Midland G300c2 VP1

[tucoblue]

Considering one of these and will appreciate comments pro/con. If I decide to purchase this two-way radio should I also get the battery charger and rechargeable batteries or will the disposable alkalines be O.K.? I'm in South Jersey where it's flat with lots of pines and oaks. Anyone care to guess what the range will be?

Thank you very much for replies.

[Siskiyou]

tucoblue:

While I have had a lot of experience with portable radios over the years in the public safety sector I have not had any experience with the Midland Model you are asking about.  Midland does make good radios for the public safety sector, but they meet Mil Spec's.  And they are more costly because of that.

I did look up the spec's on the radio you are interested in.  I think it is a very attractive radio at 3 watts output, and it is claimed to be water resistant.  At one time I bought a set of public service radio and returned them the next day.  They were less then one watt output, and there was no mention of water resistance.  

Back when public safety portables came out, one watt out put was common.  When the 3 to 5 watt models came out we experienced far better performance in the mountains.  This created a safety concern because of the radio waves next to our brains.  The experts feel there is a risk when operating over 2 watts.  So who knows I maybe suffering some brain damage.

Transmitting and receiving range depends a great deal on topography or obstructions.  Years ago I visited my mother who worked on a Lookout tower.  The tower was above 5700 feet elevation.  I was able to talk to another tower more then 75 miles away.  But later I was unable to talk to my mother when I was a few miles away because a major ridge was in the way.

Frankly I am not impressed with the battery power of the recreational radio's.  Has technology caught up and only 3 or 4 AAA batteries(6v) replace the staying power of a public safety radio that carries 8 or more AA batteries.(12v)  Because I go out and camp when deer hunting I would most likely buy rechargeable AAA batteries.  I could then recharge them using my charger in my vehicle or recharge them at home.  

I am disappointed in the trend towards AAA batteries vs.  AA batteries.  i would like to be able to carry one set of replacement batteries in my daypack.  AA batteries would be my choice for my radio, gps, and flashlight.

In the last couple of weeks the wife and I were out shopping and I stopped to look at a radio pack.  My wife told me to get them, but I told her that I want to keep looking.  The price was right, but the radio's were less then 1 watt.  The 3 watt Midland which you are looking at is more like it.  The radio does have a low power option which can be used to conserve battery power.

Public safety agency's place radio repeaters on top of mountains, hills, and tall buildings so dispatchers can talk to units in the field.  Some agencies have repeaters in their patrol units.  That way the officer in the field can talk to other units or dispatchers many miles away.

[Siskiyou]

I guess I need to add a bit to my last post.  This morning I found an Ad in the paper for the 3 watt Midland radio.  The advertised price is good, and there is a rebate.  I called my hunting partner and we discussed the radio.  He has a set of 1 watt, brand x radio's.  He is happy with them, but as a volunteer in a fire department he knows the value of good communications.  If one watt is good, three watts are better.  If the radio packages are good.

Thanks to tucoblue's post I did a little research.  Four watt
FRS/GMRS radio's are starting to appear on the market.  I found four watt radios from two different manufactures's.  Cobra and Midland.  The Midland X-TRA TALK 10 MILE=FRS/GMRS  has captured my attention.  The reasons are that it works with 4AA batteries, or a rechargeable batter pack.  I should note that I "hate NiCad batteries."    They develope a memory and can fail you in your time of need.  I have received good service from rechargeable Nickel Metal-Hydride batteries.(NIMH)  Better yet is quality Alkaline Batteries for radio use.  Alkaline cost you more but you will receive more hours of service for one use period with Alkaline batteries.  Years ago Bendix-King introduced a good programable public safety radio.  It was a good radio with poor batteries.  The rechargeable NiCad in it and in the Motorola were undependable.  When the AA battery boxes came out, the Bendix-King quickly gained acceptance in the law enforcement and fire fighting world.  

I have not discounted the Cobra 4-watt radio, I need to research it a little more.  Tomorrow the wife and I will make the trip to the City and we (I) will checkout the selection of radio's.  After seeing the 4-watt radio I told her that I may hold off buying a radio(s) tomorrow.  

My plan was to do a review on the planned purchase of a 3-watt radio, but I have put that on hold for a little bit.  If the opportunity presents itself I will do a review on my hunting partners radios.  

The price of the lower power family radio's has taken a big dip in the last year.  Last weekend I priced the Motorola T5920 and T5950 (1 watt) around $50 for a pair, with charger, and two .5 watt radios as extra's.  A lot of people like the Motorola radio's, but they do not meet my criteria for a back country radio.  You could outfit a whole hunting camp with this package for $50 plus tax.