I work 90% of the time QRP. I also have several other QRP radios (X6100, FX-4C, QR20) and over the course of the years I went through many QRP radios including the K1, K2, KX3 and KX2, Yes, the G106 doesn't have an internal battery and no internal tuner but compared to the Elecrafts and IC705 it is build like a tank and cost a fraction of the price. And the display is visible outside in bright sun. My only negative is the modulation doesn't have enough high frequency. But that is a problem I find with many QRP radios. Even with my Kenwood TS-570DG I had to add an external mike equalizer. Would I buy it again? Definitively YES.
For $100 USD more, the G90 is a much better value with an ATU, Antenna analyzer, up to 20 watts, and all band. Thank you for the review. I’d buy it in the low $200 range
I think it is a bit overpriced as well, but I'm probably going to buy one anyway :). I already have the G90 and it is great, but I think this would be great for POTA due to the size and weight being a lot smaller and lighter.
It's for me. Sorry I am a year late but I found one of these on EBay and I won the auction getting it for £180. It had been out the box and apparently never used. It lives in my car in a small bag with a SOTA Beams 20m EFHW, a CW Morse key and cables. It goes everywhere. It's always with me. Been in woods, on beaches, in as well as fields hostile environments (mother in law's garden). If I park up on hols, visiting, out for the day and have half-hour (as you rightly say in your Hyde Park POTA video) it is there. It is simple to set up, no faffing around and you are on the air. It has no internal battery, thank the radio Gods for that, as I pack everything away I keep the battery with me to recharge. The radio stays in the car. In the winter I do not like taking radios in the house and out the bag, from cold to warm. You'd never do it with a camera / lenses so why do it with a radio? Charge the battery and you are off again. CW and SSB. Perfect. I don't do digital at all - must sell the Anytone. A simple honest simple little radio that delivers. Not much does that now. I have the G90 for planned trips 920 watts plus a tuner) and a Yaesu 897? or a combination of those number as a base station. Thanks for the videos, I'll subscribe. Alan
its marketed at people like me, who need a budget, portable easy to operate radio for SOTA/HEMA ETC... I havent got 817/818 money, I already have a decent QRP 2/70 setup with a handheld and a decent antenna, so i dont need that feature! I dont need "top band" (160M) i don't need ANY of that stuff.... this radio, an EFHW and a small SLAB battery will give hours of fun and be portable enough to carry into the mountains! (ive actually ordered one BTW, from Lynchies) cant wait for mine to arrive! its a cracking little HF radio!
Actually, I'm getting ready to buy the G106. However, it's not because it'll be a primary radio for anything, or because I need it. It won't be my primary base HF or even QRP rig. Not my go-to mobile, or portable radio. I just like radios. *lol* I also have the Xiegu G1, kind of an ugly, clunky-looking radio that looks as though it could have came out of the WW2 era, although it's much too small to contain most vacuum tubes. I also have the Xiegu 5100, and G90. I'm most likely going to purchase a Xiegu 6100, also. I've got enough radios that I may have to do a home addition to house them. *lol* I got my first CB radio when I was 12, and can't imagine how many I've owned throughout the more than 5 decades since. I'm not wealthy, but I've worked for what I've got, I'm now retired, and I enjoy owning radios, so I do. Also, they say, _"you can't take it with you,"_ so why not? You can't take it with you, but I think I'll be buried with a tri-band HT......just in case...... *lol* I guess people don't really get buried alive anymore, but I did see a story from not long ago where a woman in Iowa had been declared dead at a nursing home, but woke-up and gasped for air while in a body bag at a funeral home, and another woman, Bella Montoya, in Ecuador, reportedly started knocking on her coffin after spending five hours inside at a funeral home, at her own wake! Yikes! That's the stuff nightmares are made of. I think it's only polite that when you're declared gone, you stay gone. *lol* Poor Bella is now gone for good though.....maybe, and she spent her last hours above ground at the same funeral home. I bet you could have heard a pin drop in that funeral home.....waiting for.....'the knock.' *lol* I think most people would be surprised at how many cases of "dead" people magically coming back to life still happen. A few years ago a man in Spain, that was about to have an autopsy performed, was found to still be alive. Talk about a rude awakening! If you're going to saw my skull cap off, please check for a pulse first......please. Yep, I'm taking an HT with me......and an extra battery. 😆
I am a retired Commerical Pilot and, when I was flying, at the start of the 1980s about all the crazy things that were happening with new electronics. we had a problem and we named it TASK SATURATION which, is what the Hell is going on with Ham radio. In other words, some of us old people just want a SIMPLE radio we can operate.
