Midland 75-822 40 Channel Handheld CB Radio

Is it a handheld or a CB radio for your car. Actually it’s both!!

Power comes from six AA batteries (or eight if you are using rechargeables) but you can also plug it into cigarette lighter socket of your car / truck with the supplied adapter. The fact that this is a 2-in-1 CB is the big selling point of the 75-822.

Comes with

• Alkaline Battery Pack
• Rechargeable Battery Pack / charger (note that batteries are NOT included)
• Mobile Adapter
• Rubber Duck Antenna
• Hand Strap

What’s Great

The 75-822 is a nice size and weight. I love the design of the clip-on battery packs and the fact Midland provide separate packs to serve both alkaline and rechargeable batteries is a nice touch.

Note: You might be wondering why it takes more batteries when you are using rechargeables. This is simply because rechargeables put out 1.2 volts whereas alkalines offer 1.5 volts.

Being able to plug this CB into your vehicle is a really great feature. Just unhook the battery pack and clip on the supplied mobile adapter. This has a cigarette adapter and also an SO239 antenna socket you can attach a standard PL259 antenna connection straight into it.

What you then have in your vehicle is CB that is the size of a large handheld microphone.

I’m going to state the obvious (for some) but you’ll need an external mobile antenna but for those of you that only need something for emergencies and occasional use you can stash both a magnetic mount antenna and the 75-822 in the trunk for when you need them.

I like the way too that there is a low / high power option because if you are using it in fairly close proximity to those you are talking to you might as well save battery power.

It’s also really handy having a channel scan and it’s something I really love about modern radios. Just set it off and it’ll stop when it finds a signal.

What’s Not So Great

The Midland 75-822 comes with two battery packs, one to take six alkaline batteries and another that takes eight rechargeables. The unit also comes with an AC adapter for charging. So far so good! However, you can’t use this to simply power the radio which is a shame. I can understand why though because the power requirement would be a lot greater.

A rubber duck antenna is also supplied but performance isn’t as good as it could be (see below). If you are using the radio in fairly close proximity to others then you aren’t really going to care. If you want to squeeze out more range then you might want to look for better alternatives.

A Note About Midland 75-822 Range

You’ll see some people complaining about the range of the 75-822. This is a 4 watt radio just like any other CB. What is likely to be happening here is they are expecting the rubber duck antenna to perform as well as one mounted on a vehicle.

If you use this radio by plugging in an external antenna it will perform just as well as the made-for-your car CB radio.

Antennas are absolutely crucial to performance and rubber ducks will always be a compromise.

What you should seriously consider is an aftermarket whip antenna you can find them quite easily with a BNC connector ready to just put straight on the 75-822. You’ll find the 1-3 miles with the standard rubber duck is then significantly increased with some people then achieving up to about 10 miles. But, as with any CB, this is all very much reliant on the height you are with the radio and any obstacles in the way.

Please don’t expect 10 miles all of the time as that was quite an exceptional result. You will however definitely see an increase over the rubber duck results and it won’t cost a fortune to do. For those that complain about sub-par performance this is a simple fix.

Verdict / Bottom Line

This is a great radio for those that want something that they can use portable but also leave in their truck or car for occasional use. Survivalists take note – this could be perfect for you.

You can even plug the Midland 75-822 into a homebase antenna so it really offers some versatility.

If I was looking for a radio just for emergencies and occasional use and it was going to live in the trunk a lot of the time I’d certainly favour this Midland CB over just getting just a small radio. The fact I could then take it out on foot with me makes it so much more useful. Just don’t forget to keep those batteries charged!

If you just want a small unit for your vehicle and don’t to be able to use it as a handheld then you probably want to consider the Cobra 75 WX ST.

I hate having to tell people they need to purchase something else to make a radio better but $20 on a replacement antenna is going to be money well spent. You then have a pretty decent handheld CB in your hands. Just make sure it is one with a BNC connection and aimed for CBs on 27Mhz (11 meters).

Overall this is a great all-rounder that will keep most people happy that are looking for a dual function CB. Just don’t expect miles and miles of coverage when it’s being used as a handheld.

I’ve rated this CB quite highly for features. Not because it has any many individual features as some of the big rigs, but because of its dual function. Being a handheld and something that can be plugged in easily to your car is a big deal for those of us that are looking for a unit that can do that.

The 75-822 also feels durable which is obviously essential for a handheld unit.

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