QRP Head 2 Head Episode 5: Xiegu G90 vs BG2FX FX-4CR
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ส.ค. 2024
- Today's matchup was a tough one. Both of these radios are 20w. Both of them have color waterfalls. Both of them will run Phone, CW, and Digital. Each radio has its advantages and disadvantages. The G90 is big, and heavy, but it's got a great feature set, and a fantastic tuner. The FX-4CR has amazing build quality, is smaller, and runs Bluetooth Digital. Which one will come out on top? Watch the video and find out! Thanks for watching and 73!
Evan
K2EJT
www.buymeacoff...
The G90 is an Everyman,do it all radio 😊
That's the truth!
I just got my FX-4CR on Saturday. It's hard to compare the G90 and the FX-4CR because it is a niche radio. Good job on the video and I did a quick activation the next morning after receiving my FX-4CR and did my own little video. The CW volume was too loud right out of the box for me so I had to back it down a bit. Thanks for the video, I'm enjoying the series. 72 de KN3A
Yeah, it really is a niche radio. I really like mine. Thanks for watching!
I love these comparative series because I think you get an honest review of the pros and cons. As a POTA enthusiast I do wish you would demo these radios in outside, bright light conditions. I have use my FTDX10 for field days and POTA but find the screen virtually unreadable. For outside work this is a big factor. My buddies sit in their RV's and trucks and laugh at my issues.
The vast majority of the radios fare very well outside. Obviously the simple monochrome displays do better, but none of the radios I've looked at becomes unusable in the sun. If you watch any of my activation videos (there are piles) you'll see all of these radio displays being used outdoors, often in direct sunlight. I may have to do an outdoor screen shootout though now that you bring it up! Thanks for watching
WOW, I would have guessed the FX-4CR just because of it's size, digital capabilities and build quality. Agreed, there is no tuner, but if you operate with resonant antennas in the field, that's not a problem. I guessed wrong on this one. Great comparison. I always look forward to the next video. Guess I'll have to keep an eye out for a used G90...after I get my backup field radio to pair with the TX-500. I am leaning towards the SW3B based on what I have seen with your videos...73
See u in class Tonight … I went with the G90
Thank you for this comparison. I was wondering which transceiver to get next.
Brilliant comparison. I’m literally torn between the two. Weeks away from my first exam, looking for a first radio. I want the FX, but the G90 is probably better for me. I can picture myself taking the FX on hikes, but with external tuner, not sure it would really be more practical than the G90.
I'll be honest, you can't go wrong with either radio, but for a first rig I'd go with the G90. It's a more complete package overall.
I've had a G90 and an FT-891 for a while. My buddy is letting me borrow his FX-4CR and I'm thinking real hard about getting one to be my SOTA rig from here on out. When I don't take my MTR4B, anyway.
Man, you have a nice stable of radios to choose from! 73, Patrick KF4LMZ
Yeah. I have to lay off for a while though. The bank account doesn't appreciate the radio collection as much as I do 😂
Perhaps it's my aging ears, but the audio quality of the FX-CR sounded better than the external speaker you used. Very informative video. Thanks 72 de AE5ZX
I think part of the reason for that is that the speaker on the radio is directly facing the camera, while the externa speaker was facing up, and was back quite a ways from the camera. The internal speaker in the FX-4CR is quite good though. Thanks for watching!
@@EvanK2EJT I can understand that, but I forgot to add that the cw was clear and crisp on the internal speaker. In my perception, the sound on the external speaker was somewhat muffled in comparison. The FX-CR is quite the rig. I am interested perhaps in buying one. A HamOp can never have too many rigs, especially QRP radios, but I really don't need another QRP rig; I own too many as it is! 😊
Good review of each. I have both and agree G90 is the better of the two. What makes these radios difficult to use is the ad hoc nature of the UI. It’s like they white boarded all of the features desired and then implemented them in the UI in no particular order without a sense of what the final product would look like. For example, there would be few who would complain if the AM/FM options were not included (which is dedicated to one of the buttons on the front panel). The FX-4CR hardware and firmware development is currently confusing. I’ve read that recently produced hardware is different from the original (so it’s been forked?). I’ve similar questions with the firmware based on info on Yu’s website. I’ve recently did a side-by-side of the G90 and the x6100 and, from a radio comparison (excluding form factor), the G90 is a better “radio” than it’s younger brother.
Agreed on all points. The UI on both radios definitely leaves something to be desired.
@@EvanK2EJT Are Yaesu menus worse?
@@KD9ZHF It depends on which Yaesu radio we're talking about. An 891, yes. An FTDX10, no.
good to point out that the new FX-4CR2 it has 6 meters so its now 80 to 6 (not 10m anymore)
I went through 3 G-90's in less than a year. The first one out of the box the top buttons worked intermittently. I sent it back got a new G90 after 10k QSO's the mic started to lock up on TX. Sent it back and got my third G90 only to find out it wouldn't transmit in AM mode plus it had an unsealed corner on the screen.. You could switch to AM but it would TX in Lsb. Also none of the radio's had accurate SWR sweeps compared to an analyzer or Yaesu swr meter. Radioddity has great customer service and gave me a full refund. Do yourself a favor and save an extra 200 and get a 891.