You are correct, however they do default to 2.5W when on internal battery power, and in my experience do deplete the internal battery rather quickly if using full power.
When one considers the venerable FT-818/817 also included VHF/UHF SSB/FM/CW with a much longer warranty, the G106 is not compelling as a portable QRP rig. If Xiegu were to offer a comparably engineered "shack in the box" QRP rig at a similar price point as the FT-818, they would indeed have my attention and humble respect.
I agree wholeheartedly. I’d love to see a sub $1K shack in a box that is rugged and SDR. Like a G90 with vhf/uhf. I love my 705 but am very careful where I take it. Mostly sits on my desktop.
Great review. I think it’s targeted to odd birds like me. I’ve had a eye on it for a while but the price tag stopped me. I just ordered one with the DE-19 BOTH for $280 with free shipping. I already have a G90 and a IC-705. I plan to throw it in a bag with a small battery & EFHW as a work truck radio kit.
Perfect little FT8 setup at home and perfect for POTA/SOTA. CW filter is great. And the TX don't care if you have 1:3+ in swr, it still pumps out 7-8 watts. For that price it's a no-brainer.
Let's stay factual: I have a G-106 and I made a CW contact in QRP from France with New Zealand this summer. ZL2IFB received me 459... My traffic conditions were not exceptional: G-106 + G5RV with 5W but neither were Gary's: Only 100W with a 2 x 2 element antenna
Chinese radios often have a nice set of features and a nice price, but sometimes they don't get the basics right, like the ability to filter out strong off frequency signals.
I would buy that rig if I was in the market for a pure qrp portable setup. Inexpensive, simple, and just works, and if I damage it while in the field, so what? Just grab another because of point 1... inexpensive. Cannot say the same about damaging a 705 or 817/18 in the field. The lack of an internal battery isn't really an issue either. 6-7 aH batteries are dirt cheap and very small.
I use my Yaesu FT891 portable, that too needs an external power source which yes can be a bit of a bind, but I have made many contacts using 35-40W that I couldn't have made with a QRP rig. That said, If I had very a limited budget and wanted a portable rig after just starting out this would suit me fine
I have a Lab 599 radio that I use in the car from a small lithium battery. It's only 10w output but works fine from the small battery. I drive a Nissan Leaf and it doesn't have an alternator. The 12v battery runs quite low at times so running a big radio from it wouldn't be within my low risk agenda. Problem with the Xiegu would be mounting it. The Lab 599 fits a head unit mount. I work stateside regularly on 10w from the car on 17m with a ampro whip.
just bought a xiegu g106 for the beach here in north wales i like the fact is has general covage receiver like to listen to 27.555khz cb band in SSB pitty it doesn't transmit on cb bands
Im sure it's a better rig than the USDR QRP radio for half the cost. I am interested for the cost, size and doing CW if I go portable. Having a Yeasu ftdx10 that will never move from my home shack, this cheapo would be great for the garage, connected to an end fed and sneaking a radio when I have to go on a family trip when things get idle.
Come on Johnathan.The obvious attraction of the radio is its price.You dont have to be a brain surgeon ! I'm an M0 with 12 wpm cw and i d i would have one if i already didnt have the Xiegu G90 . Anyway great for the upcoming power cuts .
While I don't disagree. I wonder if saving up that little bit extra would get you a much better radio? Of course the price will always be a factor in decision making processes. 73!
If I had cash to burn and already owned every radio I ever wanted and also owned every sock I ever wanted then I may consider buying a bag of black licorice.
This radios an awkward one, I like it and it's price but for me I'd like it to cover top band to six meters and include FM, I suppose if you're intending to go portable from time to time or just want a cheap and cheerful radio to take on holiday this one might tick that box.
Hi, as for the correct pronunciation of "xie" in Xiegu - there is no "Z" sound at all, so no ZAIGU, no ZIIGU, because it is written in pinyin notation and should be pronounced as pinyin. (The problem is that most Western languages lack such sound, so how to explain that...) The proper sound can be heard here: th-cam.com/video/RJfdhgcTzto/w-d-xo.html and also at 55 seconds there is a clear example of proper pronunciation.
I work 90% of the time QRP. I also have several other QRP radios (X6100, FX-4C, QR20) and over the course of the years I went through many QRP radios including the K1, K2, KX3 and KX2,
Yes, the G106 doesn't have an internal battery and no internal tuner but compared to the Elecrafts and IC705 it is build like a tank and cost a fraction of the price.
And the display is visible outside in bright sun. My only negative is the modulation doesn't have enough high frequency. But that is a problem I find with many QRP radios. Even with my Kenwood TS-570DG I had to add an external mike equalizer. Would I buy it again? Definitively YES.
For $100 USD more, the G90 is a much better value with an ATU, Antenna analyzer, up to 20 watts, and all band. Thank you for the review. I’d buy it in the low $200 range
I think it is a bit overpriced as well, but I'm probably going to buy one anyway :). I already have the G90 and it is great, but I think this would be great for POTA due to the size and weight being a lot smaller and lighter.
It's for me. Sorry I am a year late but I found one of these on EBay and I won the auction getting it for £180. It had been out the box and apparently never used. It lives in my car in a small bag with a SOTA Beams 20m EFHW, a CW Morse key and cables. It goes everywhere. It's always with me. Been in woods, on beaches, in as well as fields hostile environments (mother in law's garden).
If I park up on hols, visiting, out for the day and have half-hour (as you rightly say in your Hyde Park POTA video) it is there.
It is simple to set up, no faffing around and you are on the air. It has no internal battery, thank the radio Gods for that, as I pack everything away I keep the battery with me to recharge. The radio stays in the car. In the winter I do not like taking radios in the house and out the bag, from cold to warm. You'd never do it with a camera / lenses so why do it with a radio? Charge the battery and you are off again. CW and SSB. Perfect. I don't do digital at all - must sell the Anytone.
A simple honest simple little radio that delivers. Not much does that now.
I have the G90 for planned trips 920 watts plus a tuner) and a Yaesu 897? or a combination of those number as a base station.
Thanks for the videos, I'll subscribe.
Alan
its marketed at people like me, who need a budget, portable easy to operate radio for SOTA/HEMA ETC... I havent got 817/818 money, I already have a decent QRP 2/70 setup with a handheld and a decent antenna, so i dont need that feature! I dont need "top band" (160M) i don't need ANY of that stuff.... this radio, an EFHW and a small SLAB battery will give hours of fun and be portable enough to carry into the mountains! (ive actually ordered one BTW, from Lynchies) cant wait for mine to arrive! its a cracking little HF radio!
Actually, I'm getting ready to buy the G106. However, it's not because it'll be a primary radio for anything, or because I need it. It won't be my primary base HF or even QRP rig. Not my go-to mobile, or portable radio. I just like radios. *lol* I also have the Xiegu G1, kind of an ugly, clunky-looking radio that looks as though it could have came out of the WW2 era, although it's much too small to contain most vacuum tubes. I also have the Xiegu 5100, and G90. I'm most likely going to purchase a Xiegu 6100, also. I've got enough radios that I may have to do a home addition to house them. *lol* I got my first CB radio when I was 12, and can't imagine how many I've owned throughout the more than 5 decades since.
I'm not wealthy, but I've worked for what I've got, I'm now retired, and I enjoy owning radios, so I do. Also, they say, _"you can't take it with you,"_ so why not?
