed them.
- The radios themselves are not the smallest available. They measure about 2.5" x 1.25" x 6". This makes them a bit too large for pocket size, but not overly large.
Despite these minor things, I still highly recommend the Midland GXT400 units. I'm happy with my purchase.
BTW... if you are an obsessive shopper, just stop now and place the order. I don't think you will be disappointed.
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Solid deal for the money, good performance, November 26, 2004
We purchased two sets of the Midland GXT-400 handheld transceivers, and have been quite happy with them. The receive and transmit audio quality is pleasant and clear.
Their range performance is comparable to the Cobra PR-4000 series radios. Receive sensitivity and transmit power appear to be about the same.
The Midland GXT-400 has a smaller profile than the Cobra PR-4000; this makes it easier to carry and use, but may adversely affect effective radiated power output. However, it does not have all of the "bells and whistles" of the slightly larger Cobra. It has a NOAA weather radio included that is not exceptionally sensitive, however it is servicable. Unlike the Cobra PR-4000, it does not include a NOAA Weather Alert function, receive signal strength meter, stopwatch, clock, alarm, directional compass, etc. Of course, the Midland also is less expensive than the Cobra. I personally like the "bells and whistles" of the PR-4000; but for those who like a radio with the important features that is simpler to operate, the GXT-400 is a joy to operate.
Please be aware, neither the Cobra nor the Midland will attain anywhere near the ranges claimed by their manufacturers on their packages. Using a pair of GMRS handhelds in our residential neighborhood setting, we usually get a reliable one mile range, spotty coverage out to about two miles, and periodically around three to four miles from high points in the terrain. (Coverage area can be significantly improved when communicating with a base station using a commercial quality transceiver with high quality feedline and a good antenna placed above surrounding obstructions.)
All in all, I am pleased with these radios and would recommend them.
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