We have a long-standing relationship with Wouxun, and with good reason. Their reputation for manufacturing quality radios at very affordable prices is well established around the world. Some of their most recent products are very highly rated and proven to be extremely popular, which is why today we're announcing the release of a new amateur dual-band HT that we are incredibly excited about. It's the Wouxun KG-UV8H, a transceiver with more power, features and functionality than any other Wouxun handheld available in its class to date. The KG-UV8H is exclusive to Buy Two Way Radios and we believe it is Wouxun's best analog HT, ever!
The KG-UV8H is the latest offering from the same company that brought us the venerable Wouxun KG-UV8D. The 8D platform, which includes the KG-UV8D Plus, continues to be popular simply due to its overall value. A 2m/70cm dual-band radio with a color display and advanced features like cross-band repeat just shouldn't be available at such a low price point, yet the KG-UV8D delivers it all. It's no wonder Wouxun gained so many fans with this model! As such, the KG-UV8H is built from the same form factor.
Now that we've learned of its origin, let's go through some of the new features and discover what sets the KG-UV8H apart from its predecessors.
Improved Display Orientation and Size
The first thing you'll likely notice about the 8H is the display. While the actual display area on the KG-UV8H is only around 2mm larger than the KG-UV8D and KG-UV9D, it feels bigger when you're actively using the radio. This is most probably due to its orientation. In previous models, the LCD display was oriented in a portrait position. For the 8H, the screen has been flipped to a landscape presentation, so it is wider than it is tall. This provides a more natural field of view on the screen. But the best part is that the loss of height was handled very well. Previously the A and B areas were always the same size. Now, the currently selected area is larger and the non-selected area is condensed. I actually consider this a valuable feature, as this visual cue makes readily apparent which area is active.
Improved Display Color
The Wouxun KG-UV8H has added the ability to customize the screen colors with four themes. Two themes have a white background, similar to the KG-UV8D, and two have black backgrounds. The black background is the default, and I find it to be more modern looking as well as easier to read.
8 Watts Power
The default maximum power capability of the KG-UV8H has been increased to 8 watts on VHF and 6 watts on UHF. Our customers seem to love higher powered radios, so this will likely be a popular feature.
Actually, Wouxun has the ability to make this a full 10 watt radio, but we asked them to dial it back to safer 8 watts. The reality is that eight watts is about as high as a portable handheld radio can go and still pass a SAR test, which is a safety test that measures RF exposure. Unlike transceivers used for other services, amateur radios aren't required to pass this test. However, it seems prudent to have the radio be capable of passing this check to ensure personal safety.
This reduction in wattage also makes sense from a practical point of view. The increase from 8 watts to 10 watts will have a minimal effect on range, and in many situations none at all, but will be a much bigger battery drain on the unit, significantly decreasing service uptime and operating efficiency. Nonetheless, let us know in the comments below if you think we made the right decision here, or if you'd rather see a 10 watt version!
IP66 Waterproof
Wouxun has improved the waterproof rating of the KG-UV8H to IP66. At this level, the radio can handle powerful jets of water, but not complete immersion. The accessory cover is now held down with a screw and has a rubber seal. The connectors between the radio and battery are also sealed, further increasing resistance to dust and water ingress.
NOAA Weather Mode (with Alerts)
For the first time, we have a true NOAA weather mode in a Wouxun amateur HT. This feature is also easy to activate and access. Hold down the "1" key from the main screen to enter weather mode. From there you will find a bank of US and Canadian weather broadcast frequencies to select. Your last selected frequency is always tuned automatically when you enter this mode.
A new menu option WX ALT (#57) has also been added. When this mode is active, the radio will scan in the background for a 1050Hz tone on the currently selected weather channel. This is the tone transmitted by NOAA broadcast stations to indicate an alert. If the tone is discovered, an alert sound is played.
Standard High Capacity Battery (3200mAh)
A very high capacity 3200mAh battery is included with the KG-UV8H by default. This is a 23% capacity improvement over the high capacity battery available for the KG-UV8D and 88% more capacity than the standard battery. The battery upgrade alone will save many customers from having to purchase a separate accessory.
KG-UV8H or KG-UV9D/KG-UV9P
Obviously the new KG-UV8H is a better radio hands-down than the current KG-UV8D Plus, but what about the KG-UV9D and KG-UV9P models? Does it make them obsolete?
