Midland MXT275
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| Frequency | 462.5500-467.7250 MHz (15 high-power GMRS channels [1-7, 15-22] + 8 repeater channels) |
| TX power | 15 W (Rated 15 watts, with selectable high/low power. It transmits on the 15 high-power GMRS channels (1-7 and 15-22) plus 8 repeater channels, and does not transmit on the FRS-only channels 8-14. Transmit is narrowband only. A GMRS license is required.) |
| Modes | FM |
| Weight | 590 g (20.8 oz) |
| Year | 2019 |
| antenna | SO-239 (UHF female) on the radio body; ships with a magnetic-mount antenna on a 6 m (about 19 ft) cable |
| mic | Fully integrated control microphone on a coiled cord (all controls and the display are in the mic) |
| ext speaker | 3.5 mm external-speaker jacks on both the microphone and the base unit |
| usb c | USB-C fast-charge port for charging a phone or other device (the radio itself is 12V-powered, not via USB-C) |
| dc in | 12V cigarette-lighter power cord (no hardwiring required) |
| power req | 12 VDC through the supplied cigarette-lighter cord; no internal battery. |
All controls are in the microphone, so the radio body hides under the dash for a clean install, and the cigarette-lighter plug means no wiring. It runs 15 watts on the high-power GMRS and repeater channels with NOAA weather, 142 codes, a 7-color backlit mic display, and a USB-C port to charge a phone. The SO-239 jack takes any standard GMRS antenna, and a magnetic antenna is included.
It is 15 watts (the MXT400 is 40 and the MXT575 is 50) and transmits narrowband only, which some users on wideband repeaters or nets find limiting. It is not PC-programmable, the included magnetic antenna is basic, and Midland's split-tone claim has been contested, so it is worth verifying for a specific repeater. The warranty is one year, and there is no IP rating.
The Midland MXT275 is a 15-watt GMRS MicroMobile whose defining feature is that all controls live in the hand microphone, letting the radio body tuck out of sight for a tidy, no-wiring install. It covers the high-power GMRS and repeater channels with NOAA weather and a 7-color display, on a standard SO-239 jack. It suits overlanders and families who want a clean cab install at modest power; those who want more output step up to the MXT400 or MXT575, and those who need selectable wideband look elsewhere.
The Midland MXT275 is the clever one in the MicroMobile family: the entire control head is built into the microphone. The display, speaker and buttons live in the hand mic on a coiled cord, while the radio body is a small box that tucks under a seat or in a console, which frees up the dash. It is a 15-watt GMRS radio, and like every GMRS radio it needs an inexpensive, no-test family license. That in-mic design has made it a favorite for tight cabs, Jeeps and side-by-sides.
It transmits on the 15 high-power GMRS channels (1-7 and 15-22) plus 8 repeater channels, with 142 privacy codes and 10 NOAA weather channels with alert. Two things to know: it transmits narrowband only, which a wideband net or repeater user may find limiting, and while Midland's current listing credits it with split-tone repeater capability, the company's own support contested that in the past, so it is worth verifying for a demanding repeater. A USB-C port is included to fast-charge a phone, though the radio itself runs on 12 volts.
It connects through a standard SO-239 antenna jack and ships with a magnetic-mount antenna on a six-meter cable, powered from a 12-volt cigarette-lighter plug, so installation needs no wiring. The flip-frame mount lets the radio slide out easily. It weighs about 1.3 pounds and measures roughly 1.4 by 5 by 4.2 inches.
It is the in-mic, 15-watt member of the MicroMobile line. The MXT575 brings the same idea to 50 watts, and the traditional-format MXT115 shares its 15-watt electronics in a dash-box layout.