MIDLAND X-TRA TALK GXT850 SERIES
GMRS/FRS RADIO
Often times, I have found myself sitting in a boat or tree stand wondering about what was happening with other members of my fishing and hunting groups. Are they catching fish, are they seeing any deer, is it time for lunch? Well, I will wonder no more! Using Midland Radio Corporation’s, (www.midlandradio.com), X-TRA TALK GTX850 SERIES radio, communication with other members of your fishing or hunting group has never been easier. I have recently been able to use the GTX850 radios and I find them to be a value packed addition to my fishing and hunting equipment and I believe you will too.
PACKAGING and APPERANCE:
When the radios first arrived, I found them to be securely packaged in a large plastic blister-pack. This type of packaging allows the consumer to get a real good look at the products however it can be quite dangerous when opening. Parents, if you are purchasing these radios for your youngsters, assistance will be necessary when opening the package. The clear plastic packaging can create very sharp edges when cut. The radios used for this review were finished in Mossy Oak Break-Up Camo which makes the radios look nice and feel good in your hand.
INITIAL SETUP:
After a brief inspection the radios and accessories where found to be free of any damage. The first thing that is necessary is a complete charge of the NiMH battery packs. Midland recommends the battery packs be charged 24 hours for initial charging and 12 hours there after when recharging is needed. The radio display includes a battery strength indicator that reminds you when it’s time to charge the batteries. Installation of the batteries is a simple matter. Undo the latch on the back of the radio and simply drop in the battery pack. A little hint here, battery insertion will be much easier if performed BEFORE the belt clip is installed. The radios then 
slip into a counter top charging station. There is also a 12 volt DC charging cord available for charging in the field.
After a brief look at the owner’s manual, I was familiar with all the icons found on the radio screen and the use/purpose of the knob and soft-keys.
For initial set up of the radios and to familiarize ones self with the many features, a thorough read of the owner’s manual is a must. The GTX850 model is packed with features such as:
Just to name a few. Certainly you could simply turn the radios on and use them right away but take a little time to read the owners manual to take full advantage of the power and features of the GXT850’s. I found the owner’s manual to be concisely written, however, some of the sections of the manual required a second and some times third read to fully understand the operation of some of the radio’s features. Be sure to have one of the radios handy while reading the manual to experiment with, to see which features would best suite your needs. A note about the radio’s channels: The radios are equipped with both GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) and FRS channels. To operate the radios on the GMRS channels you must first be licensed by the FCC. See www.fcc.com and request form 605.
The radios may be set up in a “group” mode which allows each individual radio in the group to be assigned its own identification number. You may then use the “direct-call” feature to communicate with an individual radio in the group or you may speak to all the radios in the group simultaneously.
If you do not want to set up a “group”, the radios may be operated on a specific channel and a privacy code can be applied to each radio. Privacy codes must be the same on each radio. There are 142 privacy codes that may be applied to every channel of the radio. This creates endless options for privacy among groups of radios.
Another handy feature is the “Vibration Alert” function. This allows the radios to remain silent when receiving a “call” from another radio. The radios may also be placed in “Silent Mode” which eliminates all beeps and tones. This is a great feature to use when stalking a trophy buck. When not set to vibrate, there are 10 different call tones that may be set to each radio. The call tones are sent when the “call” button is depressed on the face of the radio.
FIELD TRIAL:
I enlisted the help of a friend to put a pair of GXT850’s through the paces in the field. Some tests in the field were performed with the use of a standard headset/microphone accessory. For normal use of the radios a headset is not necessary. The speaker has very good sound quality and the volume will increase loud enough to be heard over normal ambient noise. The microphone is sensitive and normal conversation is accomplished by holding the radio 2” to 3” from your mouth and speaking in a normal tone of voice. I communicated with my partner while walking into a 15mph wind and my voice was clearly heard with minimal wind-noise. The radio comes with a belt clip attached to the back of the unit. I found the belt clip to hold the radio firmly to my belt throughout all phases of testing. Operation of the radio in the dark is snap with the backlit screen. The backlight can be turned on by simply pushing the up or down arrow on the face of the radio.
The first test was to check the range of the radios in an environment with several obstructions, such as trees, buildings, bridges, and power lines. Midland boasts a reception range of up to 26 miles. Keep in mind that this range is accomplished over unobstructed flat terrain and during perfect atmospheric conditions. In a heavily obstructed environment, we found communication to be acceptable at a maximum range of 6 miles. This is a tremendous increase in distance over any other hand held radio I have previously used.
The next test was to check range over unobstructed terrain. After launching a boat from the Cherry Glen access to Saylorville Reservoir, my partner headed his vehicle to the dam while I zoomed in the boat toward the Hwy. 17 bridge. My hand held Lowrance GPS reported a distance of almost 11 miles as I neared the bridge. Although this wasn’t a true unobstructed test, I was amazed to find that the radios functioned perfectly. Communication between my partner and I came through crystal clear. I have no doubt that if the radios were used from boat to boat on a large body of water such at Minnesota’s Mille Lacs Lake clear communication could take place in excess of 15 miles.
Midland states on the packaging that the radios are “waterproof” then changes their claim to “water resistant” in the Owner’s Manual. I wondered about this claim, as it’s never good to mix water and electronics. My inclination was not to test this particular feature.
NOAA WEATHER RADIO:
Another impressive and perhaps life saving feature of the GXT850 series is it’s ability to receive NOAA weather radio broadcast and severe weather alerts on one of 10 WX BAND channels. The radio will automatically scan to find the nearest NOAA weather radio broadcast. Simply press and hold the menu soft-key for 3 second to initiate the feature. A press of the PTT, (push to talk), button returns the radio to its normal state. The radio can also be set to warn the user in the event of the issuance of a severe weather watch or warning. If a severe weather watch or warning is issued, the radio will emit a warning tone for 10 seconds and will automatically tune to the nearest NOAA weather radio channel. An “AL” icon will also be seen on the display.
OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES:
Midland offers several accessories for the GXT radio series. They include replacement battery packs and several different headset/microphone options. Having a headset allows the radio to be placed in “VOX” mode. In this mode, it’s not necessary to depress the PTT (push to talk) button to communicate with another radio. Just set the sensitivity level through the menu on the radio for your particular voice. Speaking into the microphone automatically transmits to other radios.
WARRANTY:
Midland has shown it’s commitment to stand behind their product by offering a 3 year limited warranty on the transceivers and a 90 day warranty on all accessories. The radios look and feel rugged but it’s nice to know you are buying from a company that is willing to secure your investment.
CONCLUSION:
If you are looking for a feature-packed hand held radio system for your hunting or fishing group, please check out Midland’s GXT850 series radio. Value priced at $119.99, (GXT850VP4 kit, as tested. Includes 2 radios, AC charger, 2 microphone headsets, DC vehicle adapter, and rechargeable battery packs), these radios are certain to increase your ability to communicate with all your fishing and hunting friends.
WHAT WE LIKED:
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Impressive range in a heavily obstructed environment.
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Good sound quality even in windy conditions.
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Privacy features.
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NOAA weather radio and severe weather alert feature.
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“Silent Mode” and hands-free operation in “VOX Mode”.
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Overall appearance and feel.
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Water Resistant
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3 year Limited Warranty
WHAT WE DIDN’T LIKE:
