Midland 88 CE MultiNorm CB radio (mobile) - On The Air test

As usual, Mr Chippie drives along our 6-mile 'difficult terrain for radio' test route to see how the new (2021) Midland 88 performs after it's service optimization. Fine.
Monetisation is switched on for this video involving a new set.
Recorded 20th March 2021
Richard, G0OJF
Richard, 2E0FKC (Mr Chippie)
Lincolnshire, UK

[@helraiser666painkil]

Very nice radio I've never seen a radio like this before it's all new stuff to me I'm more used to the older type CB radios but all the new CB and Amateur Radios out now are just amazing and your absolutely spoiled for choice it's brilliant all the new radios coming out on the market. Stephen M3SNV 73's.

[@topcat1541]

Seems a bit of a faff to operate!

[@timothyjones4950]

I'm with the t3000 too, lovely radio with reasonable manners. Also available as a pni escort hp9500 from moonraker. That Midland whilst clearly is a good performer, is too much of a faff to use, especially mobile.

[@ukfmcbradioservicingTango21]

I bought the Jopix version of the Thunderpole 3000 (showed it on here), and although is technically the same radio; it has different firmware which doesn't seem to allow AM & FM on CEPT, when in UK mode....whereas the T3000 does this seamlessly. Richard

[@timothyjones4950]

@@ukfmcbradioservicingTango21 yes, I watched the video. I have both the thunderpole and the pni version, I have to say they both work much the same. I've not taken the screws out though. However, the pni is slightly different again, no AM in UK mode, not really worried about that as it's still easy to access through the same button without having to turn the radio off, also I'm only really interested in FM. The other thing is the automatic squelch is only accessible from the mic, and it is variable which seems to be pni's favourite feature, as it's in all their radios. However it appears that it's a real autosquech. Works really well. Comes with a weird vox mic ear piece as well, not tried that yet. Regards, Tim HT.

[@juliananderson9638]

Hi There. I'm intested in a front speaker radio and wonder if I could get intouch with a few questions? Cheers Julian.

[@ukfmcbradioservicingTango21]

You would be far & away better off using a 'normal' radio & an extension speaker. Front mounted speakers are tiny & the failure rate isn't wonderful. Richard [e-mail]

[@DAVIDGREGORYKERR]

Was it cold joint that is causing the problem in Mr Chippy's transceiver.

[@ukfmcbradioservicingTango21]

Mr Chippie's 'new' Midland 78+ multi, blue version....like the other three we have in other vehicles isn't actually faulty; this is how these radios perform in temperatures under 3c. These are another radio where the VCO takes up to 2 seconds to lock going from receive to transmit & because they use an internal I2C databus. Richard, G0OJF, UK

[@TRIPPLEJAY00]

I see you have your power on low also see in the other video was on low too. I wonder if you get the full 4 Watts or more on high setting. Thought I would let you know.

[@ukfmcbradioservicingTango21]

It's misleading. The radio doesn't have different power levels...unless in some dodgy export mode the L is 4W. I understand M is 6W & H is 8W. These are not accessible for UK use..nor is CTCSS even though the radio has it. I think it's really poor & shady practice. I used to have this when I was in full time business radio; the government usually issue 1 channel per 100 mobiles. So if you run a large taxi outfit with 300 cars, they will issue 3 channels. So imagine a small family business with 6 cars. The customer would say, we want a channel to talk car to car. NO. We want a channel to talk to my brother at his skip company. NO. You will be issued one split frequency channel. But the radio salesman said the radio had 256 channels & 45W output. Yes..sales bull. Licence arrives....1 channel 10W output. no arguing. Richard, G0OJF, UK

[@Football4Life-city]

Hi need some advice me and other guy I work with was thinking of getting cb for our tractors because we're always using phones to each other while going down narrow country lanes were always on same job but often going down the lanes one coming while other coming other way never really 20mile apart which cb would you recommend I like the look of this one in this video tho I'm a novice and never owned a cb cheers for reading this.

[@ukfmcbradioservicingTango21]

Assuming you are in the UK....This set would annoy you with it's stupid menus. All the CB sets are the same range regardless of cost. In reality with the shortened aerials you will use on a tractor you will get 1.5 to 6 miles from tractor to tractor. If you partcularly like the thin front to back profile of this type of radio, then the Thunderpole T3000 works better than this for less money. The smaller traditional size mini set I'd recommend is the CRT S-Mini. You don't need knobs & switches all over the set....they don't enhance the range. Richard, G0OJF, UK

[@Football4Life-city]

@@ukfmcbradioservicingTango21 Thank you. I'll take a look at the 2 you mentioned if they are better quality radios for less I'm all for that thanks again.

[@mattmclaren496]

Is this cb radio or ham radio ten four

[@ukfmcbradioservicingTango21]

It's a CB radio. It would be illegal to use any ham radio on Citizen's Band in the UK. Richard

[@nickrose6431]

Hi just bought one of these CB’s and was just wondering as you seem nr to where I live could you SWR it in for me please. Iam at Stamford but shoot up Rauceby Obviously once COVID-19 has gone. Thanks Nick

[@ukfmcbradioservicingTango21]

roger Nick. [e-mail]

[@nickrose6431]

@@ukfmcbradioservicingTango21 great I’ll be in touch

[@SolitaryBro]

👍🏽

[@hfvhf987]

These modern sets look like such a faff to use.

[@ukfmcbradioservicingTango21]

They really are. The sad conclusion, is the more you pay, the worse they work & you just get loads of pointless digital features. Richard, G0OJF, UK

[@hfvhf987]

@@ukfmcbradioservicingTango21 I'll stick to my Amstrad 901 and Rotel 220

[@antoniomascia1039]

Ciao vorrei sapere info come ti trovi che me l’anno consigliato pure me come dista quando arriva

[@ukfmcbradioservicingTango21]

Although the set works well, it is fiddly to use & has far too many pointless features. The squelch is via a menu so difficult to adjust....especially in a car. I think the Thunderpole T3000 is a better radio & why we use that in the test car. All 4W (legal limit) FM CB radios are the same range. The more money you pay just buys more pointless features. There are £50 sets that actually work better than £200 sets for example. Richard, G0OJF, UK

[@RobPFrank]

Will this work in the US if I bought one?

[@ukfmcbradioservicingTango21]

No, this set would be illegal in the USA. UK channels are differnt frequencies to the USA & CE multinorm radios are not permitted. Richard, G0OJF, UK