It's weird, because people have such different experiences with things. The only radio I own that I've made more contacts on than the G90 is my FTDX10. The G90 has been flawless. You're right though, for the money the 891 is a very compelling option, and a better radio than the G90.
can you please share the link of the 4CR legs? I cant find those with the double option
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09M9X31RM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1
@@EvanK2EJT Thanks!
You’re really pushing that ATU there Philip
Two completely different rigs ones a field radio the other is a desk/mobile rig and the new user would be well advised to go the G90 route.
Not for the ATU but the SWR sweep for antenna building.
I feel clarity is required about what an ATU is and isn’t…
1) In a low power set up the ?ATU does take away some RF power output.
2) an ATU doesn’t make a non resonant antenna resonant- it only provides an SWR match to protect the transceiver.
That “antenna” is still not resonant despite a 1:1 SWR, the RF signal will still be compromised
There are no short cuts a resonant antenna is not difficult to build and that’s what the SWR sweep is for.
I bring you back to the lower power transceivers needing all the RF output they can get
What the ATU does do is enable transmission on a different band say 12m on a 10m antenna or 17m on a 15m antenna if conditions or circumstances necessitate it.
They are also a superb solution to a broken wire antenna in the field.
Audio quality of the FX-4CR surpasses that of the G90 both internal and external - had you hooked it up to a resonant antenna this would have been more obvious.
Support provided by BG2FX surpasses that of any manufacturer
The fan and side rails are an optional extra not a new addition to the transceiver. In my opinion I think they’re a necessity if you’re planning on running digital. After 45minutes of 5w FT8 the transceiver reached the 50C trigger point and the fan came on.
After 1 hour of 20w SSB calling CQ with 80% transmitting the radio was not close to as warm.
Batteries - the FX4CR will operate for over 2 & 1/2 hours on 3s 18650 2600mah again 80% transmitting - in most circumstances with a back and forth casual exchange this is more likely to be 3 hours plus it takes a much higher voltage range enabling a wider use of battery packs.
And that’s the point having g used transceivers with internal battery packs in the real world these hamper power and are generally inappropriate for the operation you’re planning on using it for. Most people in the fiend will be running off an external battery pack and relying on the internal one for setting up testing or as a backup. In reality it’s dead weight and adds size not ability
The DSP and filtering (though widely undocumented) on the FX4CR is actually very very good as you had it set up the DSP Len setting was too high - leading to that excessive Whoosh sound the DSP and LEN need to be balanced to get optimum results.
This is not a set and forget situation.
The split operation of tge fx4cr is very well implemented too
You’ve also not touched on the SWL side of these transceivers - another undocumented area - the FX4CR really is very very good as a receiver only radio only thing missing is an auto tune snd memories
I stand by my original statement of the G90 being the radio that new comers should get
But for a portable transceiver it’s the FX4CR all the way.
They are two very different radios, but share some similar characteristics. They're both 20w. They both have very small color waterfalls. It really comes down to operating style and modes. If you're looking for a more packable option, or want to run digital, the FX-4CR is a better choice. In pretty much every other instance, the G90 is probably a more suitable solution.
I have both. I use the G90 as everything works. CW is still a mess on the FX4CR.
It's miles better than it was. The only real issue I've noticed is that it will occasionally decide to change bands. I will agree thought that the G90 is definitely a more finished product.
@EvanK2EJT and external mics still prone to RFI despite chokes and bypass caps
@EvanK2EJT the band changing issue can blow finals.
@@Philip-KA4KOE Yeah, I know. It's only happened to me once.
the g90 does not have an internal battery - to ding the FX4CR for no internal battery seems biased to me
Neither of them has an internal battery......and they both get dinged for that one. There's no bias, just my observations based on using these radios extensively.
@@EvanK2EJT I guess I missed the G90 ding, @34:30 you mentioned the FX4CR internal battery (twice).
If you're just here to argue, you've come to the wrong place.
@@EvanK2EJT was just asking for clarification.
@@marcinmichigan2772 I apologize. I didn't mean to come across the way I did. You are correct. Neither radio has an internal battery. I may not have mentioned it in this particular video, but I have in many others. They're both good radios, but serve very different purposes. The G90 is a better all around radio for most people. The FX4CR is better if you're going to be carrying it in any distance, but it's less robust and can be a tad finicky.
Both radios could probably get CW keyer memory with a SW/FW mod. But will they?
I'm going to say no on the G90. I doubt Xiegu will update it again. As for the FX-4CR? Maybe.
@@EvanK2EJT I agree. Their focus is now on the 6x00 series.
An antenna is only actually resonant on the specific frequency for which it was cut.
The moment you dial off of that frequency it is no longer a resonant antenna.
Hi. Wow sometimes you are talking in like 30 wpm...thisradiodonthasittrusdxdosenthaveitxiegug90donthasit.... please turn it down to about 16 wpm so i can understand you better since im not American 😂 but cool video and a interesting radio, i own several of them Chinese things everybody love to hate, i also own a mchf, and a yaesu ft897d ..but im thinking of testing a Xiegu G90 or a tr-usdx...or this on in the video. 73 from LA-M160560. "Listening callsign from NRRL"
Yeah, I talk a million miles an hour LOL. Thanks for watching!