Comparisons Midland T51 X-Talker vs Midland LXT600
Midland T51 vs LXT600 Two license-free FRS packs from the FCC grants
Both are license-free FRS radios sold in two-packs. The LXT600 files about three times the ERP of the T51 on the main channels (0.74 W vs 0.247 W), adds a Hi/Lo power switch, 121 privacy codes and two headsets, and costs $15 more. The current T51 charges over USB-C. Neither needs a license, and both talk to any FRS or GMRS radio on the shared channels.
Where to buy: No retailer links on this page. List prices below are the makers' own, on the date shown.
FCC ID records side by side
| Midland T51 X-Talker | Midland LXT600 | |
|---|---|---|
| FCC ID | MMAT55A | MMALXT600PA |
| Grantee | Midland Radio Corporation, Kansas City, MO (grantee code MMA) | Midland Radio Corporation, Kansas City, MO (grantee code MMA) |
| Rule part | 95B | 95B |
| Grant date | 2015-08-28 | 2016-07-19 |
| Filed power, 462 MHz main | 0.247 W ERP grant | 0.74 W ERP grant |
| Filed power, 462 MHz interstitial | 0.247 W ERP grant | 0.74 W ERP grant |
| Filed power, 467 MHz main (repeater input) | not in grant | not in grant |
| Filed power, 467 MHz interstitial | 0.305 W ERP grant | 0.45 W ERP grant |
Maker specs side by side
| Midland T51 X-Talker | Midland LXT600 | |
|---|---|---|
| Rated power | not yet verified | not yet verified |
| Power levels | One setting: the T50-series menu has no power option; the manual marks channels 8–14 as low-power FRS channels sourcechecked 2026-10-22 | Hi/Lo on channels 1–7 and 15–36; channels 8–14 fixed at Lo "per FCC regulations" (manual) sourcechecked 2026-10-22 |
| Channels | 22 FRS channels; 38 CTCSS privacy codes (usable on channels 1–22) sourcechecked 2026-10-22 | 36 (the 22 FRS channels plus 14 Midland preset channels); 121 privacy codes (38 CTCSS + 83 DCS) sourcechecked 2026-10-22 |
| Repeater | No – FRS radio; the grant has no 467 MHz main (repeater-input) row sourcechecked 2026-10-22 | No – FRS radio; the grant has no 467 MHz main (repeater-input) row sourcechecked 2026-10-22 |
| Water/dust rating | None listed sourcechecked 2026-10-22 | No IP rating listed (spec sheet says "Water Resistant") sourcechecked 2026-10-22 |
| Battery | Rechargeable NiMH pack (included) or 3 AAA alkaline sourcechecked 2026-10-22 | Rechargeable NiMH pack (included) or 3 AAA alkaline sourcechecked 2026-10-22 |
| Battery life (maker claim) | not yet verified | not yet verified |
| Charging | USB-C jack on the radio and desktop charger (manual Rev F; the product page's in-box list still says micro-USB cable) sourcechecked 2026-10-22 | Desktop charger + AC adapter (included); first charge 24 h, then about 12 h (manual) sourcechecked 2026-10-22 |
| Antenna | Fixed (FRS rule 47 CFR 95.587(b)(1) requires an integral antenna) sourcechecked 2026-10-22 | Fixed (FRS rule 47 CFR 95.587(b)(1) requires an integral antenna) sourcechecked 2026-10-22 |
| NOAA weather | NOAA weather alert with Weather Scan sourcechecked 2026-10-22 | NOAA weather alert with Weather Scan sourcechecked 2026-10-22 |
| SAME county filtering | Not listed sourcechecked 2026-10-22 | Not listed sourcechecked 2026-10-22 |
| Weight | not yet verified | not yet verified |
| Warranty | 3 years sourcechecked 2026-10-22 | 3 years sourcechecked 2026-10-22 |
| List price | $59.99 2-pack (T51VP3, maker site) sourcechecked 2026-10-22 | $74.99 2-pack (LXT600VP3, maker site) sourcechecked 2026-10-22 |
| Range (maker claim) | Up to 28 miles ("Xtreme Range", ideal conditions) sourcechecked 2026-10-22 | Up to 30 miles ("Xtreme Range", open areas) sourcechecked 2026-10-22 |
| Headset | External speaker/mic jack sourcechecked 2026-10-22 | Speaker/mic jack; two concealed headsets in the box (product page) sourcechecked 2026-10-22 |
| Other features | Call alert, eVOX hands-free, roger beep, silent mode sourcechecked 2026-10-22 | eVOX (3 levels), silent mode, monitor, channel scan, 5 call alerts sourcechecked 2026-10-22 |
| License | None needed (FRS, 47 CFR 95.305) sourcechecked 2026-10-22 | None needed (FRS, 47 CFR 95.305) sourcechecked 2026-10-22 |
Key differences
Filed power: the LXT600 has about three times the ERP. Both current grants list ERP, so the fixed antenna is included.
