Sponsored

Which Midland GMRS radio, MXT400 or MXT275?

Freebooter

Well-Known Member
First Name
Brad
Joined
Aug 8, 2020
Threads
9
Messages
233
Reaction score
488
Location
Beaufort, NC
Vehicle(s)
2020 Mojave, 2020 124 Spider Abarth
Occupation
Almost Retired
Anyone mount the antenna on the back bed rail? How is performance and any pictures?
Sponsored

 

Beemer533

Well-Known Member
First Name
Zion
Joined
Oct 25, 2021
Threads
13
Messages
620
Reaction score
699
Location
Upstate NY
Vehicle(s)
2021 JT Mojave
Occupation
Field Engineer
The only negative to the 275 is that you have to physically turn it on. I have them connected to ignition power, so when I turn engine off, the unit turns off, but when I start the engine I have to then remember to turn on the 275.

Just an FYI, the new version of the 275 (USB C on the front) will power itself back on when the truck is turned on if it was on when you previously shut the truck off.
 

ArmyMP

Well-Known Member
First Name
Thomas
Joined
Dec 20, 2021
Threads
51
Messages
599
Reaction score
894
Location
Indianapolis
Vehicle(s)
2021 Diesel Gladiator Rubicon "Betsy"
Occupation
Veteran
Mxt275 also doesn't do wideband that repeaters like. Your audio will come in really soft.
 

Gvsukids

Well-Known Member
First Name
Justin
Joined
Mar 7, 2020
Threads
22
Messages
4,947
Reaction score
4,608
Location
Grand Rapids
Website
www.youtube.com
Vehicle(s)
2020 Gladiator Sport S Max Tow
Occupation
Delivery Driver
Here is a good spot to mount the MXT275. I got my kit from CoolTech LLC. It also has a great antenna mount. Works great, plenty of range with the ghost antenna and the 6db antenna.

the Base unit is Easy to zip-tie and wedge in to the left of the glove box - using the supplied bracket. Speaker facing the glovebox also gives you more volume when turning on both speakers - base unit and mic speaker.
InbWzd.jpg


the Antenna pillar mount from Cool Tech LLC is very sturdy and can use either bolt. Cool Tech LLC Mic mount is also very sturdy. Here it is next to my CB antenna.
weavqR.jpg


drFUIp.jpg
How did you power this?
 

Frank...

Well-Known Member
First Name
Frank
Joined
Oct 19, 2020
Threads
7
Messages
263
Reaction score
381
Location
New Jersey
Vehicle(s)
2021 Gladiator Sport S 6-speed
Auxiliary, battery, or ignition wires under the passenger’s side dash.
 

Sponsored

Radio Guy

Well-Known Member
First Name
Mike
Joined
Feb 24, 2021
Threads
5
Messages
610
Reaction score
738
Location
So Cal
Vehicle(s)
2021 Jeep Gladiator Mojave
Occupation
Retired Broadcast Engineer
Anyone mount the antenna on the back bed rail? How is performance and any pictures?
Here is a top bed rail mount against the cab. The ground plane area is a little lacking but works for a UHF/GMRS antenna. It will not work well with VHF or CB. The pics show a 6" 1/4 wave UHF whip and a Maxrad 5dB colinear, although they are really less than 3dB gain.

Performance is ok, it seems my trunk lip NMO mounts on the front hood might work a little better but when I did the comparison there was a KB Voodoo bed rack on the truck which may have caused a little blockage.

Jeep Gladiator Which Midland GMRS radio, MXT400 or MXT275? 1663035566230


Jeep Gladiator Which Midland GMRS radio, MXT400 or MXT275? 1663035600602
 

mx5red

Well-Known Member
First Name
Paul
Joined
May 7, 2020
Threads
27
Messages
1,291
Reaction score
1,653
Location
San Diego
Vehicle(s)
2020 Firecracker JTR; 2020 DGC JLUR
Build Thread
Link
Sounds like the updated MXT275 is only wide and on repeater channels.
Wish you could switch it, for example if talking to other in your group that may not have midlands, you’d still sound quiet to them. I think this would be more my use case as opposed to talking on repeaters.
 

bd100

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 31, 2022
Threads
27
Messages
516
Reaction score
485
Location
USA Midwest
Vehicle(s)
JT, WK2, ole' Ram
Just got a MXT275. Waiting on the license but I tested some reception with the little antenna they provide.

First interesting thing, they give a little stainless disc with peel-n-stick on one side. You can stick this somewhere for the little mag mount to hold onto.

The mag mount antenna is small and has a pretty strong magnet and a thin coax cable. Nice to quickly slap on the vehicle and route the cable right through the edge of the door. At least until the coax breaks internally, but this will work until you can get a better antenna. The biggest problem is dealing with the extra cable length they provide.

Testing with reception shows the little mag mount works very well if you simply stick it onto the torx bolt for the hood hinge. Use the bolt further from the wind shield and there is some ground plane on all sides. And the magnet is strong enough to hold onto the head of the torx bolt really well. Reception is much better than the handheld FRS radio listening to the same thing. One problem is this puts the antenna into the field of view of the driver or passenger.

I also got a small sheet of stainless as a ground plane and stuck the antenna in the middle, all positioned over where the cowl's top bolts are located. This also worked well, even though the plate is not grounded. I will get some spacers and longer bolts and washers and try to mount this in place using the new cowl bolts. Spacers to keep the plate from touching the paint. The bolts will ground the plate. Maybe paint to match the vehicle and reduce glare. But it'll be off to the side a bit more than at the hood hinge, and easily removed when done offroading.
 

bd100

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 31, 2022
Threads
27
Messages
516
Reaction score
485
Location
USA Midwest
Vehicle(s)
JT, WK2, ole' Ram
In the end I installed the little 6" antenna using the stick-on disk next to the back edge of hood about 1" from the cowl, and about 6" from the left edge of the hood to provide ground plane to the left of the antenna while not being too in the way visually. Since it's next to the cowl, I also ran a grounded wire from the engine bay over to the gap between the side cowl cover and the windshield wiper cowl cover. This is a little seam going from the hood to the windshield, starting close to where the antenna is. I ran this grounded wire through this gap towards the windshield such that it hopefully behaves as a ground plane radial going from near the antenna over to the windshield. This looks nicer than a plate bolted onto the cowl, and hopefully works fairly well to improve transmission towards the back.

When not using the radio for a while, I can lift the hood and tuck the antenna into the cowl area below the hood, then lower the hood, and then the antenna is gone from sight.
Sponsored

 
 



Top