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I don't think those sold on Amazon are genuine. Any I've seen are sold by Chinese sellers.

If you have purchased the receiver with the basic demo firmware (as in this video sample) when switched on it will default into the user screen. A registered version will show the firmware version after the initial switch on! Assuming you have the basic version, you can obtain a firmware upgrade (to a registered version) in most cases by contacting your supplier who will sell you a key/code to enable upgrading - cost was about $55 for this. After that, subsequent upgrades are free. I recommend you look at the user group which is on Facebook for further help and advice to upgrade if you wish to proceed. Hope this helps!

The SDR receiver functions are controlled by firmware (a software program) and this enables variable selectivity (filtering) with a "Narrow", "Normal"" and "Wide"" setting each of which can be set as the user prefers in the Registered versions of firmware. It is one of the better features of this receiver.

Hi Tom. Thanks for your feedback. When the receiver is operating with the "Demo" (Basic version) firmware as in this review, the "ANT" indicator can be ignored. If you go into the "HARD" menu setting, you will find a setting labelled "Antenna" and rotating the Volume encoder will scroll between "External" and "Internal" and this will illuminate or switch off the "ANT" notification on the upper part of the touch screen - however it makes absolutely no electrical difference to reception with the antenna connected! In the enhanced "10f" version of firmware, similar menu changes denote a "High-Z" or "50" ohm impedance matching change for antenna input. In practice, I find no observable difference in reception!! It is possible that further revisions of the firmware may actually produce noticeable / improved matching for antennas. Similarly, in the "Demo" version under the "Hard" menu, the "Pre" setting changed in a similar way via the volume encoder to "On" and "Off" DOES switch a level of Pre-amplification on/off. In my case I find that it is reversed in practice: It's actually on when denoted as "OFF" and vice-versa!! All good fun to keep you on your toes I guess :-) !!!

@@Rogneil100 thanks for your excellent explanation.

Hi. This was purchased directly from a Chinese supplier and is one of the many clones of the Russian "Malahit" receiver - also called "Malachite" as you suggest.

Hi. Thanks for adding this useful "Tip". Changing the tuning step with the basic / demo software is probably one of the most frustrating operations with this version of the receiver. Unless you have a stylus or small fingers (and some patience!) it can be a bit of a pain. Note also, by touching the screen display you can "move" frequency albeit in imprecise amounts! The upgraded software version allows direct frequency entry (touching the frequency display brings up a keypad to enter the desired frequency) and selection of tuning steps is achieved by short presses of the tuning encoder knob. In reply to your question, pressing the volume control knob for minimum of 3 seconds brings up mode selection from which you can highlight/choose desired mode.

Pleased that this has been helpful! I should have made reference to the necessity to slide the tiny "REST" switch on the underside to "ON" when you first get the receiver, otherwise the internal battery is not connected. Many first time users (out of the box) did not know this :-). Some basic instructions would have been a useful addition on purchase!!

It seems that there are several sources in China which are cloning the original Russian open source receiver design and with variable quality control. I see from other commentary that others have had a similar disappointment with regard to construction whilst many seem happy with their purchase and subsequent operation. Since my initial overview, I have moved on to the registered upgrade firmware version and it is far more user friendly. If it had true portability using a small whip antenna this SDR receiver would really be a winner.

You have to buy a after market external antenna. I found that a wonder wand or moonraker wonder loop worked really well for hf. But I've seen passive portable antennas that will adapt to the antenna socket. I use the wonder wand from moonraker for hf listening.

Thanks for your update and whilst I have not had the construction issues you describe, I would fully agree with your comments. I have upgraded to the registered upgraded firmware which has massively improved it's user interface though actual reception is similar. Definitely a project in progress!!

@@Rogneil100 What number is the upgraded firmware?

@@paulhotson5820 Hi Paul. This known as the "Demo" or basic version firmware which once upgraded will have a numbered version.

Antenna used here is a multiband vertical which comprises of quarter wave lengths for 40m, 20m and 15m connected together at the base of a 10metre fibreglass pole and fed into the radio shack with good quality 50 ohm coax. Copper earthing rods situated at the base are additionally connected to many ground radials cut to approximately similar wavelengths. No matching ATU needed as antennas are cut to give 1:1 SWR into the receiver/transceivers. Simple, effective and cheap!!

This would be no different to any other reciever or scanner regarding antennas you use (although I'm not sure how good the filters are in this hardware) basically you would use an antenna suited to the band you are listening to i.e. for HF you would use a longwire, or dedicated HF band antenna, or an active antenna such as a loop or mini-whip etc - actually I've read the active loop antenna works very well on SDR. For VHF/UHF just use any dual band 2M/70cm amature antenna such as a Diamond x30 for SDR reception on VHF/UHF a Discone would probably work well too

I would agree that correctly set up, this mini SDR receiver performs very well (almost indistinguishable) from my ICOM 7400 and on occasion, side by side, the Noise Reduction feature enables it to make an otherwise weak SSB signal more coherent side by side using the ICOM's DSP.

So then, how do I properly set mine up? Have it hooked up directly to a 160 meter loop antenna and still not hearing much.

@@Rogneil100 But do they overload on a full size outdoor antenna?

