Midland Radio MXT100 MOBILE GMRS TRANSCEIVER User Manual
Midland Radio Corporation MOBILE GMRS TRANSCEIVER
User Manual
midlandusa.com
MXT100
GMRS Radio
OWNER’S MANUAL
Model MXT100 Series
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Welcome to the World of Midland electronics
Congratulations on your purchase of a high quality MIDLAND product.
Your 2-way radio represents state-of-the-art high-tech engineering.
Designed for GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) operation, this
compact package is big on performance. It is a quality piece of electronic
equipment, skillfully constructed with the finest components. The circuitry
is all solid-state and mounted on a rugged printed circuit board. Your two-
way radio is designed for reliable and trouble-free performance for years
to come.
Features
- 15 GMRS Channels
- 142 Privacy Codes (38 CTCSS / 104 DCS)
- Monitor Function
- Keypad Lock
- Power HI/LO Settings
- External Speaker Jack
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following
two conditions: (1) this device does not cause harmful interference, (2) this radio must
accept any interference that may cause undesired operation. To maintain compliance with
FCC’s RF exposure guidelines, for body-worn operation, this radio has been tested and
meets the FCC RF exposure guidelines when used with Midland Radio Corp. accessories
supplied or designated for this product. Use of other accessories may not ensure
compliance with FCC RF exposure guidelines, (3) the transmitter must not be co-located
or operated in conjunction with any other antenna or transmitter, and (4) this equipment
complies with the FCC RF radiation exposure limits set forth for an uncontrolled
environment. This equipment should be installed and operated with a minimum safe
distance of 20cm between the radiator and any part of your body.
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IMPORTANT NOTICE, FCC LICENSE REQUIRED FOR GMRS OPERATION
(Only Applicable for GMRS Radio Use in the United States)
The MXT100 Series operates on GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service)
frequencies which require an FCC (Federal Communications Commission)
license. You must be licensed prior to operating on channels 1 - 7 or 15 - 22,
which comprise the GMRS channels of the MXT100 Series. Serious penalties
could result from unlicensed use of GMRS channels, in violation of FCC rules, as
stipulated in the Communications Act’s Sections 501 and 502 (amended).
You will be issued a call sign by the FCC which should be used for station
identification when operating the radio on GMRS channels. You should also
cooperate by engaging in permissible transmissions only, avoiding channel
interference with other GMRS users, and being prudent with the length of your
transmission time.
To obtain a license or ask questions about the license application, contact the
FCC at 1-888-CALL FCC or go to the FCC’s website:
http://www.fcc.gov and request form 605.
Exposure To Radio Frequency Energy
Your Midland radio is designed to comply with the following national and
international standards and guidelines regarding exposure of human beings to
radio frequency electromagnetic energy:
- United States Federal Communications Commission, Code of Federal
Regulations: 47 CFR part 2 sub-part J
- American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/Institute of Electrical &
Electronics Engineers (IEEE) C95. 1-1992
- Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) C95. 1-1999 Edition
- National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) of the
United States, Report 86, 1986
- International Commission on Non-lonizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) 1998
To control your exposure and ensure compliance with the general population
or uncontrolled environment exposure limits, transmit no more than 50% of
the time. The radio generates measurable RF energy exposure only when
transmitting.
IMPORTANT: Changes or modifications to this unit not expressly approved
by MIDLAND RADIO CORP. could void your right to operate this unit. Your
radio is set up to transmit a regulated signal on an assigned frequency. It is
against the law to alter or adjust the settings inside the COMMUNICATOR
to exceed those limitations. Any adjustment to your radio must be made by
qualified technicians.
Model MXT100 Series
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INSTALLATION
This transceiver may be installed in any 12-volt negative ground-system
car or truck. Most current U.S. and Foreign vehicles use a negative
system, but some older models and some newer large trucks may have a
positive ground. Check the requirements for your vehicle before you begin
installation. Generally, you have a negative-ground system if the minus (-)
battery terminal is connected to the motor block. Contact your dealer in
the event you are unable to determine your vehicle’s polarity system.
Location
Your new Midland GMRS mobile is designed to be installed under the
dash or vertically on a console of your vehicle. Safety and convenience
are the primary considerations in deciding exactly where to locate your
radio. Caution: Be sure that the unit is located so that it does not interfere
with the driver, supplemental restraint systems (air bags), or impair access
to any controls. Connecting cables must be routed and secured in such a
manner as not to interfere with the operation of the brake, accelerator or
other controls. Interference from either the unit or connecting cables may
contribute to the loss of control of the vehicle.
