August 2012

Midland 75-822 40 Channel CB-Way Radio

Product Description

Midland Micro 40CH Hand held CB

Amazon.com Review

Having a CB radio while traveling can be an invaluable tool for emergencies and for keeping up on road conditions, and the Midland 75-820 40-channel handheld CB is one you should definitely consider. It comes with everything you need to get started in a hurry, including a battery pack for times you want to run the unit on six AA batteries and a cigarette lighter adapter for battery-free operation in your car.

The Midland 75-820's design is ideal, with a push-to-talk button on the side, squelch and volume knobs, and a small LCD screen that displays the current channel, signal strength, and a variety of other useful information. Several buttons on the device can be used for scanning, whether quickly flipping between the emergency channel (9) and the standard highway channel (19) or activating the LCD's backlight. The unit also comes with a short, flexible antenna.

Overall, the 75-820's portability is excellent--comparable to a child's walkie-talkie. Unfortunately, the unit's compactness hampers its usefulness, because the relatively small antenna has a hard time pulling in distant signals. In our tests on local highways and on the interstate, transmissions rarely could be heard from more than half a mile away. However, when we connected the Midland 75-822 to a whip antenna that was several feet long, the range increased considerably. As a result, we recommend investing in a better antenna before using the device in your car, although the radio still works well for communicating with nearby semis when you're trying to find out the source of a traffic jam.

We had better luck using the radio to monitor National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio broadcasts, which we were able to receive from nearly anywhere since Weather Radio stations transmit at much higher power than mobile transmitters. These broadcasts are repeated every few minutes, are updated every few hours, and can help alert travelers to severe weather conditions. It's a nice feature to have on a portable CB and makes the Midland 75-822 a standout choice for travelers who want to be in the know. --T. Byrl Baker

Pros:

Truly portable
Car adapter kit included
Ability to monitor Weather Radio is a nice touch

Cons:

Short antenna dramatically cuts down on range

Amazon.com Product Description

An invaluable tool for emergencies and for keeping up on road conditions.

Power with six AA batteries or your vehicle's power port.

Compatible with Midland headsets such as the 22-540.

Ultra-Portable CB and Weather Radio

40-Channel CB Radio

The 75-822 offers 40 separate communication channels, delivering the maximum CB communication range with 4 watts of output power.

Channel scan can automatically check all channels for activity, stopping on any active channel for five seconds. You can also store and instantly access up to five of your favorite channels in memory. When you flip on the device, a last channel memory feature will turn on the last channel you selected before powering off.

While communicating, a built in ANL (automatic noise limiter) improves reception for weak signals, and squelch control further eliminates background noise.

Weather Radio/Emergency Channel Convenience

The 75-822 features instant access to NOAA Weather Radio, for weather/hazard information in your area 24/7. Immediate access to emergency channel 9 and informational channel 19 is also provided. The Dual Watch feature lets you monitor channel 9 and another channel of your choice simultaneously.

Power With AA Batteries or Vehicle Power Port

You can power this unit with six AA batteries, complete with a battery life extender feature. To get even more from your batteries, high/low transmit power settings are provided (4 watts and 1 watt, respectively).

A mobile adapter is also included for powering directly from your vehicle's "cigarette lighter" power port.

Easy to Use

The 75-822 boasts a large, backlit multifucntion LCD display that's easy to read, day or night. A keypad lock feature "locks in" your preferred settings, so they aren't accidentally changed. The flexible antenna with BNC connector is easily removed for transport, and an external headset jack is provided for hands-free use.

75-822 Select Specifications

Channels:	40 CB
Frequency Band:	26.965 - 27.405 MHz
Unit Dimensions (H x Wx D):	3.5 x 2.75 x 1.5 Inches
Unit Weight:	0.4 lbs.
Display Size (W x H):	1.375 x .5 Inches
Power Requirement:	6AAA
Operating Temperature Range:	-30 ~ +50° C

What's in the Box

Midland 75-822 Radio, AC Wall Adapter, Alkaline Battery Compartment, Rechargeable Battery Compartment, Mobile Adapter, Antenna, Documentation

Portable CB radio with 40 CB channels, 10 NOAA channels, and 4 Watts of output power
Power with six AA batteries or included cigarette lighter adapter for mobile use
Instant access to NOAA Radio, channels 9 and 19; Dual Watch monitors channel 9 and additional channel
ANL (automatic noise limiter) and squelch control for improving reception and eliminating noise
One-year manufacturer's warranty