The Guide to Choosing the Perfect Motorola APX Radio Model

Making sure you have the right radio.

When it comes to public safety communications, there’s no room for error. Whether you’re a firefighter battling flames, a police officer responding to a high-stakes call, or an EMS provider rushing to save a life, clear and reliable communication is a lifeline. That’s why choosing the right Motorola APX radio is a crucial decision.

I remember the first time I held an APX radio in my hands—it felt like the closest thing to a superhero tool I’d ever used. Sturdy, reliable, and built for action. But choosing the right one? That’s where things get tricky. Let’s break it down and make sure you get the best radio for your needs.

Understanding Motorola APX Radio Models

Motorola’s APX series is built specifically for mission-critical communications. These radios aren’t just walkie-talkies; they are lifelines for first responders. The APX lineup is designed to handle extreme conditions, provide crystal-clear audio, and support secure, encrypted communications.

Key Differences Between APX Models

Motorola APX radios come in different models, each tailored for specific use cases. Here’s a quick rundown:

APX 1000 – A budget-friendly entry-level P25 radio for public safety teams with minimal needs.
APX 4000 – A mid-tier radio offering solid performance for everyday use.
APX 6000/6000XE – Ideal for law enforcement and fire departments needing high durability and performance.
APX 7000 – Dual-band capabilities for seamless communication across different agencies.
APX 8000/8000XE – The all-in-one solution with multiband capability, built for the toughest environments.

If you work in a high-noise, high-intensity field (firefighters, SWAT, etc.), the XE models are designed with extra ruggedness and better audio clarity. A firefighter once told me his APX 8000XE survived a fall from a second-story building—talk about durability!

Key Factors to Consider When Choosing an APX Radio

1. Environment & Durability Needs

Think about the conditions you work in daily. If you’re a firefighter or operate in hazardous areas, you need something like the APX 8000XE, which is intrinsically safe and designed to handle extreme heat and water exposure. On the other hand, if you’re in law enforcement, the APX 6000 might be a perfect fit—lightweight but tough.

2. Frequency Bands & Interoperability

Not all agencies use the same frequency bands. If you regularly communicate with different departments, you might need a dual-band or multiband radio like the APX 7000 or APX 8000. These radios ensure you’re never out of sync with your team.

3. Encryption & Security

Public safety communication needs to be secure. Motorola’s APX radios come with AES-256 encryption, making them one of the most secure options available. If you handle sensitive information or need to ensure secure transmissions, encryption should be a top priority.

4. Audio Quality & Noise Suppression

One of the biggest issues with radios is background noise—sirens, wind, crowd chatter. Motorola’s adaptive noise suppression helps filter out distractions. I remember a paramedic friend telling me how, in the middle of a loud, chaotic crash scene, his APX radio cut through the noise like magic.

5. User Interface & Ergonomics

You’ll often be using your radio in high-stress situations, possibly wearing gloves. Models like the APX 8000XE have larger buttons and intuitive controls designed for quick access.

6. Battery Life & Charging Options

Running out of battery mid-shift is a nightmare. Always check the battery life specs. APX radios come with different battery capacities, but I always recommend spare batteries or multi-unit chargers to keep your gear powered up.

Breakdown of Popular APX Models

Let’s take a deeper dive into some popular APX models and their best use cases:

APX 1000 – Basic Yet Reliable

Best for small agencies or teams needing an affordable P25 option.
Good for security teams, public works, or entry-level law enforcement.

APX 4000 – Solid Mid-Tier Choice

Compact and easy to carry.
Good for police, firefighters, and EMS looking for a budget-friendly yet powerful option.

APX 6000/6000XE – Single-Band Powerhouse

Trusted by police and fire departments.
Built-in noise suppression and a rugged build.
XE model offers extra protection for fire and extreme conditions.

APX 7000 – Dual-Band for Multi-Agency Communication

Great for agencies that operate on multiple bands.
Ideal for interoperability between departments.

APX 8000/8000XE – The Ultimate Multiband Radio

Works on VHF, UHF, and 700/800 MHz bands.
Best for federal agencies, SWAT teams, and firefighters needing maximum flexibility.
XE model offers extra durability and large buttons for gloved use.

Must-Have Accessories for Your APX Radio

Having the right accessories can make all the difference:

Speaker Microphones – Great for hands-free communication.
Earpieces & Surveillance Kits – Essential for undercover or tactical use.
Battery Chargers – Keep spare batteries charged for long shifts.
Carrying Cases & Holsters – Make carrying and accessing your radio easier.

Budget & Procurement Tips

While APX radios are an investment, there are ways to secure funding:

Look into federal and state grants for public safety communications.
Consider bulk purchasing through department contracts.
Work with authorized Motorola dealers to ensure you get genuine equipment and support.

Final Thoughts

Choosing the right Motorola APX radio isn’t just about picking a device—it’s about staying safe, connected, and ready for anything. Whether you need a basic APX 1000 for a small team or the powerhouse APX 8000XE for the toughest environments, taking the time to assess your needs will ensure you get the perfect fit.

If you’re still unsure, I recommend testing a few models if possible. There’s nothing like hands-on experience to make the right choice. After all, when seconds count, your radio should be the last thing you have to worry about.

Stay safe out there, and happy radio hunting!

Motorola XPR 7550 Radio Batteries.

The Motorola XPR 7550 is a two-way radio model that typically uses rechargeable batteries. If you’re looking for information about

batteries for the Motorola XPR 7550, it’s important to use the recommended and compatible battery models to ensure optimal performance. There are various XPR 7550 batteries that can be used with the XPR 7550 Radio. Some of the variations of XPR 7550 Batteries include high Capacity, Impres batteries and standard batteries.

The XPR 7550 Impres Battery is designed to let the user recondition their battery when needed to keep the battery lasting longer. The Impres XPR 7550 Battery also comes with a 18 month warranty. The standard XPR 7550 Battery usually comes with higher milliamp which will give it a longer run time but only has a 12 month warranty. It is up to the end user what they feel is most important to them. Whether you get smart or standard batteries, the Motorola XPR 7550 Battery is a durable long lasting battery.

Motorola PMLN6129 Wire Surveillance Kit Why Should You Buy This?

Are you looking for the best wire surveillance kit available in the market? Then you should definitely go for PMLN6129A. Deciding to buy this radio surveillance kit will be one of the best decisions of your life as the product has great value for money. It has become a popular choice among users because of the many benefits it provides. This is why you will not regret deciding to invest in it.

If you are still not sure about buying this top-quality wire surveillance kit, then check out the benefits this kit has to offer to you below.

Compatible With Almost All Radio Models

The most prominent feature of PMLN6129A is that it is compatible with almost all the radio models. This quality is very rarely found in radio surveillance kits these days. There is a huge list of radio models that you can use this device with. So, if you are looking for a device that you can operate with any radio model, then you should definitely buy PMLN6129A.

Excellent Sound Quality

PMLN6129A is not only compatible with almost all the radio devices but it offers excellent sound quality to its users as well. No matter at what distance you are communicating with your colleague, you will not face any distortion using this kit. This is why it is becoming the top choice of users these days.

Excellent Connectivity

While connectivity is a major issue in almost all the wire surveillance kit, this is not the case with PMLN6129A. This surveillance kit offers excellent connectivity to its users that you will not get from anywhere else. This is why deciding to invest in this wire surveillance kit will be one of the best decisions of your life.

One Year Warranty

Although you would need any warranty if you decide to buy PMLN6129A, you still get one year warranty with the purchase of this kit. The warranty is great considering the device breaks down. Even though the chances of the device breaking down are not much, the warranty is still a great way to gain the confidence of the users. This shows how much the company cares for its customers.

Excellent Push-To-Talk Button

The push-to-talk button of any wire surveillance kit holds great importance. This is the major concern of the people while buying a radio surveillance kit. This is why PMLN6129A is the top choice among people when it comes to wire surveillance kits. It has an excellent push-to-talk button that works incredibly smoothly.