Model MXT100 Series
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Mounting
1. Plug power cable into back of radio marked “13.8V DC.” Be sure to
observe polarity markings.
2. Use the mounting bracket as a template for marking the location of
screw holes under the dash. Use a nail or other sharp pointed object to
mark the hole locations.
3. Drill a 1/8” hole for each screw hole in the mounting bracket. Attach the
bracket to the dash with the Phillips head sheet metal screws provided.
4. Attach removable 2-pin plug-in DC cord to polarized DC jack on the rear
of the transceiver.
5. Locate and secure the radio into the mounting bracket, allowing working
space for later power connections.
Installation of Microphone
Insert the RJ11 connector into the front of the MXT100. Once the
microphone is connected, use a small tool to insert the strain relief.
The microphone hanger bracket
The bracket can be attached to the vehicle dash or other convenient
location.
NOTE: Extreme care should be exercised when drilling into the dash to
avoid damage to underdash electronic ignition, cruise control, instrument
and/ or accessory wiring.
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LCD DISPLAY
CONTROLS
1. Volume Up
2. Channel Up
3. Menu
4. Power On/Off
5. Squelch/Monitor
6. Scan
7. Channel Down
8. LCD
9. Volume Down
10. Microphone Socket
1. Receiving Icon
2. CTCSS/DCS Icon
3. Scanning Icon
4. Key Lock Icon
5. Channel Icon
6. Receiving/Transmitting Signal Icon
7. Transmitting
Model MXT100 Series
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OPERATING YOUR RADIO
POWER ON/OFF AND VOLUME
Press and hold the button for 2 seconds to turn the radio on. To turn
the radio off, press and hold the button for 2 seconds. The volume is
controlled using the and buttons. During Power On the LCD will
display all icons for 1 second and the LCD display will indicate the last
channel selected.
TRANSMITTING AND RECEIVING A CALL
1. For maximum clarity, hold the microphone 2 to 3 inches from your mouth.
2. Press and hold the PTT button and speak in a normal voice into the
microphone. The RX/TX icon will appear continuously on the LCD
display while transmitting.
3. To receive a call, release the PTT button. The RX/TX icon will appear on
the display when your radio is receiving a transmission.
ABOUT RANGE
Your MXT Series radios are designed to give you maximum range under
optimum conditions.
Optimum Conditions are:
l Over water
l Open rural areas without obstructions
l Flat areas where you can see the other person
To ensure you get maximum range:
l Be sure to mount the antenna as high as possible
l Be sure to set your radio to use Hi power.
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MXT100 SERIES QUICK REFERENCE CHART
Fn - Function
F1 - CTCSS Code ( )
F2 - DCS Code ( )
F3 - Squelch Sensitivity ( )
F4 - Key Beeps
F5 - Transmit Power Level
DISPLAY FLIP
MXT100 has a unique Display Flip function that allows the unit to be
installed upside-down, if required, and the display read from either
orientation.
When the radio is off, hold the button while turning the radio on. The
LCD display will rotate from one direction to the other by 180°. To rotate it
back, repeat these steps using the button
KEYPAD LOCK
To avoid accidentally changing the radio settings, press the button for 2
seconds. The icon will appear on the display. PTT, and will still
be active. Repeat the same procedure to unlock the keypad.
DISPLAY ILLUMINATION
When the radio is on, briefly press the button to cycle through the
brightness levels for the LCD. There are 5 levels of lighting from off to
full brightness. Each key press increases the brightness until maximum
brightness is reached. The next key press resets the brightness level to
off.
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CHANNEL SELECTION
Press the / buttons to select one of the 14 GMRS channels.
PRIVACY CODES
CTCSS (Continuous Tone Coded Squelch System) and DCS (Digitally
Coded Squelch) are squelch quieting systems that allow several groups
of users to share the same channel without disturbing each other. The
system applies a continuous low-level tone to the transmission and uses
a matching tone decoder to control your receiver’s squelch. With CTCSS
or DCS enabled, the channel remains quiet to all incoming signals unless
they carry the correct tone. When a transmission with the correct tone is
received, the squelch opens and remains open for as long as the signal is
present. When the transmission ends the channel becomes quiet again.
