APX8000

[R_Rabbit10]

We are wanting to transition away from Kenwood radio's and are evaluating others. As such, we have received one APX8000 portable with all bands enabled.
Part of our response area includes an airport and we are allowed to use the specific airport frequencies to communicate with the tower and ground operations. Can the airband frequencies be programmed into this radio since it is an all-band model, or do we still need another radio for this purpose?

 

[northstarfire0693]

We are wanting to transition away from Kenwood radio's and are evaluating others. As such, we have received one APX8000 portable with all bands enabled.
Part of our response area includes an airport and we are allowed to use the specific airport frequencies to communicate with the tower and ground operations. Can the airband frequencies be programmed into this radio since it is an all-band model, or do we still need another radio for this purpose?

You will need another radio to work on the airband frequencies. The APX will not work on VHF AM band.

 

[R_Rabbit10]

You will need another radio to work on the airband frequencies. The APX will not work on VHF AM band.

Thanks, that's unfortunate. We would like an all in one solution to get away from having to carry multiple radio's. I guess going down from 4 (we regularly communicate on the 700/800, VHF and UHF bands in addition to the Airband) to 2 is already a huge deal, but still. Would be nice to have just one radio, both in vehicles and for portables.

 

[FFPM571]

You will need an Icom A16 handheld or A120 mobile for air band,

 

[prcguy]

A common problem with APX8000 or any multiband radio is you have so many frequencies put in one radio then when your using it on a channel you miss something important on another channel. I see fire captains and others in charge of large groups carrying at least two APX8000s due to the number of frequencies used at any give time and you can't manage everyone with just one radio these days.

That's not counting the fact an APX8000 will not do VHF AM for aircraft.

 

[MTS2000des]

No LMR "real" radio covers AM aircraft for transmitting. Gonna have to buy a "real" AM aircraft radio as mentioned.

 

[prcguy]

No LMR "real" radio covers AM aircraft for transmitting. Gonna have to buy a "real" AM aircraft radio as mentioned.

Harris and Thales make VHF/UHF/800 radios that will also do VHF and UHF AM air and and are very real compared to a mere Motorola.

 

[mikegilbert]

Harris and Thales make VHF/UHF/800 radios that will also do VHF and UHF AM air and and are very real compared to a mere Motorola.

I had one on loan from a good friend who wanted to trade his for one of my spare 8000s. Loaded LAPD, CHP and airband into it. Worked really well for the lowband and airband stuff, but was just too unweildy to carry around.

 

[prcguy]

I had one on loan from a good friend who wanted to trade his for one of my spare 8000s. Loaded LAPD, CHP and airband into it. Worked really well for the lowband and airband stuff, but was just too unweildy to carry around.

Yes they are big and clumsy but APX8000s are everywhere and a Harris or Thales mil radio is still quite rare. An APX8000 is pricy new but a current Harris RF or PRC series handheld is easily twice as expensive new.

 

[Paco-Jerte]

You will need an Icom A16 handheld or A120 mobile for air band,

Not necessarily, the Uniden BC125AT does excellent on AIRBAND

 

[12dbsinad]

I'd open up all other possibilities if you are in the market for multi-band. The 8000 is quickly nearing EOL, which means you need to step into the NEXT series. If you don't like the price tag of the 8000, you will def not like the NEXT.

Shop around.

 

[alcahuete]

Not necessarily, the Uniden BC125AT does excellent on AIRBAND

You understand he needs to transmit as well, right?

 

[Paco-Jerte]

You understand he needs to transmit as well, right?

oh ding a ling, OK

 

[FFPM571]

Not necessarily, the Uniden BC125AT does excellent on AIRBAND

those are scanners... these are transceivers

 

[K2NEC]

The 8000 is quickly nearing EOL, which means you need to step into the NEXT series.

I would love to hear your sources on this

 

[12dbsinad]

I would love to hear your sources on this

They're not gonna make and sell them forever and they are getting to be an old platform, long on the tooth. Just sayin'.

 

[K2NEC]

They're not gonna make and sell them forever and they are getting to be an old platform, long on the tooth. Just sayin'.

The APX8000 is one of two multi band portable options on the market, there's no way they will twist consumer arms and force them into buying a NEXT just so they can have dual band operation. Maybe they will make a BN 8000, but they aren't going to entirely EOL the series any time soon.

 

[mmckenna]

there's no way they will twist consumer arms and force them into buying a NEXT

That's not the Motorola I knew. They were -all- about twisting arms.
I looked at buying APX8000's a while back for our PD, and got the hard sell on the APX-Next. And I mean HARD sell. Everything short of physically twisting my arm.

 

[K2NEC]

That's not the Motorola I knew. They were -all- about twisting arms.
I looked at buying APX8000's a while back for our PD, and got the hard sell on the APX-Next. And I mean HARD sell. Everything short of physically twisting my arm.

Interesting, I was looking at getting 6000s a few months ago and was told those were going away "soon". And well, they're still here

Yes maybe they twist arms, but the 8000s are such a popular radio they would probably be doing a dis-service by going EOL

 

[natedawg1604]

Harris and Thales make VHF/UHF/800 radios that will also do VHF and UHF AM air and and are very real compared to a mere Motorola.

Does Harris make a Falcon III model with only "civilian" crypto available to regular public safety agencies? I was under the impression they only sold this product line to the military.