Great Value For Money

If you are thinking that the price of this wire surveillance kit is a bit too high, you need to consider the features it has to offer. If you decide to buy a kit of lower cost, you will have to replace it occasionally because it will keep breaking down. But, this is not the case with PMLN6129A. The product has great value for money.

So, get your PMLN6129A wire surveillance kit now and avail all the benefits it has to offer.

Motorola CP200 Series Radios

The CP200 radio has launched and re-engineered itself into the digital world with the presentation of the CP200d. The CP200d radio can easily work across both transmitting fields of analog and digital and still offer great sound and using all the past and present accessories. When working the CP200d in the digital mode this radio will easily work with Motorola’s MOTOTRBO XPR series radios. This is a very good cross over without the need to change out your entire radio supply.

CP200 Series Batteries

The CP200d radio utilizes the same batteries as the CP200, CP150, CP200XLS and quite a few others. All of the mentioned radios will interchange with the NNTN4497 lithium Ion, NNTN4851 nickel metal hydride, NNTN4970 slim lithium and the higher capacity PMNN4450 lithium. There are also other models that work with the CP200d.

CP200 Series Radio Earpiece’s

The CP200d radio also has a wide range of options for earpiece’s starting with the big ones being the PMLN6530 and RLN5318. The PMLN6530 and RLN5318 is a two wire surveillance kit with a larger PTT and Acoustical Coiled ear tube which is replaceable. The PMLN6530 has been designed specifically for the CP200d, but will work with all Motorola 2 prong connected radios. Both of the PMLN6530 and RLN5318 offers great sound quality and long day lasting comfort with the soft surgical rubber ear tube and mushroom tip. Another great add on for the ear piece is the Ear Mold which looks a bit like the shape of an ear and comes in 3 different sizes to fit both ears and small to large ear openings. These ear molds are number RLN4760, RLN4761, RLN4762, RLN4763, RLN4764, RLN4765 and usually come in skin color surgical grade rubber and also provide all day comfort.

CP200 Radio Series Speaker Mics

The most widely used speaker mic for the CP200d is the PMMN4013. The PMMN4013 comes with rotating spring action clothing clip, large PTT button, coiled cord which is stretchable to about 4 feet, direct 2 prong connection to radio and a listen only ear port for the attachment and use of the RLN4941 listen only earpiece. The PMMN4013 comes with a One Year Warranty and provides great clear sound and paired with the RLN4941 you are sure not to miss that transmission due to background noise interference.

The CP200d radio has so many great options for ear piece’s that we have to give mention. Starting with PMLN5001 D Style, PMLN4443 Over Ear Swivel and PMLN6532 C Style Swivel. These 3 styles are very convenient for use in the Restaurant, Retail, Hospitality and Sporting venues. What makes these great for these fields of work will be the main factor of not having to place the item into an ear canal from one person to another. They are also cleanable with the use of an alcohol swab to eliminate cross contamination from person to person.

CP200 Radio Series Belt Clips

The belt clip HLN8255 is the easiest and cheapest way to carry this radio or you can go for the soft Nylon Holster HLN9701. Either way you won’t break the bank. Keep in mind the belt clips are plastic and with enough force they can snap off from the mounting area on the battery. The HLN9701 Holster has a T Strap with snap that will keep the radio in place, a belt loop to carry via your belt and if you prefer, you can use the D Rings for a should strap.

We carry almost ever type of accessory you would need for the CP family of radios

Motorola CP200D Batteries

Motorola CP200D Batteries have gone through some great and somewhat failed comparisons of the batteries on the market.

The most widely used battery in todays market is the NNTN4497. This battery has been given many names over the years, like, NNTN4497A, NNTN4497AR, NNTN4497CR and the newest NNTN4497DR.

There are a multitude of look-a-likes (Aftermarket) batteries for the CP200D also available to the end user. BUT, beware, these batteries come with a price, as all things do.