Absolutely not. Where the KG-UV9D/P has the advantage is in the wide RX range. If you need to listen on airband or 700-900 MHz frequencies, the KG-UV9D/P is the clear choice for you. However, in our experience as a two way radio dealer, most customers simply aren't concerned about those frequency ranges.
Things like a readable display, NOAA weather mode, and a high level of waterproofing are important and make the KG-UV8H stand out from the rest of the crowd. For most of our customers, we think the KG-UV8H is the clear choice, at least for now.
In 2024, is this still your recommended HT or has it been replaced with the KG-Q10H?
The KG-UV8H is still a great radio and is quite popular as an amateur HT. The KG-Q10H isn't intended as a "replacement" for the UV8H, but another option for those who want additional features. For instance, some hams want the added ability to receive on other bands, GPS functionality and the added display themes and prefer the KG-Q10H. Others don't need all the extra stuff and don't want to pay a higher price for what they don't plan to ever use, so the KG-UV8H is the perfect choice for them. They are both great choices, but when it comes to radios, it's not a one-size-fits-all. It depends on what you need and want.
True simultaneous dual channel receiver?
I'd like to know more about the weather alert functions. I had something similar on an ICOM 2200h, but turned it off since it would cause interruptions on the RX when it checked the weather channel for the alert tone. How does the KG-UV8H handle this? Does it drain more battery when this option is activated (I'd think that monitoring channels, either a local repeater or a weather channel wouldn't drain the battery that much). Thanks!
Hi David, the document Weather Channel Mode for KG-UV8H located on under the downloads tab of the Wouxun KG-UV8H product page explains how the weather alert scan works. If you are concerned about RX interruptions while scanning the weather channel, the simplest solution is to use Area B for general RX and TX communications while scanning for weather alerts on Area A.
The KGUV8H is now supported on CHIRP NEXT.
Does the new KG-UV8H have crossband repeat like the UV8D has?
Hi Jeff, yes, the KG-UV8H does support cross band repeat.
The second picture in this article showed the display saying GMRS 16. What is the frequency range for 70cm?
The KG-UV8H allows RX only on UHF to 480 MHz. The GMRS channel depicted in the image is programmed to receive only.
Good radio, like it so far.
One thing is that the model I received puts out 9.9 Watt at 146.52 MHz and 8.5 Watt at 446 MHz.
No, I am not complaining.
The UV9T allows me to scan channels on both a and b channels at the same time. How do I get the uv8h set to do the same. I've been comparing menus and they are not equivalent.
A quick response is appreciated.
The KG-UV8H does not have dual scan. You can, however, scan on one side while receiving on the other side.
On a side note, we do try to respond to comments as quickly as possible on our blog, however it depends on when the comment is reviewed through our spam filter and the time of day someone can respond, as our operating hours are 8 AM to 6 PM weekdays. For more expedient response times, you may prefer to post in our Two Way Radio Forum, as those messages are posted immediately and members may respond at any time.
Scrambler setting is Menu #54
Wouxun in their website says somewhere that there is a SCRABLER function as well, but i didn't see anything written here in this little review. Is that mean not accessible in US version?
Does this model utilize superheterodyne receivers? Usually I've seen Wouxun advertise this, but I'm not seeing this called out in their specifications.
The KG-UV8H is part of the Wouxun KG-UV8D series, which does not utilize a superheterodyne receiver. It uses RDA FM circuitry.
Is this radio supported on Chirp?
CHIRP does not support the KG-UV8H at this time. The complete list of supported radios is available at the CHIRP project website.
Does the KG-UV8H have all the same multiple scan capabilities as the KG-UV9P?
In the ad, it says that the radio can receive on 1 band and transmit on the other. Does this mean the radio (unlike the KG-UV9D) will not desense the other band when transmitting which kills it use for Satellite. We desperately need a replacement in that regard for the Kenwood radios. Could this be it? Thoughts?
No one on our staff uses radios with satellites, so it's not something we've had to consider. However, I can say that the KG-UV8H is a new improved version of the KG-UV8D Plus, which is a popular radio for working with satellites, and we've had no complaints about desensing issues with them, so it should not have an issue.