You can't take it with you, but I think I'll be buried with a tri-band HT......just in case...... *lol* I guess people don't really get buried alive anymore, but I did see a story from not long ago where a woman in Iowa had been declared dead at a nursing home, but woke-up and gasped for air while in a body bag at a funeral home, and another woman, Bella Montoya, in Ecuador, reportedly started knocking on her coffin after spending five hours inside at a funeral home, at her own wake! Yikes! That's the stuff nightmares are made of. I think it's only polite that when you're declared gone, you stay gone. *lol* Poor Bella is now gone for good though.....maybe, and she spent her last hours above ground at the same funeral home. I bet you could have heard a pin drop in that funeral home.....waiting for.....'the knock.' *lol*
I think most people would be surprised at how many cases of "dead" people magically coming back to life still happen. A few years ago a man in Spain, that was about to have an autopsy performed, was found to still be alive. Talk about a rude awakening! If you're going to saw my skull cap off, please check for a pulse first......please.
Yep, I'm taking an HT with me......and an extra battery. 😆
I am a retired Commerical Pilot and, when I was flying, at the start of the 1980s about all the crazy things that were happening with new electronics. we had a problem and we named it TASK SATURATION which, is what the Hell is going on with Ham radio. In other words, some of us old people just want a SIMPLE radio we can operate.
Good review Jonathan 👍 now we wanna see some of you testing some new antennas 📡 always a good watch 73 n merry xmas
Thanks Andy
The FT 817 / 818 is not limited on power when using the internal battery. It is possible to operate on full power when using the internal battery.
You are correct, however they do default to 2.5W when on internal battery power, and in my experience do deplete the internal battery rather quickly if using full power.
@@M0JSX With the 1900 MAh battery pack I can operate at 6 W all afternoon and still have plenty to spare when I'm finished.
@@LouiseBrooksBob I can operate all afternoon also, as long as I never transmit!
When one considers the venerable FT-818/817 also included VHF/UHF SSB/FM/CW with a much longer warranty, the G106 is not compelling as a portable QRP rig. If Xiegu were to offer a comparably engineered "shack in the box" QRP rig at a similar price point as the FT-818, they would indeed have my attention and humble respect.
I agree wholeheartedly. I’d love to see a sub $1K shack in a box that is rugged and SDR. Like a G90 with vhf/uhf. I love my 705 but am very careful where I take it. Mostly sits on my desktop.
Just got my G106 delivered and set up. Made my first contact on 20M 14.300. So far a nice little rig. It is what it is.
Great review. I think it’s targeted to odd birds like me. I’ve had a eye on it for a while but the price tag stopped me. I just ordered one with the DE-19 BOTH for $280 with free shipping.
I already have a G90 and a IC-705. I plan to throw it in a bag with a small battery & EFHW as a work truck radio kit.
Perfect little FT8 setup at home and perfect for POTA/SOTA. CW filter is great. And the TX don't care if you have 1:3+ in swr, it still pumps out 7-8 watts. For that price it's a no-brainer.
Let's stay factual: I have a G-106 and I made a CW contact in QRP from France with New Zealand this summer. ZL2IFB received me 459... My traffic conditions were not exceptional: G-106 + G5RV with 5W but neither were Gary's: Only 100W with a 2 x 2 element antenna
Chinese radios often have a nice set of features and a nice price, but sometimes they don't get the basics right, like the ability to filter out strong off frequency signals.
I would buy that rig if I was in the market for a pure qrp portable setup. Inexpensive, simple, and just works, and if I damage it while in the field, so what? Just grab another because of point 1... inexpensive. Cannot say the same about damaging a 705 or 817/18 in the field. The lack of an internal battery isn't really an issue either. 6-7 aH batteries are dirt cheap and very small.
14:40 What was that sharp blast of noise on switching back to receive?
Not too sure, but I think it was probably a local bit of noise (It didn't sound great though, did it?)
