Comparisons BTECH GMRS-50V2 vs Midland MXT500 MicroMobile
BTECH GMRS-50V2 vs Midland MXT500 50-watt mobiles from the FCC filings
Both are 50-watt GMRS mobiles, and the MXT500 costs twice as much ($439.99 vs $219.89 on 2026-10-21). For that, Midland documents IP66 weather sealing, a USB-C port, a 1-year warranty and a bundle with an antenna. BTECH documents 256 channels and quad watch, and CHIRP lists it as supported. If the radio lives inside a cab or on a desk, the GMRS-50V2 covers the same job for half the price.
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Where to buy · BTECH GMRS-50V2
$219.89 maker list price at BTECH
We earn a commission if you buy through this link, at no extra cost to you. How we make money
Where to buy · Midland MXT500 MicroMobile: $439.99 maker list price (checked 2026-10-21). No retailer link yet.
FCC ID records side by side
| BTECH GMRS-50V2 | Midland MXT500 MicroMobile | |
|---|---|---|
| FCC ID | 2AGND50V2G | MMAMXT500 |
| Grantee | BTECH (BaoFeng Tech) (grantee code 2AGND) | Midland Radio Corporation (grantee code MMA) |
| Rule part | 95E | 95E |
| Grant date | 2022-11-15 | 2021-05-16 |
| Filed power, 462 MHz main | 44.87 W ERP grant | 47.863 W conducted grant |
| Filed power, 462 MHz interstitial | 4.49 W ERP grant | 4.64515 W conducted grant |
| Filed power, 467 MHz main (repeater input) | 43.65 W ERP grant | 43.7522 W conducted grant |
| Filed power, 467 MHz interstitial | not in grant | not in grant |
Maker specs side by side
| BTECH GMRS-50V2 | Midland MXT500 MicroMobile | |
|---|---|---|
| Rated power | 50 W / 20 W / 5 W selectable sourcechecked 2026-10-21 | 50 W (“Full 50-Watt”) Midland MXT500 product pagechecked 2026-10-21 |
| Power levels | High 50 W / Mid 20 W / Low 5 W sourcechecked 2026-10-21 | High / Medium / Low – 50 / 25 / 5 W (maker FAQ) Midland MXT500 product pagechecked 2026-10-21 |
| Channels | 256 customizable channels; GMRS transmit on 1–7 and 15–30; 8–14 receive-only; quad watch sourcechecked 2026-10-21 | Up to 128 channels: 15 high-power GMRS + 8 repeater channels, preprogrammed privacy channels 23–50; 154 privacy codes (50 CTCSS / 104 DCS) Midland MXT500 product pagechecked 2026-10-21 |
| Repeater | Yes – repeater compatible sourcechecked 2026-10-21 | Yes – 8 repeater channels Midland MXT500 product pagechecked 2026-10-21 |
| Water/dust rating | IP54 ("weather-resistant / splash resistant") sourcechecked 2026-10-21 | IP66 Midland MXT500 product pagechecked 2026-10-21 |
| Battery | n/a – 13.8 V DC ±15%, 20 A peak; BTECH says to wire it to the battery or a fuse block, "not a cigarette outlet" sourcechecked 2026-10-21 | not yet verified |
| Battery life (maker claim) | n/a (vehicle-powered) sourcechecked 2026-10-21 | n/a (vehicle-powered) Midland MXT500 product pagechecked 2026-10-21 |
| Charging | not yet verified | n/a (vehicle power); USB-C port for charging and data Midland MXT500 product pagechecked 2026-10-21 |
| Antenna | No antenna included; SO-239 antenna jack. RJ45 mic jack with an RJ45-to-K1 adapter included sourcechecked 2026-10-21 | 2.1 dB unity-gain antenna with magnet mount (listed on a bundle option of the maker page); radio-side connector type not stated Midland MXT500 product pagechecked 2026-10-21 |
| NOAA weather | NOAA weather broadcast receiver sourcechecked 2026-10-21 | NOAA Weather Radio Midland MXT500 product pagechecked 2026-10-21 |
| SAME county filtering | not yet verified | not yet verified |
| Weight | Conflicting on maker page: 2.65 lb (spec table) and 2.25 lb (technical details); 5.7 × 1.85 × 7.5 in sourcechecked 2026-10-21 | not yet verified |
| Warranty | not yet verified | 1 year Midland MXT500 product pagechecked 2026-10-21 |
| List price | $219.89 (maker site) sourcechecked 2026-10-21Check Price at BTECH (opens in a new tab)commission link | $439.99 (maker site) Midland MXT500 product pagechecked 2026-10-21 |
Key differences
Power: close, but measured differently. The GMRS-50V2 grant lists 44.87 W ERP on the 462 MHz main channels and 43.65 W on the 467 MHz repeater inputs (2AGND50V2G). The MXT500 grant lists 47.863 W and 43.7522 W conducted, “at antenna terminal” (MMAMXT500). ERP includes the test antenna’s gain and conducted output doesn’t, so the two can’t be compared directly. Both are within the 50 W limit for mobiles (§95.1767(a)(1)). Even taking the numbers at face value, the gap is about 0.3 dB, far less than a change in antenna height makes.
