Plenty of handhelds claim wideband receive. Most of them list shortwave and airband on the box, and then disappoint the moment you actually try to listen, because the HF receiver is a token feature grafted onto a VHF/UHF whip. The Radioddity GS-10B Pro is the rare one that takes the receive side seriously, giving HF its own antenna port and shipping loop antennas built for the job. After spending time with it, I think it is one of the more interesting all-in-one radios in its price class, with one important caveat that every buyer needs to know before they judge it.
This is a review of what the GS-10B Pro is, what it does well, the setting change that makes or breaks it, and who should actually buy one.
What the GS-10B Pro Is
At its core, the GS-10B Pro is an 8-watt dual-band VHF/UHF handheld transceiver, transmitting on VHF (136 to 174 MHz) and UHF (400 to 470 MHz), with selectable 8W, 5W, or 2W output, dual PTT, and dual watch. That much is standard fare. What sets it apart is the receiver wrapped around it. Alongside the ham bands, it receives longwave, mediumwave, the full shortwave range from roughly 2.3 to 30 MHz with SSB and CW demodulation, FM broadcast, AM airband, and NOAA weather. In effect it is a capable handheld and a wideband shortwave receiver in one body.
A 1.77-inch color display anchors the front, and it does more than show a frequency. It runs a real-time spectrum with a waterfall-style view, so you can watch band activity scan past and spot where the signals are rather than tuning blind. For a handheld at this price, that is a genuinely useful inclusion.
Who It Is For
The GS-10B Pro is aimed at the operator who wants to carry one radio instead of three. If you travel, the pitch lands immediately: rather than packing a separate shortwave receiver and a 2-meter handheld, you bring this and cover both. Work the local repeater in a new town, then listen to shortwave in the evening, especially handy when traveling internationally. It is equally at home with shortwave listeners curious about the ham bands, and with preparedness-minded users who value having HF listening, NOAA weather, and VHF/UHF transmit in a single battery-powered package.
It is not trying to be a DX contest rig or a substitute for a real HF transceiver on transmit; it does not transmit on HF at all. Its job is broad monitoring plus dual-band voice, and understood that way, it fits a real niche.
The Standout Feature: HF Receive Done Right
The reason to look at this radio over a dozen similar handhelds is how it handles HF reception. Instead of asking the VHF/UHF whip to somehow pull in shortwave, the GS-10B Pro has a second, dedicated SMA port purely for HF, hidden under a small cap at the top of the radio. Onto that port screw the two included donut antennas, one for mediumwave and one for shortwave.
Those donuts are loop antennas: a coil of wire wrapped around the ring, tuned with an air variable capacitor. Loops like these reject local electrical noise and pull weak signals better than a whip, which is exactly what shortwave and DX listening need. They are also directional, with an arrow on the antenna showing the pickup direction. On a strong local AM station that hardly matters, but when you are hunting a faint shortwave broadcaster or a distant AM station, being able to rotate the loop and null out interference is a real advantage. This is the design choice that separates the GS-10B Pro from radios that treat HF as a checkbox.
The One Setting You Must Change
Here is the single most important thing to know about this radio, and the thing that will make or break your first impression. Out of the box, the LNA (low-noise amplifier) gain is set to 35, and that is far too aggressive. At that level the front end is so overloaded that shortwave is buried in noise, to the point where the receiver seems broken. It genuinely took me a while to work out that the radio was fine and the setting was the problem.
The fix is quick. Press the star key, move over to the LNA setting, and drop it down to LNA0, or switch it to AGC if you would rather the radio manage gain automatically. The moment you do, the noise falls away and reception becomes clean and clear. It is a night-and-day difference, and it is the reason some buyers of radios like this walk away thinking the HF receiver does not work when in fact it works well. Change this before you judge the receiver on anything.
Features and Everyday Use
Beyond the headline receiver, the GS-10B Pro carries a full complement of the features you would expect on a modern handheld, and a few you would not. The real-time spectrum is accessed by holding the VM button, and you can speed up the scan with the star key, though the faster scan trades detail for speed by stepping in bigger chunks, so the slower scan gives the most useful picture. There is TX noise reduction for transmitting from loud environments, which cuts background noise so your voice comes through cleaner. Dual PTT lets you assign a second transmit button to VFO B, and one-key frequency copy can grab frequency and tone settings from a nearby transmitting radio to speed up team setup.
Power comes from a 2500mAh battery that slides in and locks, charged over USB-C like most current handhelds. One small usability note worth adjusting early: the screen timeout is short and can be annoying, but it is easy to extend in the menu. And when you just want broadcast FM, holding the zero key drops it into FM radio mode.
Programming: Keypad, App, and CHIRP
You can program the GS-10B Pro from the keypad, but the easier route is Bluetooth. The free Walkie Talkie Tool app on iOS and Android connects to the radio wirelessly, with no PC, driver, or cable needed. You enable Bluetooth in the radio menu (it is item 49, and off by default), connect in the app, and then, importantly, read from the radio first before making changes, so you do not overwrite settings you already have. From there you can edit channels, set transmit and receive frequencies, add tone codes, and write back to the radio, all from your phone, across up to 999 channels. CHIRP support was also expected, which will please anyone who prefers managing a codeplug from a computer.