Transmissions that do not use the correct tone will not be heard.
Your MXT100 Series has 142 Privacy Codes available which are
available on any channel. The selected Privacy Code may be different
for each channel. To select a Privacy Code for the current channel press
the button twice, and then the / buttons to select between “Off/
CTCSS/DCS.” Press the button again and the / buttons to select
one of the 38 CTCSS Codes or one of the 104 DCS Codes.
To select a Privacy code, press the button and use / until the LCD
displays “F1” (CTCSS) or “F2” (DCS), then press the button again. The
or icon will come on. Use the / buttons to select the desired
privacy code. Press or PTT or confirm the selection.
Note: If you select a CTCSS Privacy Code, any pre-selected DCS
Privacy Code will be cancelled and vice-versa.
Selecting a Privacy Code of “oF” will disable the Privacy feature.
To communicate between two MXT100 Series radios, all radios
in your group must be set to the same channel and Privacy Code
selections.
Since the display does not have enough digits to display DCS
tones 100-104, these tones are displayed as A0-A4
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MONITOR
Pressing the button will let you hear noise so you can adjust the volume
level of the radio when not receiving a signal. This should be used to check
activity on your current channel before transmitting. Press the button
again to disable Monitor mode.
SQUELCH SENSITIVITY
The MXT100 has adjustable squelch sensitivity. The minimum squelch
level of 01 is the most sensitive and will allow the squelch to open on
very weak signals. Setting the squelch to the maximum setting of 09 will
require very strong signals to open the squelch. The default setting is 03
which generally provides reliable squelch operation for most applications.
To adjust the squelch sensitivity, press button and use / to select
F03, then press button again. Use the / buttons to the desired
level. Press the button or wait 3 seconds to confirm your selection.
KEY BEEPS
The beep tones on your MXT100 are designed to provide audible
feedback whenever a key is pressed. If the beep tone level is too loud or
too soft for your operating environment you can adjust it from off to one
of 8 different levels.
To adjust the key beep level, press button and use / to select
F04, then press button again. Use the / buttons to select the
desired level. Press the button or wait 3 seconds to confirm your
selection.
TRANSMIT (TX) POWER LEVEL SELECTION
To adjust the key beep level, press button and use / to select
F05, then press button again. Use the / buttons to toggle
between HI and Lo power. Press the button or wait 3 seconds to
confirm your selection.
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SCAN
Your MXT100 Series can scan all 14 channels for activity. To enter, quickly
press the button. Repeat the same procedure to exit. Your radio will
rapidly scan each of the 14 channels and stop on any active channel.
Your radio will resume scanning after 4 seconds when the channel is no
longer active.
When you press the PTT button to transmit on an active channel, the
scanning function will stop and remain on the active channel for 3 seconds
before resuming scan when PTT button is no longer pressed. To resume
scanning, quickly press the button.
To remove a channel from the list of scanned channels, manually select the
desired channel using the / buttons then press and hold the button.
The icon will be removed from the LCD. Repeat this procedure to add
the channel to the list of channels scanned and the icon will turn back on.
EXTERNAL SPEAKER/MICROPHONE JACK
Your MXT100 Series can be used with an optional external speaker. To
use it, connect an external speaker to the external speaker jack on the
rear panel. Ensure the external speaker has 8-ohm impedance and is rated
to handle 4.0 watts. When an external speaker is plugged in, the internal
speaker is automatically disabled.
RESTORING YOUR RADIO TO THE ORIGINAL SETTING
To reset your radio to the original (default) setting, turn on the radio while
pressing and holding the button. The radio will go to standby mode at
channel 1 without any Privacy Code.
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TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE
PROBLEM SOLUTION
No Power
- Check battery installation and/or replace batteries
- Check input power connection and/or wires to
vehicle power source.
Cannot Receive
Messages
- Confirm the radios have the same channel and
privacy code settings.
- Make sure that you are within range of the other
transceivers.
- Buildings and other structures may interfere with
your communication
- (See ABOUT RANGE on Page 7)
Radio Is Not
Responding To
Button Presses
- Make sure key lock is not on. (See KEYPAD
LOCK on Page 8)
- Radio might need to be reset. Turn radio off
then on.
