I presume that you don't have any CTCSS tones set on the Midland
The Kenwoods are set-up out of the box with all channels set with CTCSS, sometimes called privacy tones. Kenwood have a distinct table. This is shown below:
There is a similar table for the Midland G7:
But it lacks the CTCSS tones, I think they maybe switched off by default, the manual seems to infer that this is the case.
However, from what you're saying, it appears that one of the radios has been pre-programmed as channel one is the same frequency on both. Let's for the time being assume that the Kenwood is correct and your Midland has been retuned.
It seems to me that the Kenwood has CTCSS switched on (there's no way a regular user can switch it off, change the channel PMR or CTCSS frequencies) and the Midland hasn't got it on at all.
For an explanation of CTCSS tones
look here.
Basically they work in the following way: Both radios are set-up the same way, with obviously the same PMR frequency and CTCSS frequency. The tone is transmitted along with the carrier when the radio transmits (Tx), the receiving (Rx) radio has the audio effectively silenced (squelched). It will only un-squelch the audio if the correct tone is received in the carrier. This way you can operate in a busy radio environment without having to hear everyone else.
Some manufacturers call CTCSS sub channels which is something of a fallacy. You're still transmitting on the same frequency and someone closer than the Tx'ing set on the same frequency can wash them out if they Tx at the same time.
Anyway... the Midland appears to be operating open, i.e. without any CTCSS tone set. That way it can hear the Kenwood and as CTCSS isn't set the speaker is effectively open to all Tx traffic on that frequency and you can hear what's being said by your mate.
You now try to Tx back to him but as you're not sending a CTCSS tone, let alone the correct CTCSS tone, the speaker is remaining mute on his Kenwood. If you look closely at his radio you might see an LED illuminating when you Tx (nor sure if Kenwoods have this, on my puxing it's red on Tx, green on Rx). This will indicate that the Kenwood is Rx'ing your signal but the squelch is still active.
You need to activate CTCSS on your radio and find the correct CTCSS frequency. The manual for the G7 that I found had no chart for the tones but the manual for another Midland PMR radio did, they will probably be the same. In fact they use the same scale as the Kenwood so the numbers in the 'Tone Number' column above should be the same as the scale in the CTCSS menu on your G7.
Here's how to set the tones up on the G7:
Channels 13-16 on the Kenwood use a different CTCSS system, a digital signal, the G7 doesn't have this facility so you'll only be able to use in conjunction with your mates radio if he uses 1-12. You only need one channel though it can be handy to know how to switch if you find you're getting x-traffic problems. Only had that once, in the Alps, lots of paragliders/parecenders/climbers etc.
All the guys I ride with use Kenwood Ch#3, apparently it's the unofficial bikers channel
HTH
