The problem with most cheap 2-way radios is the fact that they are absolutely awful. Most of them are designed for kids. This means that they feel cheap, and they are certainly not going to offer you that much in the way of range. As a result, most people will probably steer clear of the lower-priced radios on the market. Thankfully, there are options for those who have a budget in mind. Here, we are going to introduce you our top pick for an inexpensive 2-way radios that packs the value; the Midland GXT1000VP4.
We are going to run you through each of the features it boasts. Hopefully, this will help you to decide whether it is the right radio for you or not. Although, generally speaking, if you do want something that is affordable then this is the best of the best.
The Range
This is an area where we have an issue with the marketing of this radio. They claim that you are able to get a massive 36-mile range on it. We are going to say that is a bit of an untruth. We are not sure the conditions that they checked this system out in, but if you were able to get more than a few miles from this thing, then you would be doing good for yourself. Sure. It may be able to reach 36 miles, but the conditions on that would have to be so perfect we can’t imagine it.
At most, we believe that you will be able to get a few miles outdoors. This is in normal conditions e.g. a few trees here and there, maybe a couple of hills. However, we imagine that most of the people who are using these outdoors would be fairly close together. So, this is always going to work for you e.g. for hiking expeditions, a spot of camping, or maybe some cycling.
Number of Channels and Privacy
You will have access to 50 different channels through this radio. These are general channels. You also have an additional 28 channels for private conversations. This is, of course, not something that you tend to be able to get on some of the cheaper two-way radios on the market, so to have private conversations built into the Midland GT1000VP4 felt like a little bit of a breath of fresh air.
You can set up the radio to scan through the channels if you wish. There are also 10 preprogrammed radio stations that can feed you weather reports for your area. However, you probably won’t be using them. It is highly unlikely that there are that many broadcasts related to weather in your area. Still, since the radio is going to scan them for you, you can’t really complain.
Limitless Expansion of System
In theory, this is a radio system. You can easily add as many radios into the mix as possible. Amazon sells them alone or in bundles of up to 4. The radios don’t take that much to hook up to one another, so if you want to equip a bunch of people with some quality radios at an affordable price, then the Midland GT1000VP4 is a fantastic place to start.
Lightweight and Well-Built
Considering the price, the build is fantastic. It is going to feel a little bit ‘plastic’ in your hands, and the buttons are not the best. However, the radio is still better than anything else you would normally be able to find at this price point, so we can’t really knock it, can we?
The audio quality is superb too. As long as you are within a few miles of the other radios in the set, then the audio is going to come through crystal clear. While it doesn’t have any squelch functionality, it does seem to keep any background noise to the absolute minimum.
If you want a radio that is simple to use, then this is perfect. All you need to do (in theory) is flip it on, set the same channel as the other radios in the set, and you are pretty much ready to go. There is no messing about. Of course, this does mean that it isn’t brimming with advanced features, but at this price, can you expect it to have that?
The Battery
When you pick up the Midland GXT100VP4, you will find four rechargeable batteries in the box. We reckon that you should pick up a little bit more than this. Each battery will provide 11 hours of use (the talk time won’t be 11-hours, of course). It will then take 12-hours to fully recharge. Yes. We know that this is a downside of purchasing a radio that is on the cheaper side of things, but we just wish the batteries could be a little bit better. That being said, buying replacement batteries isn’t that expensive, so feel free to pick up as many as you want.
As a side note; this is one of only a few 2-way radios of this type on the market that will allow you to use your own batteries i.e. you do not have to purchase manufacturer specific ones. So, if you want to save a little bit of cash, then it would be wise to pick up rechargeable AA batteries instead. They are going to come in a lot more useful than if you just purchased the dedicated radio batteries.
Conclusion
If you are looking for a quality radio that is affordable, then you aren’t going to be able to do much better than the Midland GT1000VP4. Yes. The range they quote is misleading, and the batteries are not the highest quality in the world, but all of this is to be expected from something at this price. Unless you have a need for the best two-way radios on the market, this is a great option. This means you can cast those issues aside. At the end of the day, you are going to have a good starter radio system that can be used for a plethora of different purposes.