The app does the job, though like a lot of these companion apps it is more functional than polished. It is a minor gripe, and being able to program the radio from a phone in the field outweighs the rough edges.
What's in the Box
Radioddity includes everything needed to use all sides of this radio, which given the HF ambitions means more than the usual handheld bundle:
- The GS-10B Pro radio and a 2500mAh battery pack.
- A standard FM/VHF/UHF antenna for transmit and general receive.
- Two donut loop antennas, one for shortwave and one for mediumwave, for the dedicated HF port.
- A USB-C charging cable, belt clip, headset, and user manual.
The Downsides
Being fair means being clear about the rough edges. The biggest one is not really a fault so much as a trap: the default LNA setting is so wrong that it will convince some buyers the HF receiver is broken. Radioddity really ought to ship this dialed back, because as delivered it undersells the radio's best feature. Beyond that, the companion app is functional but unpolished, the default screen timeout is too short, and the loop antennas, while effective, are one more thing to carry and swap when you move between HF listening and normal handheld use. None of these is a dealbreaker, but they are worth knowing going in.
Radioddity GS-10B Pro Key Specs
Transmit
VHF 136 to 174 MHz and UHF 400 to 470 MHz, at a selectable 8W, 5W, or 2W. No HF transmit; HF is receive only.
Receive Coverage
VHF/UHF, longwave (153 to 279 kHz), mediumwave (520 to 1710 kHz), shortwave (2.3 to 30 MHz), FM broadcast (64 to 108 MHz), AM airband (108 to 137 MHz), and NOAA weather (North America).
Modes and Display
FM, AM, SSB (USB/LSB), and CW demodulation, shown on a 1.77-inch color screen with a real-time spectrum and waterfall view.
Antennas and Ports
Dual SMA ports (SMA-M and SMA-F), one for VHF/UHF and one dedicated to HF, with included SW and MW donut loop antennas.
Power and Programming
2500mAh 7.4V Li-ion battery with USB-C charging, 999 memory channels, dual PTT, dual watch, TX noise reduction, and Bluetooth app programming plus CPS.
Price
Around $69.99 through Radioddity, an authorized dealer, backed by a manufacturer's warranty.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Radioddity GS-10B Pro?
An 8W dual-band VHF/UHF handheld that also works as a wideband all-band receiver, covering HF shortwave with SSB and CW, longwave, mediumwave, FM, airband, and NOAA weather. It has a real-time spectrum display, two SMA antenna ports, Bluetooth programming, and included donut loop antennas. It is available from Radioddity for around $69.99.
Can it really receive shortwave and SSB well?
Yes, better than most handhelds that treat HF as an afterthought, because it uses a dedicated HF antenna port with purpose-built loop antennas. The catch is the LNA setting, which ships far too hot and must be turned down for the receiver to perform.
Why does it sound so noisy on shortwave out of the box?
It ships with the LNA gain at 35, which overloads the front end and buries signals in noise. Press the star key, go to the LNA setting, and drop it to LNA0 or switch to AGC. Reception goes from unusable to genuinely good.
What are the donut antennas?
They are directional loop antennas, one for shortwave and one for mediumwave, that screw onto the dedicated HF port. Their loop design and air variable capacitor help reject local noise and improve weak-signal and DX reception, and the arrow on the antenna shows the pickup direction.
How do you program it?
From the keypad or, more easily, over Bluetooth with the free Walkie Talkie Tool app. Enable Bluetooth in the menu (item 49), connect, read from the radio first to avoid overwriting settings, edit channels, then write back. It holds up to 999 channels, and CHIRP support was expected.
Is it worth it?
For someone who wants one radio that covers a local repeater and real shortwave listening, at around $70, yes, provided you change the LNA setting. It is a lot of capability in one battery-powered package.
Conclusion: One Radio, Once You Know the Trick
The GS-10B Pro earns its place by doing something most handhelds only pretend to do: it receives HF properly. The dedicated antenna port and included loop antennas are not marketing, they are the reason shortwave and SSB actually come in clean here. Layered on top of a competent 8W dual-band handheld with a real-time spectrum, Bluetooth programming, and NOAA weather, it adds up to a lot of radio for around $70.
The asterisk is that default LNA setting. It is genuinely the difference between loving this radio and returning it, and Radioddity does the product no favors by shipping it wrong. Change it to LNA0 first thing, and what looked like a broken receiver reveals itself as the radio's best feature. Do that, and for a traveler, a listener, or anyone who wants broad coverage in one device, the GS-10B Pro is an easy recommendation.
A genuine do-it-all handheld with a real HF receiver hiding behind one factory setting. Turn the LNA down and enjoy it.
Get the Radioddity GS-10B Pro
The Radioddity GS-10B Pro is available from Radioddity, an authorized dealer, and ships with the standard antenna plus both SW and MW donut loop antennas for HF reception.
Shop the Radioddity GS-10B Pro at Radioddity