Display Backlight
Is Dim - See DISPLAY ILLUMINATION on page 8
USE AND CARE
1. Use a soft damp cloth to clean the radio
2. Do not use alcohol or cleaning solutions to clean the radio.
3. Do not immerse the radio in water.
4. Dry the radio with a dry lint-free cloth should it get wet.
If you have a problem which you believe requires service,
please call first and speak with a service technician at
816-241-8500. Many problems can be remedied over the phone
without returning the unit for service.
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SPECIFICATIONS
Channels 15 GMRS Channels + 142 Privacy Codes
Operating Frequency UHF 462.5500 ~ 462.725 MHz
Power Source 13.8V
GMRS FREQUENCY CHART
CH. No CH. Freq (MHz) CH. No CH. Freq (MHz)
1 462.5625 15 462.550
2 462.5875 16 462.575
3 462.6125 17 162.600
4 462.6375 18 462.625
5 462.6625 19 462.650
6 462.6875 20 462.675
7 462.7125 21 462.700
Ch 8 – 14 Reserved for FRS 22 462.725
CTCSS PRIVACY CODES FREQUENCY CHART (Hz)
Code Freq Code Freq Code Freq Code Freq Code Freq
1 67.0 9 91.5 17 118.8 25 156.7 33 210.7
2 71.9 10 94.8 18 123.0 26 162.2 34 218.1
3 74.4 11 97.4 19 127.3 27 167.9 35 225.7
4 77.0 12 100.0 20 131.8 28 173.8 36 233.6
5 79.7 13 103.5 21 136.5 29 179.9 37 241.8
6 82.5 14 107.2 22 141.3 30 186.2 38 250.3
7 85.4 15 110.9 23 146.2 31 192.4
8 88.5 16 114.8 24 151.4 32 203.5
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DCS PRIVACY CODE CHART
No. CODE No. CODE No. CODE No. CODE
1 23 27 165 53 413 79 731
2 25 28 172 54 423 80 732
3 26 29 174 55 431 81 734
4 31 30 205 56 432 82 743
5 32 31 223 57 445 83 754
6 43 32 226 58 464 84 36
7 47 33 243 59 465 85 53
8 51 34 244 60 466 86 122
9 54 35 245 61 503 87 145
10 65 36 251 62 506 88 212
11 71 37 261 63 516 89 225
12 72 38 263 64 532 90 246
13 73 39 265 65 546 91 252
14 74 40 271 66 565 92 255
15 114 41 306 67 606 93 266
16 115 42 311 68 612 94 274
17 116 43 315 69 624 95 325
18 125 44 331 70 627 96 332
19 131 45 343 71 631 97 356
20 132 46 346 72 632 98 446
21 134 47 351 73 654 99 452
22 143 48 364 74 662 100 454
23 152 49 365 75 664 101 455
24 155 50 371 76 703 102 462
25 156 51 411 77 712 103 523
26 162 52 412 78 723 104 526
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LIMITED WARRANTY
Midland Radio Corporation will repair or replace, at its option without
charge, any Midland GMRS transceiver which fails due to a defect
in material or workmanship within Three Years following the initial
consumer purchase.
This warranty does not apply to water damage, battery leak or abuse.
Accessories have a 90 day warranty from date of purchase, including
any antennas, chargers, or earphones.
This warranty does not include the cost of labor for removal or
re-installation of the product in a vehicle or other mounting.
For Product Purchased in the USA:
Performance of any obligation under this warranty may be obtained
by returning the warranted product, prepaid freight, along with proof
of purchase to:
Midland Radio Corporation
Warranty Service Department
5900 Parretta Drive
Kansas City, MO 64120
This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have
other rights, which vary from state to state.
Note: The above warranty applies only to merchandise purchased in
the United States of America or any of the territories or possessions
thereof, or from a U.S. Military exchange.
For Product Purchased in Canada:
Performance of any obligation under this warranty may be obtained
by returning the warranted product, along with proof of purchase, to
your dealer in Canada.
This warranty gives you specified legal rights. Additional warranty
rights may be provided by law in some areas.
201412240927
MIDLAND RADIO CORPORATION
5900 Parretta Drive
Kansas City, MO 64120
Call 816.241.8500
We’d love to hear from you! Let us know what you
think of your new Midland product at
or by visiting us at
www.midlandusa.com
Note: Features & Specifications are subject to change without
notice. MIDLAND is not responsible for unintentional errors or
omissions on its packaging.