Xiegu X5105 New QRP HF/6m Portable Transceiver Complete Review

Great video for just a basic over view of a new radio. Keep up the great videos. 73

 

I agree. I'd rather save twice as long and get a US-made K3 with real customer support than something finicky and made by the Chicomms.

73,

Jeff

 

For the OP - thanks for taking the time to make and post the video. I've been waiting for this rig to turn from Vaporware to real life and it has. Yeaaaah.

After the price point was published, I bought a KX2. While I'm sure many will purchase and be happy with this little radio, I'm not all that thrilled with the ergos. The price point was just too much for what came in the package.

Granted, the KX2 or any new rig for that matter, has a learning curve, this X series looks to have a steep one. The earlier rig from this company - the X-108G (Outdoor) version shows the company is listening to the customer base and is willing to make changes.

But... There is always a but, one need only look at the Ukits HB-1 series of radios to see a nearly bewildering range of changes (battery charge port is just one example) with no real improvement in the basic performance of the rig. Even now, for example, the Ukits uses the same execrable keyer - the same one found in many ChiCom made rigs.... that's been in use since the HB-1A(a). They had at one time released a schematic, but even that is a non-player. As is the case for most of these 'imported' rigs. I just don't understand why they won't release any tech data - I've not seen any US based companies pirate Chinese designs....


Back on task -
So for an extra 15% or so, I got an American made, fully documented radio with (IMO to be sure) superior ergos and with rock-solid warranty supported in North America. Out of warranty repair is available as well IIRC.

I wish the folks at Xiegu the best of luck, they seem to have started to provide some decent rigs for the Amateur market. Once they can establish a North American dealer network that can provide real support, they may have something.

Again - thank you for the time and trouble to post a working review of this new rig. Technology is making inroads into the Amateur radio equipment market and this looks to be a good start for Xiegu.

 

As some of you have said in not so many words: Why buy ChiCom radios? They are grossly inferior to the Japanese or Elecraft radios with no customer support and do they have a warranty? I tried one of the early LnR 40 & 30 meter QRP rigs: what a disaster. Now LnR makes (as in made in the USA) an MTR-3, 4 and 5 which are faithfully supported by LnR. They don't have as many advanced features as Elecraft or Japanese radios, but they are such fun to operate. Be aware of this, these are CW radios and a CW signal is a CW signal. Just how much "advanced stuff" do you need on a CW radio? Oak Hills Research still makes their OHR-100a radios. They are a blast to build and fun to operate. Their output is 5 watts and with winter approaching should make for some good DX QSOs. Again they don't have the latest ""advanced" features, but so what? It's not the number of "advanced" features a radio has but the expertise and skill of the operator that really makes the difference. I still operate an HW-8 and HW-16 and find them more fun to operate than any "modern" rig.
Pulling a weak signal out of the ether is still pretty incredible when you're operating a tube radio with real resistors, capacitors, can-coils and point-to-point or PCB wiring.
Thanks for reading my "rant". 73, Ken - KG4LLQ

 

Ken,
If I may. I'm quite the fan of the MFJ-9296 Travel (qrp) radio. It is made in China. It is supported by MFJ - so warranty work is a breeze. The rig has a very hot RX, rock stable DDS-based VFO and at $229, one of the best deals out there. Simple to operate and easy on the batteries, it has a lot to recommended it to a newer ham.

In contrast, the -9200 is a clone of the HS-1A, itself a clone of the older HB-1A. The follow on HB-1B has issues with both support (in China) and an utter lack of technical documentation. Therein is the downfall.

Why? For example - I bought an HW-7 - known to be dead and had no trouble getting back and operating - because the excellent Heathkit tech documentation is still to be had. While fun to work the HW-7, I still like my -9200 for going walkabout. My KX-2 goes in the RV for travel, all good fun.

I understand your comments, having owned an HW-16/HG-10B and built an HW-8. There are, indeed, a fun rig to use.

 

Great review...and very intriguing device! Can you shed any light on the various postings (and a pic on one) saying that Xiegu will add an external panadapter device to this transceiver..a la Elecraft? And an expernal PA?

 

SSB-6dB: 2.4kHz/-60dB: 4.6kHz
AM-6dB: 6.0kHz/-60dB: 25.0kHz
FM-6dB: 12.0kHz/-60dB: 25.0kHz

The big deal breaker is there is no narrow filter for CW.

 

I liked the video. Covered a lot of territory and good quality.
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Regarding the comments disconnecting the external power and the damage to the radio, I suspect that there is some switching done when the power is disconnected by pulling the power connector out when the radio is "ON" and this is the problem. For example, when the external power connector is inserted, the jack switch disconnects the internal battery and its charging system (assuming there is an internal charging system) and if the connector is jerked out with the radio "on," then the battery is suddenly connected. I would also suspect that there is some form of "power on boot-up" system for the SDR and this means that there must be some delays or other kind of conditioning to the power system and to have it suddenly connected may well damage the elements in the boot-up procedure of the radio. Such damage could happen to the software as well as to the electronics. The key in this regard is to make sure to not pull the external power plug when radio is on. However, we all know that Murphy's Law dictates that there are exceptions to rules that no one dreams of or they'd be eliminated from the start.
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I have the X108G and outside of not having 6M or FM, there is not much that the X5105 can do that my X105G does not. Built-in antenna tuner is indeed a plus for me, though. With some forethought about antenna design, this becomes only icing on the QRP cake. I also like the big display and the much easier menu manipulation compared to the X108G. If I had the X5105, though, I'm not sure but what I'd switch the tuning knob for one that could be actually grabbed instead of just running the thumb across the surface. Still, though,I suspect I'd get used to it.
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It's smaller than the KX3 and a bit less expensive but these are the first things that jump out at me. I also tried to find the manual for the X5105 online like you can for the X108G and other radios and it seems that this is one of China's best-kept secrets. {;-> If there is a link for it, I'd like to see it...

 

The filter goes all the way down to 100hz, currently i have it set for 500hz for CW...

 

Yeah. Considering the form-factor, it seems like they think this is a deal because they're expecting to compete with the KX2/KX3, but they fail to realize that those are premium models and the small form-factor alone is probably not enough unless it actually performs on par with the KX radios.

I agree that the disruptive price point for this radio would be around $299. THAT would be pretty interesting.

 

Everybody says $299 but I think that is cheapskate ham wishing. A fair price would be more like $399 to $499. But hey, thats my opinion and we all know what opinions are like...

 

Well, then a "fair" price for a new Baofeng UV-5R would probably be more than $29

 

AF DSP is a poor substitute for narrow IF filtering. Also, slope factor on the IF filters is not all that good either. Probably all adequate for casual use, but in busy band conditions I think the filtering will leave a lot to be desired.

 

Yeppers

 

Nope, not in the same ballpark at all. The 817 is proven and made by Yaesu. I'd pay no more than half the price of one for some unknown, sure to have glitches, brand new box from China, and then only if I read that others had tried it and found it worked reasonably well.

"SDR" != "magic super radio."