Verified FBN Member (IA)

Machinery

What are you using for radios between the combine, cart tractor, and semis?

We are going to be adding a couple more inexperienced cart operators this fall and thought about getting some walkie talkies so the combine operator can communicate more effectively with them. The current hand signal/phone call system is not ideal. What kind of radios are you using? What would you recommend without spending a ton of money?

    What are you using for radios between the combine, cart tractor, and semis?

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Verified FBN Member (MN)

I put mxt 400 radios in from midland and they very clear and easy to install, they are a bit pricey but well worth it. I thought about tryin...

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Verified FBN Member (AB, CAN)

My brother bought us all cheap Bluetooth headsets. Connects to your phone. Hands free all the time. Noise cancellation. Siri calls whoever y...

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2

Verified FBN Member (AB, CAN)

True enough

Verified FBN Member (IA)

Those are nice for sure. I’ve found that sometimes you can’t call someone fast enough to tell them something that’s time sensitive. For exam...

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Verified FBN Member (MN)

Go straight to midland, I just put them in 2019 absolutely no regrets

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Verified FBN Member (IA)

We love our midland gx1000 radios


Verified FBN Member (SK, CAN)

We have used midland for 30 years at least and icom about 7 both are great. I no there around 300 ish but for you boys out there Amazon migh...

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1

Verified FBN Member (IA)

I totally agree! We ended up going with midland GX1000 handhelds and really liked them. With phones you can’t call someone fast enough when ...

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Verified FBN Member (MN)

We use the cheap ones, small and handy. Have chargers in the tractors and combines, but the range is a mile at best. Have the same radios fo...

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Verified FBN Member (ND)

(edited)

We have been using Motorola radios for 40 years. As our operation has expanded we incorporated a repeater system and now have a hand held on...

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Verified FBN Member (ND)

I just bought 7 midland mxt115 using the factory antenna mount, complaint is In the combines they are mounted down by the power strip in the...

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2

Verified FBN Member (ND)

Gxt 1000

Verified FBN Member (IA)

I’ve been looking at the midland radios quite a bit. Are your handhelds the GXT1000 or the X-talker?


Verified FBN Member (IL)

We are using Midland MXT105 radios ($99.99 on Amazon) which come complete with a short magnetic base antenna. This setup works great in the...

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Verified FBN Member (OH)

If your on sprint you can have direct connect/Nextel back on your smartphone for $5/month/user. And the the voxer app is bad so I’ve been to...

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Verified FBN Member (AB, CAN)

We use Motorola hard wired radios in all our units. They work very well and last for years. The way I look at it is we’ve invested hundreds...

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Verified FBN Member (IA)

We started using marine band radios. Distance is phenomenal and clarity is great too. Runs about $125 for each setup.

1


Verified FBN Member (WI)

Business band digital radios. Radio brand is Motorola. Have great signal can talk up to 10 miles apart from radio to radio even with lots of...

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Verified FBN Member (SK, CAN)

Motorola works great for us

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Verified FBN Member (OH)

I prefer everyone to just have a Bluetooth headset connected to their cell phone. That way I can easily get ahold of them whether or not th...

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Verified FBN Member (NE)

(edited)

We use the Voxer walkie talkie app on our phones, everyone has one & distance is not an issue. Also we don't have radios sitting around in ...

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Verified FBN Member (MO)

If you like voxer, you should try zello. You dont have to open the app to listen to the message. You can also create a channel that contai...

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Verified FBN Member (MO)

Zello is an app that is a live walkie talkie using cell phone signal. So there is no distance issues no matter where you are. It will go of...

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Verified FBN Member (WA)

Looks like everyone has great ideas. We have used the Uniden 510xl CB radios for years. You can buy them for $35 to $50. We use a mag mount...

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Verified FBN Member (IL)

We use these in our semi's, grain cart tractor, and combine. They are cheap and work really good for what we need.

https://smile.amazon.co...

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3

Verified FBN Member (KS)

This is What we use in all of our equipment they work great


Verified FBN Member (IL)

We use FM business band radios. Work great without the interference of a cb. Radios are *******.


Verified FBN Member (TX)

UHF business band digital ICOM radios. Coordinate a frequency or more and have solid personal comms.


Verified FBN Member (MN)

We use these from amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00SR3QW9U

They work good, say they are legal, and are about $100 for 5.

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Verified FBN Member (MO)

Any idea on their range?


Verified FBN Member (TX)

(edited)

We have ran vhf icoms for probably 20 some years in all of our equipment. Get up to 20-30 miles lots of places. About $300 per radio and coa...

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Verified FBN Member (IL)

We use low band radios in every piece of equipment, truck, pickups, everything. I don’t think I’d recommend equipping a new setup this way d...

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Verified FBN Member (KS)

We run uniden marine band radios. Good for about 10 mile range. Cost about $120

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Verified FBN Member (NE)

Would that have to be in line of site? Or would the work over and behind hills?


Verified FBN Member (ND)

We use Motorola and Kenwood business band radios. Have used them for years and have one in every piece of equipment on the farm. I believe...

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1


Verified FBN Member (IA)

We went to buisness band a few years ago and the best move we made. Cost a fair amount to start up but the equipment works ten times better ...

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4

Verified FBN Member (IA)

Depending on how many radios you want a couple thousand on up

Verified FBN Member (IA)

u you have ball park cost what it takes to setup a farm?


Verified FBN Member (TN)

(edited)

Motorola xpr


Verified FBN Member (IL)

We have no experience with them, but I’ve been hearing about these midland radios a lot lately.

https://midlandusa.com/micromobile/

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Verified FBN Member (TX)

We have used cheap walkie talkies for years. We get about one season out of them. Not perfect but gets us by. We are always looking for a be...

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