@@M0JSX did it twice like it was on FM. Dunno..:)
I use my Yaesu FT891 portable, that too needs an external power source which yes can be a bit of a bind, but I have made many contacts using 35-40W that I couldn't have made with a QRP rig. That said, If I had very a limited budget and wanted a portable rig after just starting out this would suit me fine
I have a Lab 599 radio that I use in the car from a small lithium battery. It's only 10w output but works fine from the small battery. I drive a Nissan Leaf and it doesn't have an alternator. The 12v battery runs quite low at times so running a big radio from it wouldn't be within my low risk agenda. Problem with the Xiegu would be mounting it. The Lab 599 fits a head unit mount. I work stateside regularly on 10w from the car on 17m with a ampro whip.
Plan to buy one for mobile ops in my FJ cruiser!
just bought a xiegu g106 for the beach here in north wales i like the fact is has general covage receiver like to listen to 27.555khz cb band in SSB pitty it doesn't transmit on cb bands
Nice review Jonathan. 73 👍🏼
Thanks Ferdinand!
FT817/8 are not actually limited on internal battery. Yes they default to 2.5W but a couple of button presses will put you on the full 5W.
Rick, you are correct, however the internal battery doesn't last very long on 5W in my experience! 73!
Yep.. Not sure who is this just right for either..! Nice one Jonathan!
Thanks Cal!
What was the number 001, 002 etc that you were saying at the end of each QSO?
Those QSOs were in a contest, and they were the serial numbers for those contacts. 73!
Great review. Thank you.
If I was purposely looking at a new rig below 500 quid I’d plump for the G90. Or even a second hand 891 for 450 quid.
That’s my thoughts. In that situation I’d buy second hand FT-891.
Very good small radio!
It looks CHEAP to me.Lots of issues with those brand of radios so I'm sticking with my ICOM 703 PLUS.
I got mine to leave in my campervan with a halfwave end fed and 49/1 . Hook it up to my leisure battery through the halfwave up a tree and away I go.
Im sure it's a better rig than the USDR QRP radio for half the cost. I am interested for the cost, size and doing CW if I go portable. Having a Yeasu ftdx10 that will never move from my home shack, this cheapo would be great for the garage, connected to an end fed and sneaking a radio when I have to go on a family trip when things get idle.
fish and chip shop owners might like them
Okay…
Come on Johnathan.The obvious attraction of the radio is its price.You dont have to be a brain surgeon ! I'm an M0 with 12 wpm cw and i d i would have one if i already didnt have the Xiegu G90 . Anyway great for the upcoming power cuts .
While I don't disagree. I wonder if saving up that little bit extra would get you a much better radio? Of course the price will always be a factor in decision making processes. 73!
I like your videos, but the video quality leaves something to be desired. I don't know if it's your lighting, your camera, or both.
If I had cash to burn and already owned every radio I ever wanted and also owned every sock I ever wanted then I may consider buying a bag of black licorice.
Price hiked a tad sharpish. £257 to £299 in 3 weeks!
I can only imagine a new shipment was received at a significantly higher landed price.
@@M0JSX There are forces at play beyond our control. We're all doomed 😀
Xiegu g106 or usdx?
I’ve not used the usdx, but others do seem to sing their praises. I advise you to do further research before buying either. 73!
Nıce revıew great that MLS are loanıng you kıt to revıew
Thanks Bruce. 73!
This radios an awkward one, I like it and it's price but for me I'd like it to cover top band to six meters and include FM, I suppose if you're intending to go portable from time to time or just want a cheap and cheerful radio to take on holiday this one might tick that box.
you buy cheap you get cheap, and you get what you pay for.
Hi, as for the correct pronunciation of "xie" in Xiegu - there is no "Z" sound at all, so no ZAIGU, no ZIIGU, because it is written in pinyin notation and should be pronounced as pinyin. (The problem is that most Western languages lack such sound, so how to explain that...) The proper sound can be heard here: th-cam.com/video/RJfdhgcTzto/w-d-xo.html and also at 55 seconds there is a clear example of proper pronunciation.
nice portable trancseiver, low price
It Is ok but at 199€
It's not something I'd be interested in buying. My Yaesu FT-818nd 'scratches' my QRP 'itch' just fine, thank you. DE K7RLN
Yaesu 818 no longer available!