Weather sealing is the biggest documented difference. Midland lists IP66 for the MXT500. BTECH lists IP54 (“weather-resistant / splash resistant”) for the GMRS-50V2. In an open Jeep, a UTV or a boat, that’s the spec that matters most.
Install distance. The grants set the antenna’s minimum distance from people at 80 cm for the GMRS-50V2 and 151.8 cm for the MXT500. On a car roof both are manageable. On a short cab or a UTV roll cage, the MXT500’s figure is harder to meet. Neither grant states an antenna-gain limit.
What each maker documents:
- GMRS-50V2 (BTECH): 256 channels, quad watch, 50/20/5 W, NOAA receive, an SO-239 antenna jack with no antenna included, an RJ45 mic jack with an RJ45-to-K1 adapter, and a 20 A peak draw. BTECH says to wire it to the battery or a fuse block, “not a cigarette outlet.” CHIRP lists it as supported.
- MXT500 (Midland): up to 128 channels (15 high-power GMRS, 8 repeater, preprogrammed privacy channels 23–50) and 154 privacy codes. Midland lists IP66, NOAA Weather Radio, a USB-C port for charging and data, PC programming software, a 1-year warranty and a bundle option with a 2.1 dB magnet-mount antenna.
Price. $219.89 on BTECH’s site and $439.99 on Midland’s, both checked 2026-10-21.
Which one fits you
- Inside a truck cab, an SUV or on a desk as a base station: the GMRS-50V2. The documented power is in the same class for half the price, and the 80 cm install distance is easier to meet.
- Exposed to rain and dust (open Jeep, UTV, boat): the MXT500’s IP66 is the documented choice at 50 W. For less money and less power, the GMRS-20V2 is rated IP67 at $109.89.
- You want an antenna in the box: buy the MXT500 bundle, or pair the GMRS-50V2 with a GMRS-tuned magnet mount such as the Nagoya UT-72G ($34.89). See vehicle antennas and mounts.
- You program radios with CHIRP: the GMRS-50V2.
Licensing: both transmit on GMRS frequencies, so you need an FCC GMRS license (how to get one).
MXT500 weight, GMRS-50V2 warranty, and SAME support for both radios are not yet verified. We haven't done hands-on testing of either radio.
Common questions
Is the MXT500 more powerful than the GMRS-50V2?
The grants don’t say so directly, because they measure differently. The MXT500 grant lists 47.863 W conducted at the antenna terminal, and the GMRS-50V2 grant lists 44.87 W ERP with the test antenna. Both makers call them 50 W radios, and both are under the 50 W output limit (§95.1767(a)(1)). On the air, your antenna and its height matter far more than that gap.
Which is better for an open Jeep?
The MXT500, on the documents. Midland lists IP66, while BTECH lists IP54 (“weather-resistant / splash resistant”) for the GMRS-50V2. If you don’t need 50 W, BTECH’s GMRS-20V2 is rated IP67 for $109.89. See best GMRS mobile radios.
Can I program either one with CHIRP?
CHIRP’s supported-radio list includes the BTECH GMRS-50V2. We didn’t find the MXT500 on it. Midland offers its own PC programming software for the MXT500, which it calls “the only programmable MicroMobile.” See how to program a GMRS radio with CHIRP.