HamGeek APX-8000 Dual-Band: Something Different, But is it Better?

Despite its large size, it fits in your hand quite well. All of the edges of the HamGeek APX-8000 are rounded and smoothed, so there is nothing poking you where it shouldn’t. Where the radio flares out at the top and gets bigger makes a nice place for it to rest on my thumb and/or finger.

Although it took me a little getting used to, the fact that the HamGeek APX-8000 has a PTT button on each side of the radio is actually a really cool feature. No matter how I grab the radio, my thumb is on top of a PTT button. Cool.

Speaking of buttons, both PTT buttons feel excellent with a nice smooth action and satisfying click. The other side buttons seem to work well, but they are not quite as “sharp”, they feel a little “muddy”, meaning that they offer a little more resistance than I think they should and there feels like there is too much rubber around them for them to move as freely as the PTT.

Buttons on the front of the HamGeek APX-8000 are another step down. As much room as there is on the front, I would have thought the buttons could be a little bigger than they are. They are also very close together, although HamGeek did put a raised barrier between them to help, and it does a pretty good job.

These buttons feel even muddier than the buttons on the side and could really use some more tactile feedback in the click than they have. In all fairness, they work fine for the little buttons that they are.

The top knobs on the HamGeek APX-8000 are mixed. I love having two separate knobs; one for power and volume, the other for changing frequencies/channels. The center knob, which is the one that changes frequencies, has click-steps and has an excellent feel. The clicks are substantial enough to allow you to easily count steps when you need to, and not so substantial as to make it hard to turn a lot at a time. The power/volume knob works well enough, but is not overly smooth.

Now we come to the screen(s). That’s right, there are two. The main screen is about 40mm (1.6″) in diagonal and is full color. It appears pretty low resolution, as the numbers and letters are not that sharp, but is absolutely serviceable. Like most of these small color radio screens, the one on the HamGeek APX-8000 turns off after about 15 seconds, and there is no way on the radio to extend that.

Perhaps you can change it in software programming, but at this time your only options are the factory software with their custom programming cable, or spending $49 and getting the RT Systems HamGeek APX-8000 programming package which includes a cable.

There is a second screen on the top of the HamGeek APX-8000, and I have to admit that is a pretty cool idea. Being able to look down at the radio, such as when it is on your belt or in a cupholder in your car, and see the frequencies is a really neat feature. Unlike the front screen, it does not turn off, and it never even dims. It is also nice and sharp with very high contrast, which helps offset the fact that it is a little small. I can read it just fine, it just takes me a second.

As far as the menu system is concerned, it is a typical Baofeng style menu. The only thing to really say about it is that you can use the top center button on the menu, which makes using the menu sooooo very much faster and easier. Yes, you can use the arrow buttons on the front just like any Baofeng clone, but why?

I also want to mention the fact that the HamGeek APX-8000 has the speaker on the “back” of the radio, while the main screen and mic are on the front. While this is a little odd, it does make for more room for a better sounding speaker.

One last design difference is that the HamGeek APX-8000 does not have a belt clip, it has a cradle that has a belt clip and the radio slides into the cradle. This is a really interesting idea that seems to work well. They even designed a little click into it so it can’t accidentally slide out if you lean over or something.

Performance:

When it comes to measuring what the HamGeek APX-8000 can actually do, I was a little disappointed. While the antenna that came with the radio is remarkably good for a factory antenna, and in fact, better than some aftermarket antennas, the power output and quality is pretty poor.

Let’s start with the quality of the transmitted signal. As shown below, the HamGeek APX-8000 starts off pretty strong, although a slight bit unconcentrated. That power fades pretty quickly and then turns into an inconsistent mess. There is a reasonable signal buried in the signal here though that comes through with pretty good audio. My guess is that the free space made by moving the speaker to the back also increases room for the microphone, which results in better audio quality.

Power output is a measly 3.6 watts on 2m and 1.8 watts on 70 cm, which is really not bad for basically a Baofeng UV-5R clone in new clothes. The problem for me is that the HamGeek APX-8000 uses a huge battery and has a lot more room for better electronics, which I assumed, erroneously, would lead to more power output.

Images:

Radio Specifics:

Test Images:

• Dual-Band 2m/70cm operation
• 128 Memory channels
• Dual screens
• Main color screen
• 8800mAh battery
• Dual PTT, one on each side
• Large speaker

The HamGeek APX-8000 comes in a variety of different kits in which some have a programming cable, some have a handheld microphone and programming cable, and a few other combinations. They also offer the radio in green, which is pictured in this review, a light brown, and of course, black.

Conclusions

This is truly a unique radio and is actually pretty fun to use. I wish the performance lived up to the ascetics and added perks like the second screen, better speaker, better microphone, dual PTT, etc. I also wish it was programmable with CHIRP, alas it is not.

So would I recommend it? That depends. If you are looking for something different that fits in your hand really well and has some really cool extra features, and of course can drop $130 on it, then yes. For most people who want a radio that works really well and won’t break the bank? No.

Remember for the same money you could get something like the Yaesu FT-65 which, while not as cool and flashy, is a far better radio that will last a lot longer.

Here are some reviews of the Hamgeek APX-8000!