Midland XT511 Base Camp Radio

This radio does a great job on all bands. I put the frequencies and some codes in my 40 w GMRS base and vehicles and reception and transmissions were very good. Make sure you have a GMRS license to use the radio. Two things came to me: first, I put the radio on charge for 10 hours, and when I turned it on, nothing happened. I removed the battery packed then reseated it, and it came on fine. Secondly, I would like to see a new model which would make use of GMRS repeaters like the micro mobiles do. Even at an added cost, this would certainly be worth it. All in all, this is a very good radio, and I would recommend it to anybody who has a need for good communications.

This is my SECOND XT511 unit. Love the first one I purchased. Excellent build quality and design, and performs well. Got a second unit just as a spare for a SHTF situation. I am a veteran of U.S.Navy Fleet Intgerlligence, and I know well the value of good communication.This is a vital piece of my families survival equipment. GOOD GEAR.

I waited several years for the re-release of this radio and I'm not disappointed. The flashlight, ability to charge the radio and a phone, and the weather alert functions are especially handy. Be sure to use alkaline batteries though; the rechargeable one is okay, but alkaline batteries last several days under AM/FM, flashlight, and periodic two-way use.

I live in Texas and work in Oklahoma City. Weather has to be constantly monitored; so it appears. The fear of hail has been causing me to sleep only a few hour a night during questionable weather. This radio massively improved my sleep. It has the added feature of GMRS communication. I have Midland GMRS radios in my both my cars, my truck, my motor cycle, and even my airplane. It's great for letting the little lady know where I am...hmmm. This radio gets great AM/FM reception and works great for us.

PRICE FOR SAME RADIO AT RADIO SHACK THIRTY DOLLARS HIGHER. PRODUCT WOULD BE IMPROVED BY OFFERING SOLAR CHARGING AND FULL TIME AC; WHILE ELIMINATING BATTERY DRAINING CLOCK. SOUND FIDELITY SURPRIZINGLY EXCELLENT FOR THE SIZE OF THE RADIO. PACKAGING HIDES THE RECHARGEABLE BATTERY PACK WHICH IS INCLUDED.

Bought 2 of the X-GMRS Base Camp Radios recently. One is for my 78yo mother who lives down the street not quite a half mile away and one for myself. The radios have made it very easy for her to communicate with me and have provided her with the comfort of knowing that she can reach me even if the utilities go down in a storm. Easy to use and none of the background noise we use to have with CB radios. (Yes I am old too).

PROs; -small, light weight, yet seems durable -has many needed functions all in one place -relatively easy to use -considering all the functions, this is a great price, buying all these features on individual devices would have cost hundreds of dollars CONs; -the internal battery does not seem to hold a charge very long, maybe a week or less of shelf life -I would have liked a 220V adapter for use in other countries, but I guess that is not what it is intended for -if you ever have to use the crank for power, you will be doing a LOT of cranking, something like 1 minute of cranking for 5-10 minutes of use, but it does work -not designed to be waterproof at all, would be great to have some thought given to waterproofing it

I was impressed, it's better than what the price would lead you to believe. My son has a much larger unit & we talked back & forth testing as I was driving. We were inpressed with the range & clarity. It is light & hollowey - has a cheap feel but one Heck of a radio for the money. Midland makes a nice line of inexpensive radios that are very reliable. I like it. It goes in the box with other emergency supplies.

I've been using the Base Camp radio for a month now. The range and performance on HI power are what we'd expect. The convenient footprint and carry handle allows for handy placement on our camp table to maintain contact with our family campers. The multiple power source feature keeps the batteries charged and operational. The AM/FM/WX broadcast receiving helps us feel secure. The radio is NOT waterproof and should be kept away from direct rain or water hazards. Great piece of camping equipment.

Nice radio. There is a list of frequencies in the back of the manual for each channel. Happy that I was able to find this and connect to my mobile ham radio. Tuned in to emergency weather channels with no problems. Still have to test range. I really like the battery sources. regular, rechargable, crank, AC. I would recommend to anyone. With flashlight and AM/FM radio, you can't beat the price.