You can easily spend in the mid to high forty’s for the OEM with a one year warranty. Or, you can see some on the internet for as low as $15-$19 each. These lower end batteries are either Nickel Cadmium (NiCad) or Nickel Metal Hydride NiMh) which are heavy batteries and low running milliamps and have memory effect.

Memory effect simply means that the batteries have only so many life cycles available in the battery. Typically NiCad’s have about 500 and NiMh have about 1000. This is determined by the amount of times the battery is placed in and out of your charger. So with that in mind lower milliamp batteries will typically have to be placed on the charger more often, which will lead to the shortening of life expectancy.

Lithium batteries are not subjected to life cycles, because they have no memory effect going in and out of the charger.

Another key factor when deciding to buy a NNTN4497 battery is the country of origin for the lithium batteries. Command Tac ONLY use Lithium battery cells for the NNTN4497 batteries from Japan. Japanese lithium battery cells are the best on the market. Don’t be fooled by cheap Chinese batteries

Before making a choice based on PRICE, look for how many milliamps your getting for that low price. You want as many milliamps as you can get and you want Lithium. The higher the milliamps the longer the run time.

We offer the highest milliamp lithium batteries on the market. Our NNTN4497 replacement battery comes in at a staggering 2800 milliamps.

We have tested this battery by just letting sit on a live radio and the battery has lasted anywhere between 24-52 hours before the radio started beeping which is indicating low battery.

Motorola CP and CT Radio Series Surveillance Kits

The most widely used surveillance/earpiece kits for the CP and CT series are pieces that can work and be shared with multiple users. Those earpieces are the PMLN4443, PMLN5001, PMLN5807, PMLN6531, PMLN6532, HKLN4604 and HKLN4424. These units also come with a 1 year warranty.

If your looking to step up to a more expensive individual personal earpiece, look no further than the RLN5318, PMLN6445, PMLN6530 and PMLN6536. These units have the type of ear piece that is inserted into your ear opening which makes this a more personal use earpiece used more with security and surveillance scenarios. These units are typically more expensive but the PTT and sound quality are better.

The is such a wide range of earpieces that can be used for the CP and CT series radios that we will try to mention without boring you completely. Let’s look at the PMLN4443, this unit features and in-line PTT with VOX. This VOX feature allows the user to be hands free and communicate with other workers without having to remove their hands from critical applications that require control. The downside is as soon as you start speaking everyone hears the conversation. This PMLN4443 with VOX feature is easily disabled by the switch control on the PTT. The PMLN6531 is one of the newer models with the same style we call Ear Hanger and also comes with VOX.

VOX technology only works when you have the earpiece and radio that are both capable of VOX operations. Not all radios are able to operate in VOX mode. VOX has been used in Industrial and Commercial lines of work where the user is very hands on and any removal of hands from sensitive controls could put someone at risk. VOX is used widely with Crane and Heavy Equipment Operators.

Another good earpiece is the D Style PMLN5001 with Micro/Mini PTT. The PMLN5001 D Style is describing the actual look of the part that goes over the ear. It has the speaker built into the D section that lies over the ear and easy to clean for multiple users. This type of earpiece is commonly found in use with drive through fast food and restaurants.

Another favorite is the PMLN6532 which is the C Style which is easy for day long wear and usually doesn’t create ear fatigue. The PMLN6532 comes with a swivel earpiece allowing for use with either ear, in-line PTT and clothing clip. This PMLN6532 has heavy use in the retail and restaurant business sector.

There is a new comer to the earpiece market, which is a Snap Lock. The Snap Lock Earpiece is designed for the changeability of different earpiece styles while keeping the PTT and Connector to the radio the same. The different snap on earpieces is the Acoustical Tube, D-Style, C-Style, Ear Hanger and Ear Bud. Which ever is your comfort style this option makes it less expensive to switch out one style with another without breaking the bank. This Snap Lock system also allows business owners the ability to provide individual earpiece’s to employees without the worry transferring any cross contamination.