- Channels 1–7 and 15–22 (462 MHz): 0.74 W for the LXT600 against 0.247 W for the T51. That’s 3.0×, or about 4.8 dB.
- Channels 8–14 (467 MHz): 0.45 W against 0.305 W. Both sit under the 0.5 W FRS cap for these channels (§95.567). On the T51 these channels file slightly higher than its main channels.
- The FRS limit on the main channels is 2 W ERP, so neither pack comes close. The Rocky Talkie Mountain Radio files 1.524 W and the Motorola Talkabout T470 files 1.94 W. All four are compared on our license-free walkie-talkies page.
Power switch. The LXT600 has Hi/Lo on channels 1–7 and 15–36; channels 8–14 stay on Lo “per FCC regulations” (manual). The T50-series menu that covers the T51 has no power setting.
Channels and privacy codes.
- T51: the 22 FRS channels and 38 CTCSS privacy codes, usable on channels 1–22.
- LXT600: 36 channels, which are the 22 FRS channels plus 14 Midland preset channels, and 121 privacy codes (38 CTCSS + 83 DCS).
Charging. The current T50-series manual (Rev F) shows a USB-C jack on the radio and a USB-C desktop charger, and the T51 product description mentions a USB-C cable. The in-box list on the same page still says “Micro USB Charging Cable”, so check the box if USB-C matters. The LXT600 charges in its desktop charger with the included AC adapter. The manual asks for a 24-hour first charge and about 12 hours after that. Both take 3 AAA alkaline cells as a backup.
In the box. Each pack has two radios, belt clips, rechargeable NiMH packs and a desktop charger. The LXT600VP3 adds two concealed headsets, per Midland’s product page.
Weather. Both list NOAA weather alerts with Weather Scan, and both manuals chart 10 weather channels. Neither lists SAME county filtering. For alerts at home, a NOAA weather radio on the NWS list does more.
Water. Midland lists no IP rating for either. The LXT600 spec sheet says “Water Resistant” without a rating. For a splash rating in an FRS radio, the Motorola T470 is IPX4 and the Rocky Talkie Mountain Radio is IP56.
Price on Midland’s site (2026-10-22): $59.99 for a T51 two-pack and $74.99 for an LXT600 two-pack.
Check the FCC ID on yours
Midland has sold radios named LXT600 under three FCC IDs. MMALXT600PA is the current FRS-only grant. Older units may carry MMALXT600 (2012) or MMALXT600P (2014). Both are pre-2017 FRS/GMRS grants with different filed power. The ID is on the label under the battery.
The T51’s grant, MMAT55A, started as an FRS/GMRS grant in 2015. Midland made it FRS-only in October 2019 and has since changed a filter, the CPU and the audio amp, reporting “no change to the previously reported output power.” Midland’s manuals don’t print the FCC ID. The tie comes from the FCC filing, which includes the same “T50 Series” owner’s manual that Midland links from its T51 page.
Which one fits you
- Cheapest license-free pair: the T51 at $59.99 for two, with USB-C charging on the current version.
- More filed power, a power switch and headsets: the LXT600 at $74.99 for two.
- Either one works as a no-license gift and talks to GMRS radios on the shared channels. When someone in the family gets the $35 GMRS license, they can add a GMRS radio and keep using these.
Related: License-free walkie-talkies compared · Walkie-talkie gifts · GMRS vs FRS, MURS, CB and ham.
Sources: FCC grants MMAT55A and MMALXT600PA (via fccid.io, including the 2019 Class II technical justifications, the 2020–2022 change letters and the filed owner's manuals); Midland's T51VP3 and LXT600VP3 product pages, the T50-series owner's manual (Rev F), the LXT600 owner's manual and the LXT600VP3 spec sheet; 47 CFR Part 95 (eCFR). All checked 2026-10-22. Not hands-on tested.
Common questions
Do the Midland T51 or LXT600 need a license?
No. Both current FCC grants (MMAT55A and MMALXT600PA) are FRS-only (Part 95B), and FRS needs no license (47 CFR 95.305).
Can a Midland T51 talk to an LXT600 or a GMRS radio?
Yes, on channels 1–22 with the same privacy code (or none). FRS and GMRS share those frequencies. The LXT600’s channels 23–36 are Midland presets, so match the channel chart in each manual first. See the channel chart.
Which is louder on the air, the T51 or the LXT600?
On the FCC’s numbers, the LXT600: 0.74 W ERP on channels 1–7 and 15–22 against 0.247 W for the T51, about 4.8 dB more. Both are well under the 2 W FRS limit (§95.567). We haven’t tested either radio, so this compares filed power, not audio or real-world range.
Will they really reach 28 or 30 miles?
Midland’s own footnote says maximum range needs open water or open rural areas under optimum conditions. Two handhelds at head height on flat ground hit the radio horizon at about 6 miles; try the range planner.