Also known as: MXT500, MicroMobile MXT500
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The Midland MXT500 is the conventional-control-head half of Midland’s 50-watt pair: same MicroMobile family as the MXT575, but with knobs on a real faceplate, a separate microphone, and an IP66-rated body that shrugs off dust and water jets.1 For Jeeps, side-by-sides, and anyone who wants full legal power without living inside a mic-mounted menu, it’s the Midland to get — around $350–400.
Key takeaways The 50 W Midland with a real control head. Up to 128 channels and 154 privacy codes on current firmware, 8 repeater channels with split tones, NOAA Scan + Alert, IP66 body. No GPS, no wideband receive, no CHIRP — programming is USB-C with Midland’s software only. It costs Wouxun-KG-1000G-Plus money with fewer features; you’re paying for the Midland badge and the sealed body. GMRS license required to transmit: $35, 10 years, no test, covers your immediate family. Rankings: best GMRS mobile radios.
Overview
Launched in January 2022 alongside the MXT575, the MXT500 was the fix for the discontinued MXT400’s three headline flaws: it brought the line to the full 50 W, made wide/narrow transmit selectable, and added NOAA weather. As of 2026 it’s still current on Midland’s site and in their software-support list; Midland’s next-gen “P” refresh has so far touched the entry models (the MXT115P is confirmed), with no MXT500 successor announced.
The design split with the 575 is purely ergonomic. The MXT500 gives you a compact head unit with a channel dial and buttons plus a standard fist mic — familiar, glanceable, and easier to share between drivers. The 575 hides the radio entirely and puts everything in the mic. Same family, same power, same repeater behavior; choose by dashboard.
License note: GMRS transmit requires a license — $35 to the FCC, good for 10 years, no exam, covering your immediate family. One fee outfits the whole convoy. Listening is license-free.
Channels, power & repeater use
- Power: 50 W, the GMRS legal maximum.
- Channels: up to 128 channels and 154 privacy codes on current firmware, including the 8 repeater channels; wide/narrow selectable transmit.
- Repeaters: CTCSS/DCS encode and decode with split tones on current firmware — the feature that unlocks club repeaters using different TX and RX tones. As with the 575, very early units may need Midland’s firmware update.
- Weather: NOAA Weather Scan + Alert.
- Build: IP66-rated body — a genuine differentiator for open cabs.
- Antenna: SO-239 jack on the radio; NMO mag-mount antenna in the box.
Remember what the wattage is for: UHF simplex is terrain-limited to roughly 1–5 miles no matter the power. The 50 W and a proper roof-mounted antenna earn their money reaching a repeater input, where range stretches to 20–50+ miles.
Where it falls short
Judged against the import competition, the MXT500 is expensive for its feature set. The Wouxun KG-1000G Plus costs about the same and adds 999 memories, wideband VHF/UHF receive, FM broadcast, a detachable faceplate, and CHIRP support; the BTECH GMRS-50PRO undercuts it by ~$100 and adds GPS and Bluetooth app programming. The Midland answer is a small display with limited channel labeling, no receive coverage beyond GMRS and weather, and programming locked to Midland’s own USB-C software. What you get in exchange is the sealed body, the plug-and-play match with Midland handhelds like the GXT1000VP4, and Midland’s US-based warranty and support — worth real money to plenty of buyers, just be clear that’s the trade.
GopherTrunk alternative
FRS and GMRS are analog narrowband FM at 462/467 MHz, comfortably inside an RTL-SDR’s tuning range. Before spending $400, spend ~$30: a dongle running free GopherTrunk monitors and records local FRS/GMRS simplex and repeater activity, so you learn which repeaters are alive near you — and whether the license and a 50-watt radio are worth it — with real evidence instead of coverage-map hope. GopherTrunk can’t transmit; it complements the MXT500 rather than replacing it. Download GopherTrunk and scout first.
Who it’s for
- Buy the MXT500 if you want 50 legal watts behind a conventional control head with a weather-sealed body and name-brand support. View on Amazon →
- Buy the MXT575 instead if dash space is tight and you’d rather have everything in the mic.
- Skip it for the Wouxun KG-1000G Plus if features-per-dollar decide it, or the BTECH GMRS-50PRO for GPS and app-driven programming at ~$285. Full rankings: best GMRS mobile radios.
Sources
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Midland MXT500 MicroMobile product page — Midland Radio, on the 50 W output, IP66 rating, channel/privacy-code counts, repeater channels, and NOAA weather features. ↩
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a license for the Midland MXT500?
To transmit, yes — a GMRS license: $35 paid to the FCC, valid 10 years, no test, and it covers your immediate family. Listening to GMRS requires no license.
What is the difference between the MXT500 and the MXT575?
Same 50-watt GMRS family, different ergonomics. The MXT500 has a conventional control head with a separate microphone and an IP66-rated body; the MXT575 puts every control and the speaker in the mic with a hideaway main unit. Pick by your dashboard, not by specs.
Is the Midland MXT500 waterproof?
The body carries an IP66 rating — sealed against dust and strong water jets — which is unusual in this class and welcome in open vehicles like Jeeps and side-by-sides. It is not rated for submersion.
Does the MXT500 have GPS?
No. Neither the MXT500 nor the MXT575 has GPS — no Midland MXT does. The only GMRS mobile in our roster with real GPS is the BTECH GMRS-50PRO.
Does the MXT500 work with GMRS repeaters?
Yes — it has the 8 repeater channels and, on current firmware, split-tone support for repeaters that use different encode and decode tones. Very early units may need Midland’s firmware update, so verify split tones if you buy old stock.