A great listen only earpiece we can’t leave out is the RLN4941 which is used in conjunction with the PMMN4013 speaker mic. The RLN4941 is a listen only and has a 3.5mm right angle plug and is used to keep conversation discreet during transmission. In very noisy environments it is too difficult to hear transmissions over the radio or speaker mic if your not using the RLN4941.

These 2 prong earpiece’s will work with any Motorola 2 prong accessory port. Below is a list of compatible radios. (Not All Radios Mentioned)

BPR20, BPR40, CP040, CP080, CP100, CP110, CP120, CP125, CP140, CP150, CP1600, CP1660, CP185, CP200, CP200d, CP200XLS, CP220, CP240, CP250, CP300, CP476, CP477, CLS1110, CLS1410, CT150, CT250, CT450, CT450LS, GP300, LTS2000, P1225, PR400, RDU, RDV, RMU, RMV, VL130, VL50, XU, XV, and many others

Motorola PMNN4071 Battery

The Motorola PMNN4071 Battery is used in the Motorola Mag One radios. It is also used in the BPR40 Radio, the BPR20 Radio and the BC130 Radios. The PMNN4071 Battery comes in different milliamps depending on which manufacturer you choose. There is the Command Tac Battery which comes in at 1600 mAh, the Empire Battery which comes in at 1400 mAh and the Motorola Brand which comes in at the 1300 mAh level.

The PMNN4071AR battery is 1600 mAh 7.5 Volts, NiMh battery and the Command Tac comes with a belt clip. It is also know as a Mag One Battery.

Motorola Talkabout Battery

Motorola Talkabout Batteries vary widely in their amps but one thing is for sure, they all pack a punch for the size and weight. One of the more popular batteries commonly in use is the KEBT-071-D Battery. This battery is used in over 60 different Talkabout Radios. We have found that the Voltages all remain the same 3.6 volt but the amperage ranges from 600 mAh to a whopping 1500mAh. Amperage is pretty important to those who use their radios on a regular basis such as department stores, stadiums and places that need regular communication between workers. The Motorola Original KEBT-071-D comes with the lowest amperage where the Command Tac KEBT-071-D comes with the highest amperage topping out at 1500 mAh. The prices vary as widely as the amperage. We found places selling these as low as 3.99 to as high as 17.99. In testing both the Motorola Talkabout Battery and the Command Tac KEBT-071-D battery to see what the actual difference was in overall performance. The Command Tac Battery run time was over 3 times longer than the Motorola Original with a much lower price of only $7.99. The best value is the higher milliampere battery with the best price. We used the people over at PoliceStation.com to provide us with some price comparisons on the KEBT-071-D battery.

Motorola RLN4941A Listen Only Surveillance Piece.

The Motorola RLN4941A single wire listen only ear piece is the first choice for many people who want discrete communication. The RLN4941 has a clear ear tube that helps to keep the unit virtually undetectable. There are several options including mushroom tips, small medium and large ear molds that are available. This gives you the ability to choose what is the most comfortable for long wear. There is also several replacement brands available but only one brand that we have tested held up to the quality of the Motorola Original RLN4941. Command Tac RLN4941 out lasted the Motorola Original in our field testing. We have also found that the Command Tac RLN4941A comes with an extra ear tube included at about a third of the cost.

Motorola PMLN6129A 2 Wire Surveillance Piece

Motorola has long been known for making outstanding surveillance pieces. The PMLN6129A is just another notch in their belt giving them the leading edge. Along came Command Tac who has decided to out do the Motorola Original with its own version of the PMLN6129A. It is known as the CTLN6129A. It comes in at around half the cost of the Motorola Original, we don’t expect that to last long. As the demand goes up for the Command Tack PMLN6129A you are most likely going to see the price rise also. The nice thing about this surveillance piece is it has its own PTT with a direct connect to your radio. This makes the use of a speaker mic obsolete. It also comes with a clear coiled ear tube which can be worn discretely if you would like. As with all Command Tac products you are going to see their quality meets or exceeds the Motorola OEM versions. This is going to create real competition in the market.