@@624radicalham They need a full sized antenna to maximise the capabilities - there is insufficient front end gain in the earlier versions to work well on the HF bands with a small telescopic antenna. The more recent versions have much improved front ends and work quite well on a telescopic whip and it is possible to match the impedance via software switching. Recent versions also give access to an attenuator to minimise inter-modulation effects should the gain to be too great.

@@Rogneil100 Fabulous. That was my biggest concern which you've remedied. All the best!

In this case the manufacturers are not thiefs, Malachite project is open source. The creator of this still makes money (thank God) with the software upgrade.

@@paulatreides6779 Its not open source. If it was, there wouldn't be hacked Chinese firmware. The demo firmware is available but the official firmware requires an official radio and code from the Russian maker.

Receiver is connected to a multiband vertical antenna resonant on the two bands used in this demo, ie. 20 and 40 metres.

I am not aware of a genuine SDR receiver under $100 available in the UK which comes close to the features of the basic "demo" version of this receiver. It has through the use of variable bandwidth and noise reduction, the ability to reduce (not eliminate) QRM. If you purchase the registered version with upgraded firmware (for a relatively modest increase in price) it is in a different league again. The primary downside of its portability is that it needs the additional board to work well on a small whip antenna as compared to several none SDR portable receivers under $100. That aside, connected to an external antenna it compares very well to other expensive "black boxes" in my radio shack. It is not without some issues, but for the price and its innovation, in my opinion it represents good value for money.

@@Rogneil100 When you say it needs the "additional board" could you explain what that means?

@@n1kkri The original (Russian) producers of this receiver have made an additional board and describe it literally as "An optional board has been developed for the receiver, which contains an active antenna (for a telescopic antenna), additional RF filters and an attenuator. The board is designed to improve HF reception". They also add that an additional payment is required if you order the assembled receiver from them with this modification. As far as I am aware the Chinese clones do not have this feature - as yet! There may well be more commentary on this via the facebook user groups - hope this helps answer your query.

The Whip antenna is worthless in HF since it is not matched. Here is an excellent video on how to solve this with a mini 49:1 matching transformer = th-cam.com/video/bUp3NnfTya4/w-d-xo.html

2 week use update.Mine has the free software , and the thicker one with the 2 speakers (one is parasitic) and big Knobs, says Shenlan EK, it says on the case revA.0 but iside it says A3 ? .Two meters is useless as inteferance from the internal circuit, but its great on HF exept for powerfull stations swamping the band , half of the memory slots do not work. The freq steps are a REAL pain on the touch screen to touch correctly and selecting a station from the touch screen is bad as you end up with tiny frequency steps to correct as frequency step changes., once on a station it is pleasing.The sound is really full and detailed on FM and great on hf. I On mine the Pre amp setting is wrong ie off is ON, and on is OFF, leave it activated ie OFF on the rod antenna and dont activate it on a 20m wire or similiar. Setup I find 75db on AGC as recomended by the Russian designer "George". RF gain 20 to 25 on rod with activated preamp, 10-15 setting on 20m wire with preamp not activated (with 9:1 balun).The screen was not flush with the case a gap of about 3mil at one edge, I opened the front and found the edge of the circuit board snapped of at 2 corners,thats why it would not hold down. If you open the case it will be a pain as the other side of the visible case screws is a nut which will drop off inside! It is an incomplete radio, but it receives way better than my techsun 660 and sounds better and picks up more than my Icom pro due in part to having no mains borne inteferance which renders my HF radios useless at times thats what was apparent straight away on battery power. Some time it does not want to come out of hard setting and a restart is required. No speaker grill is not a good idea, its been thrown together, I paid £106 from Banggood, not Chinas best offering, shame.

Hi. The upgrade registration code can be obtained by contacting the owner/creator of the firmware Georgy, RX9CIM via malahit_sdr@rambler.ru There is a payment which at the time of replying to your query is about $55. It may be possible for your supplier in the case of a Chinese clone to obtain the registration code for you with a payment to them who subsequently purchase this from the owner in Russia. There are Facebook user groups for both the original russian receiver and separately, for the Chinese clone version which would be helpful to guide you through the firmware upgrade etc.

Thanks for your positive comment! This is a very impressive portable and only recently available in the UK. Whilst the CW signals in the contest were strong they were of course plentiful and the clip does show the advantage of the filtering which often on my other portables that have "Broad/Narrow" selection, makes little real selective difference. Just to add, that compared with the Sangean AT-909X, Tecsun P-660 and Sony ICF-SW7600G which I own, overall IMHO it has significantly better sensitivity on the inbuilt whip antenna. The only downsides are a bit of "chuffing" as one tunes across the band due to the timing of the AGC - but this is a minor price to pay as the fine tuning control is well engineered. There is a tiny bit of frequency instability noticeable on a steady heterodyne if the receiver is moved about - but to be expected - it's mechanical and not drift! Roger

Yes, this is the Chinese clone version of the mcHF transceiver original version developed by M0NKA. This firmware at the time of recording was 2.6.0 released in November 2017. Firmware releases are almost daily and the transceiver now has additional functionality including PSK TX/RX. Loading new firmware is exceptionally straightforward however beware of some "buggy" versions due simply to the nature of continual development and experimentation. It offers superb QRP functionality for a modest cost!