If you are traveling in a truck, your standard two-way radio isn’t going to do. There isn’t enough range on it. It will even struggle to form proper connections at blisteringly fast speeds. This is why you need something that has been explicitly designed to be used in a truck. So, what is the best 2-way radio for a truck? Let us introduce you to the Midland MXT400.
Selecting the Best 2 Way Radio for A Truck
We will go into a bit more depth on some of the features that you can enjoy on this radio in a second. However, let’s give you a quick overview:
- 15 channels. These channels can be encrypted with privacy codes.
- 65-mile range
- 8 repeater channels
- Squelch
- LCD screen
- Channel scan
The Range
The quoted range for the Midland MXT400 is a whopping 65-miles. Although, do bear in mind that this range is for when you are facing almost perfect conditions. It is likely that you are going to get a little bit closer to the 40-50 mile range in most situations. This is, of course, going to be a far larger range than any CB radio can offer. So, if you do need to communicate with people a little bit further afield (i.e. other truckers in your fleet), then this radio is absolutely perfect for you.
Do bear in mind that the range of the radio is going to be partially dictated by the antenna that you purchase. This means that when you pick up your Midland MXT400, you are going to want to take great care to ensure that you pick up a quality antenna to boot. This is why we recommend that you go through Amazon. It means that you can pick up every single item that you need in just one go.
The Channels
Some people will tell you that 15 channels are not enough. We feel it is. Lrt’s be honest, most of the communication that you do with your two-way radio will be with other people in your fleet. This means that you will always be tuned in to the same channels anyway. In fact, you would only ever really need one or two channels. Not enough people will likely be using the GMRS in your area for you to be communicating outside of people that you know.
If you want to go into a private call, then you can do that. The radio makes it incredibly simple.
You also have repeater channels built into this radio, which can help to extend the range a little bit more. This is something that you are only able to get in a GMRS radio like this, so it is worth the licensing cost (more on that in a short while)
Licensing
We do want to point out that if you want to use a GMRS radio like this one, you are going to need to get your hands on a license from the FCC. Thankfully, you do not need to take a test here. You just need to pay a rather small fee for a year. This is partly why you do not find as many people broadcasting through GMRS as you do through other services, there is just another hurdle to jump through. So, do bear in mind that you will need to add the license cost onto this radio if you don’t have a license already. However, since that is only $70, it is really a negligible cost.
Audio Quality
Even if you are communicating with somebody at the maximum possible range for this radio, the audio quality is superb. Messages come through nice and clearly through the integrated speaker. However, if you want a bit more clarity, we suggest that you purchase an external loudspeaker.
The included microphone is fantastic too, and in our time communicating through the Midland MXT400, we don’t think we had a single complaint about what we sounded like. This is great! It goes to show how fabulous the signal is, and how much effort has been put into ensuring that the audio equipment here is awesome, despite the low price.
Easy to Use
It shouldn’t take too long to get your radio set-up in your vehicle. Everything you need, except the antenna, is included in the kit. Once it is set-up, you do not have that many buttons to fiddle about with on the radio. This means it should be pretty simple to know what you are doing, even if you don’t have time to flick through the manual you get with this kit.
The Downsides
Perhaps the major downside is that this is not a CB radio. Since a lot of truckers are using CB radios, you will be missing out on a lot of radio chatter. Yeah. You will be able to find some people broadcasting on the channels that the Midland MXT400 can reach. However, do bear in mind that two-way radios like this have pretty much been designed so you can keep in touch with people that you know. They are not for general chatter. So, it can be hard to see this as a downside. Most people know that if they want the general chatter they need to go down the CB radio route.
It is worth noting that you do get everything you need inside the box. However, you will not have an antenna. This will need to be purchased separately. Sure, they aren’t that expensive, but it would have been nice if they included even a basic one with this kit. Even if it added a few dollars onto the price. It would make everything so much simpler.
Conclusion
If you want a GMRS two-way radio for your truck, then you really do need to look at the Midland MXT400. It is easy to set up. It is affordable, and it sounds great. Honestly, there is very little else that you can ask for from a radio like this. Pick up one of these, and it is going to allow you to communicate with others sharing the same radio waves with ease. It will make that trucking life a lot easier to deal with.
